Atlanta Braves 2014 Draft Review
The Braves just released Braxton Davidson, who was their first-round pick six years ago. He was a high school hitter from North Carolina, and the Braves loved his swing.
Davidson was pick 32 in the first round that year, but he never lived up to high expectations. Davidson had a .213 career average in 1754 at bats over the course of five seasons in Atlanta’s system.
Wonder who the Braves could have taken instead of Davidson? Well, the very next pick was Michael Kopech, who is still a top prospect with the White Sox. Kopech was originally picked by the Red Sox but traded to Chicago in the Chris Sale trade.
Two picks after Davidson the Cardinals took Jack Flaherty. Whew, that stings. We can stop there.
Atlanta’s second round pick was tall right-handed pitcher Garrett Fulenchek, out of Sherman, Texas. Fulenchek pitched two years in the Braves system before he was traded to Tampa Bay. Fulenchek was done in pro ball after the 2017 season. He had a 5.14 ERA in 57 career games.
Max Povse was taken in the third round, pick 102 overall. The Braves traded Povse to the Mariners with Rob Whalen for Alex Jackson and Tyler Pike in November 2016. Povse pitched in three MLB games with the Mariners, but he was out of baseball last season.
The Braves fourth-round pick was Chad Sobotka, a tall right-hander out of USC Upstate. Sobotka has a 4.78 ERA in 46 games in two seasons for the Braves.
The only other Braves draft pick, besides Sobotka, to make it to Atlanta from the 2014 draft has been Jacob Webb, who pitched great in 36 games for the Braves last season.
This was an awful draft and the last for Tony DeMacio as scouting director.
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