Braves Prospect Conor Essenburg Puts Power on Display in Single-A

The 19-year-old is having a solid first season in the minors

Jun 17, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Lincoln-Way West High School (IL) outfielder Conor Essenburg during the MLB Draft Combine high school baseball game at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the Atlanta Braves' top prospects just turned in an unforgettable performance at the plate in Single-A.

Outfielder Conor Essenburg, Atlanta's No. 12 prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline, went 3-for-3 with two walks, five RBIs, and three runs scored for the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday. Most notably, though, all three of the 19-year-old's hits left the yard in Augusta's 8-5 victory over the Columbia Fireflies, the Single-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.

In his first at-bat on Tuesday, Essenburg won a 10-pitch battle by hitting a towering solo shot to left field. Then, in the second inning, the righty-swinging slugger crushed another home run to left field, this time a two-run blast. And finally, the young outfielder drilled an opposite-field two-run shot in the eighth inning to put the finishing touches on this three-homer performance. The top prospect has now launched at least one long ball in three straight Single-A games and has six home runs in his last five minor league contests.

How has Conor Essenburg performed so far in 2026?

Aug 26, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; A necklace reading the number thirteen is worn by Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) with his uniform during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Overall, Essenburg has played in 61 minor league games this year after the Braves selected him in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. In his first season as a pro, the 19-year-old has a .278 batting average, a .418 on-base percentage, and a .969 OPS with 14 homers, 38 RBIs, and six stolen bases in 56 Single-A games.

Essenburg's recent power surge could be a sign that he's starting to feel more comfortable at the plate in Single-A of late. The young outfielder hit .207 with only one homer in eight games in April. In fact, he had six home runs in total in April, May, and June. But the righty-swinging slugger already has eight long balls in July.

Essenburg landed on the minor league injured list on April 14 with an oblique strain and missed a little over a month of the season after being activated on May 26. Based on his recent success, though, it seems like the power-hitting prospect has bounced back from that injury in a big way.

If Essenburg continues to swing a hot bat in Single-A, it'll be interesting to see if the Braves consider promoting him to High-A before the 2026 season ends. If they do, he'd likely get to play with some of the other top prospects in Atlanta's farm system, including left-handed pitcher Cam Caminiti, outfielder Eric Hartman, and shortstop Alex Lodise.