Baseball America Makes Interesting Selection for Braves in Latest Mock Draft

The Atlanta Braves would be going heavily against type in the MLB Draft if they made this projected selection

When it comes to the MLB Draft, the Atlanta Braves absolutely have a type.

And that type is "pitching prospects". Since 2018, the Braves have invested the highest percentage of their accumulated MLB Draft bonus pools to pitching prospects of any team in Major League Baseball, coming in at 61% of all monies paid. And if you look at the team's first-rounders, that focus bears out - they've taken a pitcher with their first-round picks in every season but one; in 2019 Atlanta took catcher Shea Langeliers out of Baylor and shortstop Braden Shewmake out of Texas A&M. Neither player remains ith the organization, having both been traded.

So it opened some eyes today when prospect evaluation outlet Baseball America released their updated 2024 mock draft, because they had Atlanta breaking that type and making a different selection:

Sam Houston State catcher Walker Janek.

Here's what draft guru Carlos Collazo said about Atlanta's selection of Janek:

Janek is the best catch-and-throw backstop in the class. He’s layered on the best offensive campaign of his career to create a pretty well-rounded profile. Through 39 games he is hitting .390/.486/.740 with 12 home runs. He has thrown out more than half of the baserunners (52.2%) who have tried to steal against him. The last few weeks he’s gotten lots of first-round buzz. It wouldn’t be shocking at all if he were to continue trending up in the next few months. 

And it's understandable that a catcher isn't seen as that exciting, especially when Braves fans know that Sean Murphy is signed through 2028 (with a club option for 2029) and the team always needs high-ceiling pitching prospects as well as more shortstop options. But let's talk about it.

One of the strengths of this Braves roster has been the catching - both Murphy and 'backup' Travis d'Arnaud have missed time over the last two seasons, with Murphy out right now with an oblique strai suffered in the season opener against Philadelphia. Unlike many other teams, the second catcher spot in Atlanta is a legitimate contributor - even Chadwick Tromp, promoted from AAA Gwinnett when Murphy went on the IL, is 5-20 with 5 RBIs and is two for four in catching attempted basestealers.

But d'Arnaud, who turned 35 back in February, is signed only through this season (although the team does hold a club option for 2025). Atlanta does have the 29-year-old Tromp in the organization, as well as prospect Drake Baldwin in AA Mississippi, but catcher's one of those positions where it never hurts to have another potential MLB option.

And that's the big thing with Janek - Collazo called him a "high-probability big leaguer" when discussing the selection with a Braves fan on social media, so even if he's not ultimately going to play in Atlanta, he's still a valuable selection and a worthwile use of a draft pick. The Braves have traded several catchers for major league upgrades, including Langeliers (Matt Olson deal), Alex Jackson (Adam Duvall), and William Contreras (Sean Murphy).

With Atlanta having a reputation as being one of the best organizations at developing catchers, behind only maybe the Milwaukee Brewers (and their "catcher devil magic"), a high probability big leaguer that can either be the 1B to your superstar 1A option or the key piece of a trade is definitely not a wasted pick.