One player poised to have a breakout season: Jarred Kelenic.
In Seattle, Kelenic was always going to deal with the pressure of being the top prospect who the Mariners gained when they dealt All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to the Mets. Yeah, the Braves have made a significant financial investment (nearly $17 million) in Kelenic’s future. But in Atlanta, he should be free from the pressure he felt while playing with the Mariners.
He’ll have the potential to hit 20-plus homers while sitting near the bottom of a lineup that features Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley and Matt Olson. Having the chance to work with Chipper Jones and the Braves’ many other hitting instructors should also help this left-handed slugger begin to realize his great potential.
Prospect to watch in 2024: Hurston Waldrep.
All eyes will be on Hurston Waldrep, the heralded right-hander the Braves took out of the University of Florida with the 24th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Waldrep guided the Gators to the brink of a College World Series title with the assistance of an impressive splitter. He watched a lot of video clips of John Smoltz while developing the swing-and-miss pitch. Across four different Minor League levels in ‘23, Waldrep posted a 1.53 ERA and struck out 41 batters over 29 1/3 innings. He’s still getting acquainted with the professional scene, but it won’t be surprising if he arrives in Atlanta at some point during the ‘24 season
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