2022 Atlanta Top Prospects

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2022 Atlanta Top Prospects

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1. Triston Casas (BA #19/BOS #2)
BA Grade: 60/Medium

Track Record: Casas has stood out for his immense raw power and mature, adaptable approach since his amateur days and was drafted 26th overall by the Red Sox in 2019 . He held his own as one of the youngest players at every level of the minors and broke out with a banner year in 2021. Casas bounced between Double-A, Triple-A, and playing for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics and performed at every stop. He posted an .877 OPS at the highest levels of the minors during a disjointed year and led Team USA with three home runs and eight RBIs in Tokyo, earning raves from manager Mike Scioscia and other Team USA veterans.

Scouting Report: Casas is a massive presence in the batter’s box at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds and possesses the plus-plus raw power expected from someone of his stature. While he occasionally sells out for power early in counts, he prides himself on being a well-rounded hitter who chokes up, spreads out his stance, and uses the whole field with two strikes. While his hit-over-power approach has impressed, many evaluators believe he’ll ultimately focus more on driving the ball in the air, with middle-of-the-order power numbers to follow. Casas should be able to make that shift given his professorial understanding of his swing and still projects to be an above-average hitter. A former third baseman, Casas has a strong arm, soft hands and solid footwork at first base, where his size makes him an inviting target.

The Future: Casas will begin 2022 back in Triple-A and could reach the majors during the season. If his power develops as expected, he’s a potential all-star first baseman who can anchor the lineup.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 Power: 65. Speed: 40. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.

2. Hunter Greene (BA #35/CIN #2)
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: After developing the hardest-throwing pitcher of the 21st century in Aroldis Chapman, the Reds now have the hardest-throwing starting pitcher in baseball. Fully recovered from his 2019 Tommy John surgery, Greene touched 105 mph during Reds spring training, 104 mph during the season and had three different starts where he had 30+ pitches of 100 mph or harder. He earned a quick promotion to Triple-A Louisville but struggled at times against more experienced hitters. He missed one August start with an irritated AC joint in his right shoulder, but returned to make five more starts.

Scouting Report: For as hard as Greene throws, his plus-plus fastball is hittable because it has relatively modest life and carry. If a hitter can time it, he can square it up. Nine of the 11 home runs Greene gave up after his promotion to Triple-A came against his fastball, usually when he pitched up in the zone. Greene’s combination of a very smooth, fluid delivery and easy to pick up release point means his fastball often doesn’t play to its velocity. When Greene is throwing his plus slider for strikes, the combination of it and his fastball can be diabolical. Hitters have to be looking for his fastball, so even if they recognize his slider, all they can do is watch it go by. His improved slider is still inconsistent. Greene doesn’t show much confidence in his high-80s changeup, but thanks to his fastball velocity it’s an effective chase pitch against lefties. He has plus control to go with his plus stuff.

The Future: There’s every reason to develop Greene as a starter, although his fallback option is as the hardest-throwing closer in the game.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 55

3. Shea Langeliers (BA #54/ATL #2)
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Langeliers was the top defensive catcher in the 2019 draft class and the Braves drafted him ninth overall for an under-slot $3.9 million bonus. After debuting in Rome for a partial 2019 season, Langeliers impressed at the alternate site in 2020 and ranked as the top prospect in Double-A South in 2021 thanks to standout defensive and power production.

Scouting Report: Langeliers’ defensive ability is his calling card, and more specifically it’s his 70-grade throwing arm that allowed him to throw out 42% of base stealers, a clip significantly above the 31% league average rate. He routinely pops in the 1.90-second range and managers rave about how his throws always seem to be right on the bag. Pitchers also seem to love throwing to Langeliers, and he has the makeup and baseball IQ to manage a staff well, though scouts note he could still improve as a pitch framer and with his mobility to get to a true plus defender. Langeliers has continued to show impressive in-game power as he’s gotten further away from a college hamate injury, and his 22 home runs are more impressive when you consider Mississippi is among minor league baseball’s least favorable hitter’s parks. Langeliers will have to work to avoid creating holes in his swing—notably with high fastballs and sliders away currently—but he uses the entire field well. Atlanta player development officials have praised his ability to adjust.

