Braves Top-10 Prospect Predicted to Take Major Leap

The Atlanta Braves' prospect pitcher is projected to not just become a top talent in the system but across MLB

The writers see this as a big upcoming season for the Braves pitching prospect | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Another Atlanta Braves prospect is predicted to put himself further on the map this season. 

MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo, Jim Ellis and Sam Dykstra collaborated to make predictions for a top prospect in each MLB system. The choice for the Braves is No. 8 prospect JR Ritchie.

Along with being predicted to continue building back up following Tommy John surgery, the writers predict him to emerge as a top prospect, not just for the Braves but in MLB. 

“The gloves will come off this year after he threw close to 50 [innings pitched] last year, and he’ll top 100 innings pitched for the first time and pitch his way onto the Top 100.”

The Braves currently have two top-100 prospects, according to MLB.com: Drake Baldwin (No. 61) and Cam Caminiti (No. 87). Baldwin could potentially graduate from the list this season if he sticks around the Majors long enough, so Ritichie could wind up unofficially taking his spot. 

High expectations for Ritchie are nothing new. Baseball America’s Gabe Burns wrote back in November that the 21-year-old had “gaudy” strikeout potential before being sidelined with Tommy John Surgery early in 2023. 

Baseball America labled him as “primed” for a breakout year again in February. 

He was drafted 35th overall in the first round of the 2022 draft as a competitive balance pick. So, his potential was high enough to be selected then. He made just nine appearances in the Minors before he went under the knife. 

Following his return in June 2024, including his rehab assignment, he made 12 appearances, 11 starts, across three levels of the minors and finished with a 2.90, a 1.13 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings pitched. 

He made seven of his appearances with Single-A Augusta, finishing with a 1.95 ERA  before being promoted to High-A Rome. He started the season with High-A Rome.