Thursday, August 12, 2021

-Clint Manry

The Braves top pick from this year’s draft, right-hander Ryan Cusick, will start his professional career with Single-A Augusta.

If Augusta-area @Braves fans aren't fired up enough after last night, they can head to @SRPPark tonight to watch the Braves No. 1 pick in this year's @MLB draft, @RyanCusick33, make his pro debut for the @GreenJackets. He will be on a pitch count, so get there early. @WJBFSports https://t.co/t1vnoHPpNB

— Brendan Robertson (@BrendanWJBF) August 12, 2021

Cusick, 21-years-old, went 24^th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, following a solid career at Wake Forest (where the Braves 2020 top pick, Jared Shuster, came from as well). In three collegiate seasons, Cusick racked up 158 innings while compiling a 5.01 ERA to go with 11.7 strikeouts per nine and 4.5 walks.

It’s very likely, given it’s his first outing of the year, that Cusick is on a pretty strict pitch count tonight. However, it’s exciting to see what the Braves top pick has to offer in a live setting. First pitch on Thursday is slated for 7:05 PM (ET) as Augusta will matchup with Kannapolis.