The Future: After reaching Triple-A in his second pro season, Langeliers has a chance to make his big-league debut in 2022. If he reaches his offensive ceiling he could be an above-average regular.

Tool Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 70.

4. Taj Bradley (BA #58/TB #4)
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: When the Rays drafted Bradley in 2018, they knew they were getting an extremely young pitcher (he had just turned 17) with a brief track record on the mound, but one whose best was yet to come. The former outfielder has managed to exceed those lofty expectations and turn into one of the steals of the 2018 draft. In 2021, Bradley led the minors in ERA (1.83) and ranked in the top 10 in opponent’s batting average (.180) and WHIP (0.93).

Scouting Report: Bradley keeps getting stronger while retaining the athleticism that was so enticing coming out of high school. His fastball has gotten firmer and firmer. He now sits in the mid-90s and touches 96-97. In addition to adding 3-5 mph of velocity, Bradley has begun to master a slider that better pairs with his fastball than his curveball did. He still has the curve in his arsenal, but the slider now regularly flashes plus and he’s shown he can throw it for strikes in the strike zone and get hitters to chase it out of the zone. His changeup has further to go, but it will flash average at its best. Bradley is an advanced strike-thrower. He has a good tempo to his delivery, an easy arm action and he’s starting to show the ability to self-diagnose when he loses his release point.

The Future: The Rays have as much success as anyone in developing starting pitchers. Bradley appears to be the next in the long line. He should spend much of 2022 at Double-A. Considering the Rays’ tendency to move pitchers slowly, a late 2023 arrival to St. Pete seems most likely.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 40. Changeup: 50. Control: 55

5. Korey Lee (BA #70/HOU #1)
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Fourteen years after the Astros drafted and developed Stanford product Jason Castro as their catcher of the future, another California-based backstop is following a similar path. The Astros surprised the industry by selecting Lee in the first round of the 2019 draft at No. 32 overall. Many teams thought Lee would be available in later rounds, but the Astros pounced due to their confidence in a bat that showed promise in his final collegiate season at California hitting behind Andrew Vaughn. The team hoped Lee’s athleticism would pay dividends behind the plate. He signed for $1.75 million and delivered a solid, if unspectacular, debut season in Rookie ball in 2019. The upside and potential Houston saw finally manifested in Lee’s first full minor league season in 2021. Lee hit .277/.340/.438 with 11 home runs in 88 games and reached Triple-A Sugar Land during a revealing campaign that included noticeable adjustments to both his batting and catching stances. He continued to make contact and control the strike zone across three minor league levels while distinguishing himself as a defensive standout. The Astros exposed Lee to both first base and third base in 2021, but his short-term future is behind the plate, where his athleticism is obvious and an opportunity for imminent major league playing time looms.

Scouting Report: Making so many adjustments left Lee somewhat inconsistent throughout the 2021 season, but his upside is apparent. He now catches in a one-knee stance to generate quicker releases with a plus-plus throwing arm. He produces pop times as low as 1.8 seconds in the one-knee stance. He shortened his arm slot to help the throws, too, but it has led to some accuracy issues. The two major changes sometimes leave Lee looking ragged behind the plate but his consistency and work ethic outweigh the occasional off days. He’s developed into a better receiver but still needs work. Concerns still surround Lee’s bat, but scouts believe he can hit enough to become an everyday catcher. He hit far too many ground balls to his pull side during his first minor league season, necessitating a few stance alterations. Lee came into pro ball with a busy batting stance—complete with a long stride and too much pre-pitch movement. Lee is far more stable and quiet now, which allows him to use his whole body, drive the ball more frequently and hit line drives. Lee can still tap into more of his above-average power, and the strides he made in 2021 portend well for the future.

The Future: Lee is the Astros’ catcher of the future and is nearly ready for the major leagues. Both Castro and starter Martin Maldonado are signed only through 2022 and the team traded longtime third catcher Garrett Stubbs to clear a space on the 40-man roster and at Triple-A Sugar Land, where Lee should spend most of 2022. His MLB debut could come during the season.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 55. Arm: 70.

