Braves Prospect Year in Review: John Gil's Breakout Single-A Season

The Atlanta Braves young shortstop in the pipeline had an explosive finish to the 2025 season that was award winning

The Braves' shortstop prospect found his stride at the plate | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Most who follow the Atlanta Braves likely weren’t familiar with John Gil before the 2025 season. Frankly, many probably still aren’t. However, those who have caught on learned about an infielder who surged his way to the end of the Carolina League season. 

For August, he was named the Carolina League Player of the Month. He led the league in average (.344), doubles (nine), HRs (four), slugging percentage (.578), and OPS (1.016). He also drove in 24 runs for good measure. 

Heading into the month, he was batting .226 with a .626 OPS for the season. He had five combined home runs in his career heading into that month. Something just clicked. 

This run earned the 19-year-old prospect a chance to see action in Double-A for the first time. His stats reveal that he needs time to adjust (.174 avg., .414 OPS), but the sample size was just six games to get him more playing time. There is nothing to judge regarding the next level yet. Having that opportunity is simply an acknowledgement of how he is progressing. 

Gil was one of eight players the Braves handed out bonuses of six figures or more to at the start of the 2023 international signing period. While he’s a top prospect now, he wasn’t a top name when he signed. 

While the top player in the prospect pool received $2.5 million, he signed for $110,000. His speed and plate discipline have helped him move up in the ranks over the last couple of years. 

Before his bat started to get going, he was already showing off what he could do on the basepaths. This season, he stole 54 bases on 68 attempts. It’s nearly half of the 114 bags he’s swiped over 245 minor league games in his career. Speed was a known weapon. It was rated 70 on the 20-to-80 scale. 

There is an intrigue of potentially being able to partner this speed with Ronald Acuña Jr.’s in Atlanta down the line. 

He’s still very young, arguably still developing into his own body at his age. At that age, there is still so much room for growth that we could still see so much more in 2026. Ha-Seong Kim is the starting shortstop next season, and there is a desire to keep him longer than that. That works by giving any other potential talent more time to be major league-ready. 

If he’s called up in a few years, he’s still going to be a pretty young player. Is there a chance this month was a one-off? Perhaps. But he’s earned the chance to show he can repeat it.