Top Five Braves Performers During Spring Training

The spring training season is in the books. The Atlanta Braves are headed back up to the Peach State for the start of the regular season, which starts on Friday. As we look back on the past six weeks, we're going to highlight those who were the top players in spring training.

Five will get a closer look. Three hitters and two pitchers. All of them have made the opening day roster. Some are All-Stars. Others are recent additions. Even a prospect is included. We're not including those who took an absence for the World Baseball Classic. Sorry to Ronald Acuña Jr., but it's almost cheating to highlight him.

That's not a bad thing. The focus is spring training. So those who were there throughout will be highlighted. It helps get an idea of some storylines as well.

Mike Yastrzemski

He was brought in to be a key contributor from the jump. Even before Jurickson Profar was suspended, he was building hype. The difference now for Yastrzemski is that his bat has become that much more important.

In 15 spring training games, he batted .400, with a 1.512 OPS, six home runs and nine RBIs. More than half of his hits were for extra bases (nine of 14). Yastrzemski is set to be a go-to bat against right-handed pitching. He's on track to make those matchups a real treat.

Austin Riley

This is a crucial time for Austin Riley. He's coming off another season where he was plagued with injuries and underperformance. He got his abdomen fixed up. He's healed, and he put on a show in spring training.

Riley batted .357, with a 1.237 OPS with five home runs and a team-leading 13 RBIs. If he comes anywhere close to this during the regular season, he would be setup for a career year.

For what it's worth, it builds some confidence for a potential comeback this year. A Braves player has been the National League Comeback Player of the Year twice in a row. Maybe they can make it a third.

Matt Olson

If someone was expected to hit the ground running in spring, it was Matt Olson. He looked sharp at the plate, batting .320 with a 1.078 and matched Yastrzemski for the team lead in home runs (six). He also drove in 10 runs for good measure.

He's locked in for 162 games. He's already bounced back from an off year to be an All-Star and win a Gold Glove. Obviously, getting even closer to his 2023 performance would be massive for the team, but even repeating last year's would be another successful campaign.

Didier Fuentes

Hearing the name Didier Fuentes would have made the average fan a nervous wreck up until he actually stepped on a mound this spring. There's no reason to sugarcoat it. He was known as the rushed prospect who got shelled. No one blames him for not being ready, but that's what most viewed him as.

The narrative changed in a matter of weeks. Fuentes retired 27 straight batters after hitting the first one he faced. He finished with a 0.66 ERA and a 0.22 WHIP across four outings, two of which were starts. This performance earned him a spot on the opening day roster.

Grant Holmes

He went from zero certainty during the offseason to being one of the more promising arms for the Braves in 2026. They need him more than ever, and he looks ready to go.

Holmes finished his masterful spring with a 1.02 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP and 20 strikeouts across 17 2/3 innings pitched. He was as reliable as he could be when he was healthy last season. He's made his case to get to be that guy again.

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