6. Liover Peguero (BA #78/PIT #5)
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: The Diamondbacks signed Peguero via the Dominican Republic for $475,000 in 2017 and arrow-up indicators followed shortly thereafter. Ben Cherington and the Pirates took notice, nabbing Peguero alongside Brennan Malone in a deal for Starling Marte, the first significant trade of the Cherington era. Pittsburgh sent Peguero to its alternate site last year to soak up the atmosphere amongst older competition and he became a favorite of staff members. Peguero posted a .770 OPS in 95 games with High-A East Greensboro as one of the league’s youngest regulars at 20 years old.

Scouting Report: Peguero’s blend of dynamic ability and enthusiasm intrigues evaluators, although considerable refinement is needed. His strong hands and wrists generate wicked bat speed and exit velocities, and he continues to steadily add strength to what was once a wiry, high-waisted frame. Peguero is aggressive in all facets of the game. Sometimes that over-eagerness works against him at the plate, evident in his 25% strikeout rate this year. Continued improvement, especially with recognizing spin, should allow him to unlock an above-average bat and average power, which could even tick up if he continues to add strength. Peguero has all the tools to play shortstop and turns in plenty of plus plays, but lacks consistency game-to-game. He also flashes explosive speed, which scouts would like to see more often, and will likely settle into above-average running ability as he matures, which also leaves the door open for a potential shift to the outfield if the defensive gains plateau.

Track Record: Peguero is still quite young -- he won’t turn 22 until next December -- and appears ready for the upper levels. He has the ceiling of a first-division regular at shortstop, but a ways to go to get there.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.

7. Kyle Harrison (BA #95/SF #5)
BA Grade: 55/Very High

Track Record: Harrison had first-round talent but lasted until the third round of the 2020 draft because of a high price tag and perceived strong commitment to UCLA. The Giants lured him away from college with a bonus of $2,497,500, then watched as he dominated at instructional league in 2020 and posted a strong first season as a pro at Low-A San Jose.

Scouting Report: In terms of pure stuff, Harrison is easily the best pitching prospect in the Giants’ system. His four-seam fastball sits at 94 mph and touches 98 while also showing well in terms of horizontal break and vertical approach angle. Together, those qualities helped Harrison get swings and misses at a 35% rate with his fastball in 2021. Harrison’s offspeed offerings—a slider and a changeup—are even more impressive. Harrison’s slider averages 83 mph and shows dynamic two-plane break while getting swings and misses 43% of the time. He rounds out his mix with a low-80s changeup which averages about 10 mph of separation from his fastball. His changeup’s movement is inconsistent but shows strong fading life at its best. The biggest concern for Harrison right now is working to iron out his command and control. His arm is loose and whippy and easily produces velocity and deception from a low slot and cross-body finish, but he doesn’t repeat it well enough yet to throw strikes consistently. That issue cropped up both in his walk rate and his efficiency, which caused him to go less than five innings in 14 of his 23 starts.

The Future: After an excellent debut season, Harrison will move in 2022 to High-A Eugene. If he can iron out his control, he has the look of a mid-rotation starter with the upside for more.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.

8. Hunter Brown (HOU #3)
BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: Brown burst onto the draft scene in 2019, striking out 114 batters in 85.1 innings as a junior at Division II Wayne State. The Astros took him in the fifth round that June and signed him for $325,000. Brown’s first full minor league season in 2021 featured much of the same traits that attracted the Astros. He struck out 131 batters in 101.1 innings with a 4.04 ERA between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land. The performance put Brown, a Detroit native who grew up idolizing Justin Verlander, in the thick of conversations to join him in the Astros’ rotation.

Scouting Report: Brown relies on a power four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and can reach 99 mph. He can elevate the pitch when needed and misses bats due to the late riding life it generates. Brown possesses two breaking pitches, a spike curveball in the low 80s and a sweeping slider that generates swings and misses. Both his four-seamer and curveball are major league-caliber, but a lack of consistency prevents Brown from being a bona fide, big-league starting pitching prospect. He is frequently unable to repeat his delivery and has the occasional propensity to lose his release point. His fastball command issues are apparent and must be solved for him to stick as a starter, although he could still be dominant in the bullpen.

