2025 Atlanta Braves Prospect Year in Review: Diego Tornes

The Atlanta Braves should be satisfied with how one of their top international prospect performed in his first season

One of the top Braves international prospects had a respectable start to his pro career | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

If the Atlanta Braves excel at one thing, it’s finding top international prospects and signing them young. Andruw Jones, who was from Curacao, and Ronald Acuña, Jr., the Venezuela native, headline the Braves’ most famous international pieces, but another is trying to find his way onto that list.

Diego Tornes turned 17 in his first year with the Braves organization after signing a deal back in January that came with a $2.5 million bonus. The five-tool switch-hitting outfielder put up some impressive numbers in rookie ball, batting .279 with a .395 OBP and a .797 OPS.

In June, Tornes took to the Dominican Summer League and quickly earned his first All-Star selection after posting a .289 batting average and a .821 OPS with five doubles, five triples and 11 RBIs with the DSL Braves.

Tornes’ power is rated at a 50 on the 20-80 scale, which is considered above average. His arm and overall defense, though, are rated as “plus” stuff, so Tornes could prove to be a Gold Glover if he’s able to keep this up on his way to the show. 

The Braves have just one other outfielder in their rookie ball class that’s rated higher than Tornes, per MLB.com: Conor Essenburg, a 19-year-old from Illinois. With that said, Essenburg has yet to record a stat in a Braves organization uniform, whereas 17-year-old Tornes played nearly a full Minor League season.

Tornes is estimated to make his debut in the majors sometime around 2030, when he’s 21, but if his development continues to be this expedited, we may see an early debut similar to that of Ronald Acuna, Jr, who made his Major League debut when he was just 20 years old. 

Of course, like all prospects, Tornes needs more time to grow, develop and find his footing in the professional world, but he’s certainly well-poised to get to a Major League level if he’s able to keep this level of production.

The Braves have struggled with depth in their outfield over the past couple of years, so theysigned outfielder/DH Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal on Wednesday. With his club option, though, Yastremski’s contract runs out at the end of the 2029 season, right before Tornes is expected to step into the spotlight.

Tornes could very well prove to be the next great international outfielder fully fielded by the Braves since development, joining the ranks of Andruw Jones and Ronald Acuna, Jr., but he’ll have some more work to do if he’s to make the Major League level. However, the 17-year-old had a great first season in the professional ranks. The future looks strong for the young outfielder.