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Atlanta Braves Top 50 Prospects for 2019

One of the best systems in baseball is bolstered by a crop of young arms and projectable athletes. The strength of the system is on display in Prospects Live’s Top 100 Prospects. 10 Braves made the list. There are also 10 Braves in the top 105 from Prospect1500’s aggregated Top 185. The depth and star power that bolsters this Top 50 will allow the Braves to remain competitive for the next 4-5 years. With so much prospect equity, GM Alex Anthopolous is able to plug in holes on the MLB roster either via trade or within the system.



Prospects1500 Tiers:

Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years

Tier 2: Players with an above average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor

Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor

Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have high likelihood of making the majors but providing minimal impact (e.g. middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys)

Tier 5: Players who are worth keeping an eye on, but likely to never make a team’s 40-man roster





Tier 1:

1A. Touki Toussaint, RHP

Age: 22 (6/20/96)

Highest Level: MLB

Toussaint has risen to the top of a loaded farm system with an outstanding 2018 campaign that flashed promises of improved command to go along with plus stuff. His curveball grades at a 70. It is a tight-spinning hammer with consistent shape and improved command. The split-changeup has flashed above-average to plus at times with sharp, downward biting action. The key for Touki will be control. He has struggled to command the zone at the MLB level seeing his walk rate double, however, his stuff is so good that even when he struggles to find the zone, he can dominate. Expect Touki to compete for a rotation spot to start 2019.

1B. Cristian Pache, CF

Age: 20 (11/19/98)

Highest Level: AA

Pache profiles as a true five-tool talent, with three tools (defense, arm, and speed) grading 70-80 on the 2080 scale. At only 20, Pache has an athletic frame that can add good muscle without sacrificing his speed and quickness. The bat made great strides in 2018 with a career high 9 HR, the first 9 of his career. He still has a long ways to go in terms of improving pitch recognition. The walk rate doesn’t concern me because that will improve with experience. When a young player is learning to hit, I want them to be an aggressive and attack the fastball. As Pache continues to add strength and patience, the power will come. When it does, he could be the top prospect in all of baseball.

3. Austin Riley, 3B

Age: 21 (4/2/97)

Highest Level: AAA

Riley’s prolific power and improving defense are the carrying tools. He is a streaky hitter that is prone to swing-and-miss which could limit the playability of his hit tool at the next level. He profiles as a 30+ HR bat and should stick at third base although a move to first base may be in his future. With the emergence of Johan Camargo and the signing of Josh Donaldson, the Braves have no reason to rush Riley. The Donaldson signing shows that Riley still has some work to do regarding pitch recognition.

4. Mike Soroka, RHP

Age: 21 (8/4/97)

Highest Level: MLB

Soroka, one of the youngest arms in the system, was the first to get the call to Atlanta. A shoulder injury shut him down for the season, however, he should be fully ready to compete for a spot in the rotation next spring. While he doesn’t possess the lights out stuff of some of the other pitchers in the system, his floor is insanely high. He possesses a pitchability not often found in a young players which should help him stick in the middle of the Atlanta rotation. Soroka fills the strike zone with 4 pitches that generate weak contact. His fastball sits 92-93 with his 2-seam sinker inducing 44% groundballs in limited MLB action. He also throws a slider and change-up, both grading out at above-average pitches.

5. Ian Anderson, RHP

Age: 20 (5/2/98)

Highest Level: AA

There was much speculation when the Braves took Anderson 3rd overall in 2016 that his willingness to sign below slot was the determining factor. However, Anderson’s 2018 season, in which he reached Double-A, has allowed him to separate himself from a loaded core of young arms and prove his worthiness of such a high draft pick. Anderson throws three pitches, a fastball, curveball, and changeup. The curveball is a plus pitch at present. He has the ability to run the fastball into the mid 90’s but sits 93-94. The key to development is improving command. Pitching from an over-the-top arm slot, Anderson at times struggles to get maximal extension, which leads to struggles with command. When he is in sync, he can pound the bottom half of the zone with all three pitches.