The Future: Brown should begin 2022 at Triple-A Sugar Land, where perhaps a year of seasoning will yield the breakout season many within the organization envision.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 50. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.

9. Nolan Jones (CLE #6)
BA Grade: 50/Medium

Track Record: Jones was expected to break through to the big leagues sooner than later, but it didn’t quite come together for him in 2021. He started the season slowly with Triple-A Columbus before heating up in the summer. His season came to an early end when he suffered a high ankle sprain in late August that ultimately required surgery and cost him the final month of the season.

Scouting Report: Jones has an easy lefthanded swing and uses the whole field to hit. He is a patient hitter and led all Cleveland minor leaguers in walks in both 2018 and 2019, though his patience also means that he often works in deep counts and will always strike out fairly often as a result. In 2021, his walk rate decreased and his strikeout rate increased as he struggled with off-speed stuff, chasing more often than he has in the past. He has plus raw power and can drive the ball to all fields. Jones has dealt with questions about his ability to stay at third base throughout his career. He has plus arm strength and has worked hard to improve his glove work and infield actions, especially when ranging to his right. He also saw some action in the outfield as the Guardians work to increase his versatility and potentially open an additional route to Cleveland, where Jose Ramirez is still entrenched at third base.

The Future: Jones is coming off his worst offensive season as a professional, but he’ll still be 23 on Opening Day and has the tools to develop into a big corner bat. He’ll likely make his MLB debut in 2022.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.

10. Drew Waters (ATL #6)
BA Grade: 50/High

Track Record: Waters was a local Georgia prospect who the Braves signed in the second round in 2017 for $1.5 million. He progressed through the minors and was named the Double-A Southern League MVP in 2019, but the lost 2020 covid season hampered his offensive development.

Scouting Report: Waters needed as many upper-level at-bats as he could get and this year repeated Triple-A after struggling at the level in 26 games during 2019. Overall, Waters made marginal improvements offensively, but was still a below league-average hitter in Triple-A, per wRC+ (94). A 6-foot-2 switch hitter with long levers, Waters has struck out 30% or more in 129 games with Gwinnett, though he went from a 36.1% strikeout rate in 2019 to 30.9% in 2021, and in the final month of the season, saw that clip drop to 21.9%. The Braves want Waters to improve his mental approach at the plate and gain a better understanding of the pitches he can and cannot do damage with. His toolset is still quite loud, with plus speed, defensive ability and arm strength that will allow him to play center field well and either left or right exceptionally with average in-game power potential to go along with it.

The Future: For Waters, his role will rely on the mental adjustments he’s able to make at the plate. His toolset suggests an above-average regular, but if his strikeout rate prevents him from being a fringy or average hitter with solid power, well, Atlanta’s outfield room is getting more crowded with Michael Harris coming up behind him. Waters is still young and will enter his age-23 season in 2022.

Tool Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.

11. Peyton Burdick (MIA #7)
BA Grade:50/High

Track Record: Burdick was the Horizon League’s player of the year in 2019, and he parlayed the award into a third-round pick that season. He showed well in his first year as a pro, then had to wait until 2021 for an encore because of the pandemic. He showed hints of a being a four-tool player this past season, with only the pure hit tool lagging. His 23 home runs tied for the lead in the Double-A South, and his .848 OPS was third on the circuit.

Scouting Report: Burdick uses his smaller frame to generate surprising strength, which results in raw power that easily grades as plus. He tends to favor that side of his game over hitting for average, which sometimes leads to his swing getting too big and his approach becoming overly pull-heavy. The Marlins also worked with Burdick during the season to close a hole at the top of the strike zone which was caused by a stride that had a tendency to get too long. If that happened, it would force his bat path to work under the strike zone, leaving him vulnerable to anything elevated. Burdick is most likely a corner outfielder, but he’s playable in center field if required. His power would profile in a corner as well, and his above-average arm would serve him well in right field. Evaluators inside the organization love his makeup and dedication to the game.

The Future: Burdick ended the season in Triple-A and will return to the level in 2022, when he’ll try to add a little more balance to his game without sacrificing his enviable power potential. He profiles as a right fielder who can move to center every so often.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.

