Braves Prospect Year in Review: Hayden Harris Forces Self into Picture

The Atlanta Braves left-handed prospect showed his potential in Triple-A last season, but he'll need some adjustments to succeed in the majors

Harris had as good a year in the minors as it could get for a pitcher | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Hayden Harris likely wasn’t meant to be anywhere close to the major leagues. Coming out of college, he was undrafted and looking to use LinkedIn as a way to catch some form of attention. Ultimately, the Atlanta Braves chose to give the Georgia native a chance. 

Not long after signing, the team’s No. 26 prospect found himself pitching in Double-A for Mississippi, where he’d see action for parts of two seasons. By his second year in the Braves system, he saw his first action with Triple-A Gwinnett. Little did anyone realize that his third season would spell something special.

Though 18 starts with Double-A Columbus, he had a 0.79 ERA and an identical 0.79 WHIP. By that point, it’s a solid sample size that reveals there could be something consistent here. He moved up to Triple-A again, and his run prevention only increased. In 25 appearances, he had a 0.31 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP. This performance earned him an appearance in the All-Star Futures Game, as well as a late-season call-up to the majors. 

A reality check came in during his three appearances with the Braves. He finally faced a learning curve, allowing an earned run on five baserunners across 2 2/3 innings pitched. 

Despite a high percentage of strikes thrown and a high punch-out rate in the minor leagues, he wasn’t missing bats in the majors out of the gate. Low velocity and high use of his fastball wasn’t a solid combination for success in his first go-around in the majors. He made due, but it’s looking like he’ll have to find a way to increase his arm strength a bit while also working on his pitch mix.

It’s possible for a pitcher who only pitches around 91 mph to succeed in the majors, but you have to get creative. With them, minor leagues proving to be somewhat easy for him, it would be in his best interest to continue getting action in the majors as he learns to navigate the most disciplined hitters he’ll ever see in his career.

His arsenal possesses a sweeper and a splitter. There is something to work with here when it comes to changing speeds and utilizing movement. He might benefit from adding an extra breaking pitch.

Undoubtedly, he’ll be down in North Port, Fla., for Spring Training like he was last season. This time around, he’ll truly be buying for a spot in the big league bullpen. He’ll likely be seen in the majors again this season, regardless, but a nice step forward in his development would be epitomized by breaking camp with the team.