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Atlanta Braves: A Rebuilding Farm System

By Matthew Schoettler

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With the Atlanta Braves currently ranking last in the MLB in multiple categories, it is time to look at the farm system and assess what they bring to the table for the 2016 season and beyond.

It should come as no surprise to any Atlanta Braves’ fan that the team has struggled mightily this season. One glaring problem with the team is that the team ranks dead-last in the Major Leagues in runs scored, with 442 on the season. In addition to ranking last in the MLB in runs scored, the Braves also rank last in HRs (74), 15 behind the Miami Marlins.

-= Braves Lose 5th Straight, Fall to Cubs 5-3 =-

In a nutshell, the Braves are arguably the worst team in baseball; although, they do not currently own the worst record in the Bigs. To illustrate a better picture, the Braves rank last in Runs (442), HRs (74), RBI (421), SLG (.362), and OPS (.674).

Braves’ fans can attribute this to a multitude of factors: new upper management, total rebuilding process, multiple injuries, and poor performances. With the team out of contention, fans should focus their attention on the future by looking at prospects and assessing what the they can bring to the table.

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The Braves’ struggles could have been somewhat forecasted, seeing that new GM John Hart came into Atlanta with eyes on 2017. He made a big splash coming over by dealing Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Melvin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, and Chris Johnson. All of these moves were necessary to put the Braves in a position to succeed down the road, sooner rather than later.

By trading these big names, Hart was able to acquire key talent to hasten the rebuilding process moving forward. Most of the big trades involved the San Diego Padres; the Braves were able to raid the Padres’ farm system by acquiring Jace Peterson, Matt Wisler, Max Fried, Dustin Peterson, Mallex Smith, and veteran Cameron Maybin. 

"“We just felt it was the right time and the right piece for us. We were able to accomplish a lot of things within this. Certainly, we lost Craig Kimbrel. But at the same point, we freed up some financial flexibility and I think, again, what we do with that financial flexibility remains to be determined. But I think it’s going to be something where we’ll be aggressive in our approach.” – John Hart"

In addition to the key trades with the Padres, Hart made a smart move trading for former 1st round pick Touki Toussaint from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Essentially the D-Backs were willing to deal Toussaint as a “giveaway” in efforts to get Bronson Arroyo‘s contract off the books. Hart eventually flipped Arroyo’s contract to the Dodgers and came away with Toussaint from the deal.

Hart’s biggest splash, however, was the Jason Heyward, Shelby Miller deal. Hart knew the Braves were highly unlikely to sign the soon-to-be free agent, as he would be asking for big money. Thus, Hart knew his window for trading Heyward was closing quickly, and he was able to get a very nice return from the St. Louis Cardinals (Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins).

With the Braves acquiring so much young talent, ESPN’s Keith Law ranked the Braves as having the 2nd best farm system in MLB. This is a stark contrast from the season before (ranked 29th), as the Braves only had Ozhaino Albies and Jose Peraza (who has since been traded to the Dodgers) as their top prospects.

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By trading most of your current talent for future talent, the Braves knew that competing this year would probably be unlikely. Moreover, with the injury-riddled season of Freddie Freeman, that further hampered the team’s ability to compete and score runs. In addition to Freeman’s injuries, Simmons and Banuelos have spent time on the shelf as well.

By acquiring Hector Olivera from the Dodgers, the Braves hope that he can provide protection in the middle of the lineup (when healthy). In addition to Olivera, the Atlanta Braves also acquired Zach Bird, who projects as a middle-of-the-rotation arm; however, the team had to give up starter Alex Wood and one of their top prospects in the deal, Jose Peraza.

The Atlanta Braves could have the makeup of a contender in the N.L. East, but they must develop the talent they have acquired. The team figures to have a completely different look for next season, and I would not be surprised if John Hart trades more pieces this offseason to paint a clearer picture for 2017 and beyond.

It looks like another difficult season next year, but the Atlanta Braves’ farm system is sky rocketing in a positive direction and could be ranked best in baseball by next season. The future is bright, so get excited Braves’ fans.

Next: Hector Olivera Records Two Hits in AAA Rehab Game

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