12. Owen White (TEX #7)
BA Grade: 50/High

Track Record: Although White was drafted in 2018, he didn’t make his official pro debut until 2021. He was rested post-draft in 2018, missed 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then lost 2020 to the coronavirus pandemic. His 2021 season was shortened after he broke his hand during the opening start of the season and didn’t return until August before shining down the stretch and again in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: During his time rehabbing his broken hand, White evolved. He tweaked the grip on his four-seam fastball to give it more true riding action, and the results showed in the data. His mid-90s four-seamer posted a truly elite swing-and-miss rate of nearly 46% and showed strong spin rates and movement patterns. White also throws two-seam and cut fastballs to give him an array of pitches that move in different directions. He backs up the fastballs with a full mix of curveball, slider and changeup. Both breaking balls show promising analytical qualities but still need refinement. He worked this year to throw his high-70s curveball for strikes and chases, and he’s trying to become more consistent in general with the way he throws his low-80s slider. His changeup, thrown in the mid 80s, has excellent separation from his fastball and projects as average.

The Future: White was excellent in the AFL, where he was mostly making up as much lost time as possible. He’ll move to High-A next year and is one of the system’s most promising pitching prospects.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 60.

13. Kyle Isbel (KC #6)
BA Grade: 50/Low

Track Record: IIsbel broke camp with the big league team in 2021 in what was really just his second full season since being drafted in the third round in 2018. The UNLV product struggled at the plate in his first Royals stint but hit much better after his late-season return from Triple-A Omaha.

Scouting Report: Isbel showed much more confidence when he returned to the Royals lineup in September, posting a .286/.362/.452 batting line in his final 11 games, as he was more focused at the plate, his swing path improved, and he wasn’t as pull-conscious. The expected power started to emerge in Triple-A where he hit more line drives and fly balls than in the past, with his 15 home runs with Omaha being a career high. Isbel continues to improve his outfield defense, impressive considering he started his college career as an infielder. He played all three outfield positions with Omaha, spending more time in center field and emerging as a plus defender with the plus speed to cover the ground. He’s able to close on balls in the gap and gets good initial reads and angles, and his outfield instincts have improved. His arm grade jumped to above-average thanks in part to the accuracy of his throws. Isbel stole 22 bases during his time with Omaha, giving another positive note to his game.

The Future: With his strong Triple-A season and the improvement he showed upon his return to Kansas City, Isbel has a very good chance of earning a spot on the Opening Day roster, either a starting job or as a fourth outfielder.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55

14. Ryan Rolison (COL #4)
BA Grade: 50/Medium

Track Record: Rolison’s strong sophomore season at Ole Miss propelled him into the first round, where the Rockies drafted him 22nd overall and signed him for $2,912,300. Rolison pitched extremely well in two difficult environments at Rookie-level Grand Junction and High-A Lancaster to start his career and was invited to the Rockies alternate training site in 2020. Expected to rise quickly in 2021, Rolison was instead derailed by poor health. He had surgery to remove his appendix in June and broke a bone in his throwing hand while fielding a grounder in August. He made up for lost time by pitching in the Dominican Winter League after the season and was added to the 40-man roster in November.

Scouting Report: Rolison is a classic pitchability lefty who relies on commanding a varied arsenal to succeed. His fastball sits in the low-90s and mostly serves to set up his breaking stuff. His 12-to-6 curveball in the upper 70s is a plus pitch he can manipulate the power and depth of, and his slider is a slightly tighter version of his curveball that also flashes plus. He is still mastering his changeup, which flashes average at its best. Rolison fills up the strike zone with plus control and has an advanced feel for setting hitters up and reading swings. He has worked to improve the arm-side command of his fastball, which he’ll need to open up the entire plate.

The Future: Rolison has the potential to be a steady, reliable starter at the back of the rotation. He may start 2022 back at Triple-A but should make his major league debut during the year.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 60.


Others of Note (Alphabetical):
Luis Garcia (PHI)
Kody Hoese
Gilberto Jimenez
Kameron Misner
Alexander Vizcaino
Joey Wentz
Will Wilson
Miguel Yajure
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