With the MLB Trade Deadline inching closer as the month of June dwindles down, the Atlanta Braves are one of the few teams that will look into making trades to improve their roster as they set out to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
As of this writing, the Braves aren't in their usual spot at this point in the season as they have been in seasons past. They're in second place in the National League East behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who hold an eight-game lead in the division. But Atlanta does hold a sizeable lead for the top Wild Card spot in the National League at 4.5 games at 43-33.
With as weak as the National League has been this season, the Braves actually have the fourth-best record on that side of the league, therefore, making them contenders. Currently, they have a projected record of 91.2-70.8 with a league fifth-best 94.4 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. So, even with all the bad luck the Braves have suffered this season with multiple season-ending injuries to some of their top stars, this team still has eyes on the postseason. But to make it and succeed at that level, they'll have to become buyers, which means trading off valuable prospect pieces.
Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos has been uniquely aggressive before MLB Trade Deadline
Since joining the Braves back in 2017, general manager Alex Anthopoulos has rebuilt the organization in a major way. But Anthopoulos and the Braves have also done it in their own unique way, mostly through team-friendly deals and homegrown talent, along with a few notable trades. To date, that has resulted in six straight East division titles and one World Series title.
It was Anthopoulos' impressive wizard work in trading for four outfielders to replace his superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. after he fell to injury in 2021 that led to that World Series title. Fast forward to 2024 and things look all too similar, particularly with Acuña being out again with another ACL injury. However, this time, star pitcher Spencer Strider is also gone for the year. So, how might Anthopoulos maneuver this year's trade deadline?
The Braves are no strangers to MLB trade deadline magic
As noted above, the Braves have made significant moves at the trade deadline in seasons past, while being able to make franchise-altering additions and losing little in terms of future prospects. Not only in 2021 did they make a miracle out of their four new outfielders, but in 1993 (pre-Anthopoulos), Atlanta made a trade with the San Diego Padres for first baseman Fred McGriff in exchange for outfielder Vince Moore, RHP Donnie Elliott, and outfielder Melvin Nieves. All three had little to no major league success.
The same happened when Anthopoulos acquired Joc Pederson, Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario, and Jorge Soler in 2021. Minus Pablo Sandoval, who was a veteran player, the other prospects of Bryce Ball, Alex Jackson, and Kasey Kalich, only Jackson had any sort of time at the major league level. So who might Anthopoulos deal away this season?
Braves pitching prospects will be dealt
The Braves have been no strangers to loading up their farm system with arms. In fact, seven out of their top 10 prospects are right-handed pitchers, according to MLB.com. Even going back to last year, the trades the Braves did make involved sending off pitchers. That will probably be the same this season.
Last year's biggest pieces traded off were then 11th-ranked prospect Victor Vodnik and 28th-ranked Tanner Gordon. But the needs weren't nearly as significant last season.
While Spencer Schwellenbach, who is actually the Braves' No. 3 ranked prospect, has started to come into his own and become a nice addition to the rotation, finding a fifth starter is still very much a need for Atlanta. But that means the team is going to once again have to come off some of its talented arms.
It's highly doubtful the Braves move off AJ Smith-Shawver — No. 1 prospect — Hurston Waldrep — No. 2 prospect and last year's first-round draft pick — or Schwellenbach, but most of the others could be up for grabs.
One to watch out for would be 22-year-old Cade Kuehler, the Braves' No. 8 overall prospect. In Single-A he's pitched 50 innings, with 44 strikeouts and 20 walks, holding a 2.52 ERA. Two more would be pitchers that Braves fans have actually seen some of at the major league level in Darius Vines and Dylan Dodd, respectively the No. 14 and 15 prospects.
In three games for the Braves this season, Vines accounts for a 7.82 ERA in 12.2 innings pitched with eight strikeouts and four walks. But he showed some promise just last season when in five games he boasted a 3.98 ERA in 20.1 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts and seven walks.
Dodd, 26, meanwhile, hasn't had as great of luck. When he was called upon last season for seven games, he posted a 7.60 ERA in 34.1 innings pitched with 15 strikeouts to 12 walks, while opponents held a .351 batting average against him. This year in Triple-A, Dodd is 2-6 with a 4.80 ERA in 69.1 innings pitched. Even though he and Vines have had their struggles, having some major league experience has to be taken into account here.
There's also a chance No. 10 ranked prospect, 22-year-old Drue Hackenberg, could be put on the trade block, who just got promoted to Double-A Mississippi. While in Single-A, he had a 3.64 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.
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