Braves' Pitching Prospect Turns in Flawless Spring Outing Against Yankees

He's yet to give up a hit this spring

Jun 4, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; An Atlanta Braves hat and glove sit on the dugout rail before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Atlanta won 12-5. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Many highly touted pitching prospects have stood out so far in spring training. And now, that group includes one of the Atlanta Braves' top young arms, who recently showed why he deserves some recognition with an impressive spring outing.

Didier Fuentes, Atlanta's No. 3 overall prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline, tossed three perfect innings against the New York Yankees on Friday. The 20-year-old didn't allow a hit, run, or walk, and struck out five. This was the young righty's second appearance of the spring following two shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles on March 7. He also didn't give up a hit in that outing, with only one runner reaching base on a hit-by-pitch.

Fuentes quickly ascended through the minors last year, going from High-A Rome all the way to the big leagues for four starts. And even though his success this spring has come in a very small sample size, Atlanta may need to rely on the prospect this year if injuries continue to impact the team's rotation.

Health of Braves' rotation could dictate Didier Fuentes' role in 2026

Mar 7, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes (72) throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth inning during spring Training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Braves' starting pitching staff is already dealing with several injuries before the 2026 season has even begun. Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both underwent "elbow cleanup" procedures in February, while AJ Smith-Shawver is still recovering from Tommy John surgery last June. In addition, Joey Wentz tore his ACL this spring and is expected to miss the entire season.

As things stand, Atlanta's Opening Day rotation is set to feature Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes, and Bryce Elder. Multiple names on that list have dealt with injuries during their careers, too. And if any of them were to miss time at some point this year, it seems like Fuentes would be a candidate to get called back up to the big leagues.

Fuentes got hit hard in his first major league stint last year, surrendering 23 hits and 20 runs over 13 innings pitched. The young righty also has just 52 minor league appearances under his belt, so some more time in the minors should allow him to continue his development. But if the pitching injuries keep piling up for Atlanta this year, they might not have the luxury of waiting around, and Fuentes could find himself needing to work through the growing pains in the majors.