Ian Anderson was 💪in his final start. 6 shutout IP – 10Ks

Enjoy 87 seconds of him carving up Monte Harrison and the Jumbo Shrimp #JuntosMiami #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/vgudafAoIJ — Jason Woodell (@JasonAtTheGame) September 2, 2018

6. William Contreras, C

Age: 21 (12/24/97)

Highest Level: A+

Contreras already plays above-average defense with a plus throwing arm. The defense should continue to improve with increased reps and eventually grade as plus. Contreras flashed plus power and shows a patient approach at the plate. He is a line-drive hitter that consistently finds the barrel. He struggled after a promotion to High-A and looked gassed at the end of the season. His swings were defensive and he had changed his stance, abandoning a high leg kick. When he is locked in, his swing has good balance and he uses his lower half to generate above-average power. Despite fading down the stretch, Contreras has the tools to impact the game on both sides of the ball.

7. Drew Waters, CF

Age: 20 (12/30/98)

Highest Level: A+

Waters dominated the Sally flashing five plus tools. A switch-hitter, he is more advanced from the left side of the plate and profiles as a doubles machine with the potential to steal 20-30 bases. There is over-the-fence power in his bat but he will need to add strength, which will come with body maturity. Presently, Waters uses the whole field, spraying balls into the gaps. Defensively, he isn’t in the same league as Pache but he has the tools to become a better overall hitter. As with Pache, he will need to improve pitch selection and tone down his aggressiveness.



Tier 2:

8. Bryse Wilson, RHP

Age: 21 (12/20/97)

Highest Level: MLB

Wilson has pitched across three levels of the minors before earning a spot start in Atlanta and a September call-up. The young righty has a prototypical starting pitcher body and flashes plus command. His fastball touches 97 with downhill plane. His slider and changeup have improved to above-average offerings. Wilson is a bulldog on the mound, filling the zone with quality strikes. His sequencing and secondaries improved at every stop which also saw a correlation with increased K rate as he climbed the organization’s ladder.

9. Kyle Wright, RHP

Age: 23 (10/2/95)

Highest Level: MLB

Wright flew through AA/AAA in his first full professional season, reaching Atlanta as a September call-up. He also earned a spot in the 2018 Future’s Game. While it’s clear that this season he is behind Soroka and Toussaint in the pecking order, he has the stuff and pitchability to earn a rotation spot in 2019. In order to do so, he’ll need to improve his command/sequencing and limit his walks. He throws four above-average to future plus pitches. His change-up is a fringe pitch at present. The development of the change-up will be the key to locking down a rotation spot. He profiles as a mid-rotation starting pitcher.

10. Luiz Gohara, LHP

Age: 22 (7/31/96)

Highest Level: MLB

Gohara exploded onto the scene in 2017 after starting in High-A and advancing to Atlanta. 2018 has been a different story. Tragedy and a shoulder injury have derailed his season, leaving him one inning shy of exceeding prospect status. Concerns about weight and conditioning have also plagued Gohara, however, those same concerns were belayed in 2017 when he dominated across four levels. His fastball-slider combo are both plus pitches with his command lagging behind. With so many pitchers knocking at the door for a rotation spot, Gohara may be a prime candidate for a bullpen role in 2019.

11. Kyle Muller, LHP

Age: 21 (10/7/97)

Highest Level: AA

Muller was yet another fast riser pitching across three levels are reaching Double-A. Standing 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, Muller has a prototypical frame with projection. He throws downhill with his FB at 92-93. He could add some velocity with increased strength. Muller also features as slider and changeup, with the changeup being a plus offering. He repeats his delivery well for a big guy and is more athletic than he looks.

12. Kolby Allard, LHP

Age: 21 (8/13/97)

Highest Level: MLB

Usually if a prospect dominates Triple-A in his age-20 season, he finds himself in the top five. In the case of Allard, the numbers don’t seem to match the stuff. His best pitch is a curveball that flashes plus at times, but isn’t enough of a weapon to keep hitters off his pedestrian fastball. With that being said, he is young and polished so the upside is there. He will need to stay off the sweet spot of the bat in order to get MLB hitters out, so a repeat at Triple-A in 2019 may be in the cards.

13. Joey Wentz, LHP

Age: 21 (10/6/97)

Highest Level: A+

Wentz struggled with injuries all season that has seen a decrease in stuff and command. While the overall walk rate increased a tick, if you remove two terrible starts (11 BB in 4 2/3 IP), the walk per nine rate is 1.88. Wentz missed a month after walking 6 in 1 2/3 IP. An even better sign in an otherwise lost season, Wentz walked five in his final 38 innings after the six-walk start. With a healthy 2019, Wentz could position himself back into the Top 100.

