2025 Braves Prospect Review: JR Ritchie Soars to New Heights

The Atlanta Braves' top right-handed prospect exceeded every expectation he had in 2025, and there is nowhere but for him

JR Ritchie's strong rise in 2025 sets him up for a Braves debut in 2026 | Joy Edwards | Columbus Clingstones

Each season brings a top prospect for each team to keep an eye on. The 2024 season put Drake Baldwin on the radar, which he followed up by winning Rookie of the Year. While that campaign was underway, another Atlanta Braves prospect launched himself into the prospect spotlight: JR Ritchie. 

In his first full healthy season in the pros, the team's No. 2 Prospect rose quickly through multiple levels of the minor leagues. He began the season in High-A Rome and finished with a nice sample size at the height of the minors with Triple-A Gwinnett. 

Throughout this season, Ritchie earned multiple prospect honors. Before the season, he was the starting pitcher for the Braves Spring Breakout team during Spring Training. Over the summer, he was the starting pitcher for the National League during the All-Star Futures Game. 

With the festivities being held in Atlanta, he got his first taste of pitching off the mound at Truist Park. It’s when we’ll see him again, not if, at Truist Park again, will be determined in due time. 

Across 26 starts during the minor league season, Ritchie had a 2.64 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in 140 innings. His showing in Triple-A was promising with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP across 59 2/3 innings in 11 starts. 

Ritchie showed high awareness of being in tune with his body. There is an added mental game to trusting you’re healthy after surgery. However, he worked to keep that out of his head. 

“That’s a big mental block for a lot of guys to get over,” Ritchie said. “You can try to baby it and feel like, oh, I don’t want to hurt myself again. Just try to trust it and say, I got a new elbow; it’s good to go.” 

He also had strong insight into what to expect out of hitters as he moved up in the system. Hitters will only become more disciplined adversaries as he moves up.

“Being able to be in the zone consistently before two strikes, really force their hand, and trying to get them to hit has been a big process for me,” he said.

By the time he reaches the Majors, he’ll have a whole arsenal of pitches to keep hitters guessing. Ritchie now has a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a cutter, a curveball, a changeup, a sweeper and a slider. 

“It’s nice when you’re going through the third, fourth time in the order and a guy hasn’t seen a certain pitch,” he said. “So, being able to drop that in 0-0 or 0-1, 1-0, and just give him a different look, that’s been a big help for me. It really helps being able to attack guys like that.”

On a scale in which someone can maximize their season, Ritichie nets himself an A+ grade. Just getting healthy and finding his footing would have been a reasonable expectation. After all, each level comes with adjustments, and they can understandably take time. Turns out he needed no time at all. 

He’ll enter the 2026 season at 22 years old. It’s still a young age to be poised to join the Braves, only making his rise more impressive. It will likely come in a fill-in role, at least to start. The Braves plan to add this offseason, and four rotation spots are considered filled. 

But the time will come. Every team will need all the arms they can get. When it comes to young options who are ready and waiting, Ritchie is the de facto next man up.