14. Greyson Jenista, OF/1B

Age: 22 (12/7/96)

Highest Level: A+

The Braves took Jenista 49th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. He shows an advanced approach with a good feel for the barrel. Jenista struggles against offspeed, especially changeups, often lunging onto his front foot. While his hands are strong enough to find the barrel, this tends to zap his game power. He has good size and present strength that should translate into plus game power with improved pitch recognition. Jenista moves well for a bigger guy and profiles as a left fielder-first baseman.

15. Tristan Beck, RHP

Age: 22 (6/24/96)

Highest Level: Rookie

The Braves took Beck with 112th-overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. The former Stanford righty flashes a four-pitch mix with pitchability. Beck’s fastball sits 92-94. He has good feel for his curve which registers 79 mph. His slider is low 80’s and flashes two-plane tilt. He did not throw his change-up in my looks. Beck is a fast worker and attacks the bottom half of the zone. He will elevate his 4-seamer with two-strikes. Injuries hurt his draft stock but based on his command and sequencing, Beck could be a fast riser through the system in 2019.



Tier 3:

16. Patrick Weigel, RHP

Age: 24 (7/8/94)

Highest Level: AAA in 2017

Weigel was shooting up prospects lists in 2017 after dominating Double-A before blowing out his elbow. Recovering from Tommy John, Weigel threw four rehab innings in the GCL and flashed plus velocity with good command of the curveball and changeup. He should be healthy for 2019 and with the amount of depth in the Atlanta and Gwinnett rotations, may start again in Double-A. As he continues to build arm strength and regain his command, he could impact Atlanta in 2019, possibly as a bullpen guy. When he is on, the stuff is electric. Hard to say what the plans are for him at this point, but the Braves have the luxury of being patient with him.

Patrick Weigel looks good today. Here is the CB. Working all 4 pitches in a 1-2-3 first inning, striking out the side

FB 95

CB 77 below

SL 84

CH – didn't get velo but he got swing and miss with it#Braves #Chopon #Rehab pic.twitter.com/uGMcxQ2Ons — Jason Woodell (@JasonAtTheGame) August 18, 2018

17. Huascar Ynoa, RHP

Age: 20 (5/28/98)

Highest Level: A+

Ynoa split time between Low-A and High-A and while the overall numbers may look bad, there are some good signs concerning development. Despite an 8.03 ERA in High-A, Ynoa’s xFIP was actually lower while his K/9 jumped. The young right-handed pitcher has an athletic projectable frame and a fastball that touches 100 mph. The secondaries are below average as is the command at present, but the arm is dynamite.

18. Tucker Davidson, LHP

Age: 22 (3/25/96)

Highest Level: A+

The Braves moved Davidson to the starting rotation in 2018 after 13 career starts in his first two seasons. Davidson struggled to command his fastball and often found himself constantly pitching with runners on base. He has a fast arm with a fastball that touches 96. His breaking stuff is fringe and plays down due to the lack of command. I love the arm though and at worst Davidson could prove to be a useful pen arm.

19. Freddy Tarnok, RHP

Age: 20 (11/24/98)

Highest Level: A

Tarnok pitched out of the Rome pen for the first three months of the season and was unhittable. He posted a .164 AVG and 49 strikeouts in 35.1 IP. As a starter, Tarnok’s command and sequencing were exposed and he was hit hard. The walks went up and the strikeout rate went down. Out of the pen, the fastball touches 97. In my one look as a starting pitcher, Tarnok sat 90-92. He flashed good arm speed with his changeup but ultimately his stuff played down across the board. Tarnok has an athletic delivery with a whippy arm action. He is raw but there is a lot to like.

20. Alex Jackson, C

Age: 23 (12/25/95)

Highest Level: AAA

Jackson was the epitome of a post-hype sleeper after a stellar 2017 season. A new organization and a new position seemed to revitalize his career after being the 6th-overall pick in 2014. His offensive game took a step back in 2018 in the upper levels of the minors. In reality, Jackson has one carrying tool with the switch to catcher potentially off-setting the holes in his hit tool. However, while the defense has improved, it hasn’t improved enough to off-set his inability to make consistent contact. If he can cut down on the strikeouts and increase his contact rate, he becomes a viable offensive-minded backup catcher with the ability to hit the ball out of the park. The tools are still there to reach that ceiling.

21. CJ Alexander, 3B

Age: 22 (7/17/96)

Highest Level: A+

Most of the time 20th-round picks are afterthought, but Alexander has done nothing but hit since becoming a professional in June. The swing is compact and Alexander consistently finds the barrel, spraying line drives all over the field. I’ve seen him a lot and I like the bat speed. He is a plus athlete and moves well on the base paths. Presently, Alexander’s swing is more groundball/line drive oriented with gap power. He doesn’t look to pull balls with authority and pitchers have attacked him inside to get him out in my looks. The numbers in his first taste of pro-ball are encouraging but a bit inflated by an unsustainable BABIP.

22. Trey Riley, RHP

Age: 20 (4/21/98)

Highest Level: Rookie

Riley was selected in the 5th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. His fastball is 95-96 while his slider is a plus pitch. A swing-and-miss pitch. In order to become a starter, Riley will need to continue to refine his change-up, which is firm and below-average at present. His delivery is athletic and if the Braves relegate him to the pen, he should move fast through the system. However, I think there is enough athleticism to warrant development as a starter.

23. Riley Delgado, SS

Age: 23 (2/22/95)

Highest Level: A+

Delgado is a polished hitter with 20-grade power. He has a good feel for the barrel and will use the whole field. Defensively, he is does everything right. So what he lacks in tools and projection, Delgado makes up for in steadiness and consistency. His ceiling is currently utility infielder. Think Martin Prado lite.

Riley Delgado open face slow mo – line drive 1B#ChopOn #Braves pic.twitter.com/7QyqiBkCPO — Jason Woodell (@JasonAtTheGame) August 20, 2018



Tier 4:

24. Izzy Wilson, OF

Age: 20 (3/6/98)

Highest Level: A+

A case could be made that Wilson is the best overall athlete in the system. The tooled-up outfielder has struggled to translate his athleticism into results. Wilson’s swing is long and while the walk rate shows improvement in pitch recognition, his hyper aggressiveness and pull heavy approach leave him prone to slumps. The holes in his swing cause his power to play down to below average and limit his ability to use his speed to impact the game.

25. Jasseel De La Cruz, RHP

Age: 21 (6/26/97)

Highest Level: A

De La Cruz has an athletic delivery with a fast, short arm action. He has a lively fastball and his slider is a potential plus pitch IF he can harness his command. At present, he projects a bullpen piece. If he can improve his command to even a 50 grade, his fastball-slider combo alone could keep him in the rotation until Double-A. He is working on a change-up and the Braves will continue to develop him as a SP.

26. Chad Sobotka, RHP

Age: 25 (7/10/93)

Highest Level: MLB

Sobotka flew threw the minors in 2018 staring in High-A and advancing to Atlanta. Braves fans have seen first hand how nasty his stuff is. The fastball sits high 90’s and routinely touches 100. Command will always limit his effectiveness though. When he throws strikes, he is unhittable, but the high walk rate will always limit the trust Brian Snitker has in him. If he cuts the walk rate in half, he can be a 7th- or 8th-inning guy.

27. Corbin Clouse, LHP

Age: 23 (6/26/95)

Highest Level: AAA

Clouse has a big time arm with plus stuff. He generates swing and miss and can get right-handed hitters out, which allows him to become more than a lefty specialist. Expect him in the Atlanta bullpen in 2019.

28. AJ Graffanino, SS

Age: 21 (7/16/97)

Highest Level: A

The son of former Brave Tony, A.J. has had no trouble adjusting to pro pitching since being taken in the 8th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He is a loose, athletic switch-hitting shortstop. Graffanino is a smooth defender and has a quick bat and good feel. He makes solid line-drive contact and while he may never become a power threat, he has strong wrists and is quick inside.

29. Thomas Burrows, LHP

Age: 24 (9/14/94)

Highest Level: AA

Burrows is a big, sturdy lefty with a deceptive delivery and a plus slider. The walk and strikeout rate improved after a promotion to Double-A and Burrows has positioned himself as a candidate to impact the Atlanta bullpen by mid-2019. His fastball straightens out at times and gets hit hard. However, if he can improve his consistency throwing strikes, he can generate enough swing-and-miss to become a late inning reliever.

30. Jefrey Ramos, OF

Age: 19 (2/10/99)

Highest Level: A

Ramos has a strong frame, thick lower half, and could still get stronger. At only 19, Ramos’ best asset is power. He is an aggressive hitter that will expand the zone and is still learning to pick up spin. He profiles as a LF bat first player. Due to his aggressiveness and lack of walks, he is prone to become a low OBP/AVG guy. However, teenage power hitters are worth following and Ramos fits that bill. Guys that can hit will always find a spot.

31. Braxton Davidson, 1B

Age: 22 (6/18/96)

Highest level: A+

Throw Davidson’s numbers out the window. The K rate, the low average, three seasons in High-A…I get it. However, Davidson made significant changes to his approach that resulted in a .737 SLG% in the Arizona Fall League. In the past, Davidson told me that he guessed pitches and was often wrong. In two seasons of watching him, he was consistently late on fastballs and early on off-speed. The more he pressed, the worse it got. In the fall, Davidson started looking location and trusted his hands to respond to off-speed. That and he started making a concerned effort to drive the ball the other way. Davidson was a 1st rounder during the Frank Wren administration. While he has been around forever, he is still only 22.

32. Ray-Patrick Didder, SS

Age: 24 (10/1/94)

Highest Level: AA

Didder is a glove first/speedy middle infielder that has yet to translate his plus athleticism into offensive output. The bat path is linear, resulting in high groundball rates and 20 grade game power. Didder’s swing though isn’t set up to take advantage of his 70 grade speed. He doesn’t make enough contact or has enough power to be anything more than a utility infielder.

33. Jacob Webb, RHP

Age: 25 (8/15/93)

Highest Level: AAA

Webb reached AAA in 2018 and saved 11 games for Gwinnett. He should compete for a bullpen role in 2019 but will need to improve his command. His fastball is a plus pitch with his slider grading above-average. Webb also throws a change-up which grades as fringe that flashes average.

34. Jeremy Walker, RHP

Age: 23 (6/12/95)

Highest Level: A+

Walker is the least known arm in a loaded Florida rotation. The FB sits low 90’s but he can work at 94. The offspeed offerings are fringe and he doesn’t generate swing and miss. He does keep the ball down when he is going good but he becomes very hittable if he misses up. Ultimately, I think Walker ends up in the bullpen where his fastball velocity and secondaries could play up a tick.

35. Brooks Wilson, RHP

Age: 22 (3/15/96)

Highest Level: A

The Braves selected Wilson in the 7th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He was Stetson’s closer and profiles as a reliever. The stuff can be electric and he could move fast through the organization.

36. Wes Parsons, RHP

Age: 26 (9/6/92)

Highest Level: MLB

Parsons first full season as a SP has been successful one by the numbers. Ultimately, he doesn’t miss enough bats to be considered a viable back of the rotation SP. Parsons did make his MLB debut in 2018 and was hit hard in 5 IP. His FB is low 90’s while his CH and SL lack separation with only a 2 mph difference.

37. Odalvi Javier, RHP

Age: 21 (9/14/96)

Highest Level: A

Javier has a projectable frame and at times shows some pitchability. His FB sits low 90’s with consistent run. His slider flashes average at times while his change-up is firm. Pounds the zone and can turn over a lineup but questions remain about his ability to get advanced hitters out 2-3x per game.

38. Travis Demeritte, 2B

Age: 24 (9/30/94)

Highest Level: AA

Demeritte has plus raw power but swing and miss issues limit his effectiveness. Presently a 20 hit tool with poor pitch recognition and a long swing. He is athletic enough to develop into a utility infielder that can provide some thunder off the bench. However, at this stage in his career, it’s more likely he provides organizational depth.



Tier 5:

39. Drew Lugbauer, C

Age: 21 (8/23/96)

Highest Level: A

After being taken in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Lugbauer splashed onto the scene with 13 HR in 60 games, earning the nickname “Slugbauer.” He has not lived up the nickname in 2018. Lugbauer’s game power is limited by an overly aggressive approach and a long swing. Pitch recognition is a concern as Sally league pitchers have attacked him with off-speed out of the zone that he hasn’t been able to lay off of.

40. Alejandro Salazar, IF

Age: 22 (10/5/96)

Highest Level: AAA

Salazar shows good bat to ball skills with minimal power projection. His swing plane is linear leading to a high groundball rate. Salazar is an aggressive hitter that uses all fields. He is a versatile defender that can play all over the infield.

41. Hayden Deal, LHP

Age 24: (11/4/94)

Highest Level: A

Deal relies on a plus CH to induce weak contact. His FB sits 88 mph but he is able to effectively use it inside to righties. The CH is firm and the arm action is excellent. He is undersized and has dominated younger hitters. The pitchability is worth keeping an eye on.

42. Derian Cruz, 2B

Age: 20 (10/3/98)

Highest Level: A

There is a lot to like with Cruz. He is athletic. He is fast. He is a switch-hitter. He can play up the middle. But until he learns how to tone down his aggressiveness and recognize spin, he will never hit enough to utilize his athleticism.

43. Josh Graham, RHP

Age: 25 (10/14/93)

Highest Level: AA

Graham is a volatile reliever that flashes three plus pitches. His fastball, curveball, and change-up generate swing-and-miss…when he throws them for strikes. Poor command (22% K in AA) limits Graham’s ceiling. The Braves have extended a non-roster invite to spring.

44. Braulio Vazquez, 3B

Age: 19 (4/13/99)

Highest Level: Rookie

Vazquez has an athletic frame with projection. He is a raw hitter with a long swing and poor pitch recognition. There is effort in the swing and it appears that in effort to tap into his raw power, he has shown a decreased approach. He’s still young and athletic enough to tap into the tools

45. Jeremy Fernandez, OF

Age: 21 (7/11/97)

Highest Level: Rookie

The numbers look nice, especially the power and the K rate. Fernandez though is a bit old for the GCL and provides little defensive value or speed. He has a strong build and there could be legit power in his bat. Ultimately, I didn’t see enough hit tool, bat speed, or athleticism to think that he could produce enough against advanced pitchers.

46. Gabriel Rodriguez, LHP

Age: 19 (4/9/99)

Highest level: Rookie

The Braves drafted Rodriguez in the 31st round in 2018 after a subpar offensive season in JUCO. But the Braves saw enough in his limited time on the mound to convince Rodriguez to sign and become a full-time pitcher. As a professional, he has already touched 99 from the left side and has shown some feel for a curveball. His command is 20 grade at present. Think Nuke Laloosh or Wild Thing Rick Vaughn. Rodriguez is a slow-burn project and worth keeping an eye on.

47. Luidemid Rojas, SS

Age: 19 (5/4/99)

Highest level: Rookie

Rojas is an athletic switch-hitter whose defense carries the profile. I really liked his range and arm strength in a limited look and think he could stick at SS. That alone makes him an intriguing slow-burn super deep sleeper. He’ll need to improve pitch recognition and shorten his swing.

48. Christian Zamora, OF

Age: 17 (7/4/01)

Highest Level: Rookie

Zamora is a physical specimen with plus present strength. At 6’4 and 210 lbs, and only 17-years-old, the size really stands out. He isn’t athletic or fast which likely isn’t going to change as he matures. His swing is long and like most teenagers, he struggles with recognizing breaking pitches.

49. Darling Florentino, 3B

Age: 17 (5/25/01)

Highest Level: Rookie

Athletic build and extremely raw. There is some projection and I like the bat speed. He and Zamora stand out just based on size and age. Hyper-aggressive at the plate. Swings at everything. Ultimately, he and Zamora are a little bit easier to dream on than some of the more polished, older players that grade out 20/30 and are organizational depth.

50. Troy Bacon, RHP

Age: 22 (9/26/96)

Highest Level: A+

Bacon is an athletic reliever with a low 90’s FB and a SL that flashes above-average. At present, he is more of a control over command guy. He throws strikes but when he misses in the zone, he gets hit hard. He started 2018 in High-A and was ok. After a mid-season demotion back to A, Bacon saw an improvement in his BB rate, likely due to confidence. Nibbled quite a bit in High-A. Doesn’t profile as a late inning reliever.