Tag: Rome Braves

Offseason Prospect Review: Indigo Diaz

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

-Clint Manry

The offseason is here and it’s a perfect time to recap the 2021 season of each of the Braves top 30 prospects. In this series, I’ll discuss each player’s performance from this past year, as well as what’s needed for them to continue to rise in the organization. All rankings are derived from my most-recent 2021 Braves Top 30 Prospect List, which came out this past August. Following this series, a fresh top 30 will be constructed, primarily based on the notes I’ll provide in this column.

Previous reviews

  • Jefrey Ramos, OF (link)
  • Brandol Mezquita, OF (link)
  • Cody Milligan, 2B (link)
  • Drew Lugbauer, 1B/DH (link)
  • Tanner Gordon, RHP (link)
  • Greyson Jenista, OF/1B (link)
  • William Woods, RHP (link)
  • Darius Vines, RHP (link)
  • Cal Conley, SS/2B (link)
  • Daysbel Hernandez, RHP (link)
  • Trey Harris, OF (link)

#19. INDIGO DIAZ, RHP

23-years-old

2021 stats (A+ / AA):  45 IP, 1.20 ERA, 16.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, HR

Trend:  Up

Maybe you hadn’t heard of Diaz prior to the 2021 season. As a 27th round pick out of Michigan State in 2019, the kid only pitched 10.1 pro innings in the Braves system during his draft year and his 3.48 ERA with the GCL Braves wasn’t anything extraordinary. However, after the season he just had, I’m sure you’ve heard of him now.

Diaz did more than dominate in 2021 – the kid almost looked bored out there. First it was High-A Rome, where he averaged a ridiculous 18 strikeouts per nine and pitched to a 1.00 ERA over a 27-inning stretch. Then, it was Double-A Mississippi, where he not only continued with the incredibly-stingy numbers but also finished up the campaign by holding opposing left-handed batters to a .372 OPS. Platoon advantage or disadvantage, bases empty or runners on, Diaz was the same overpowering guy on the mound, which is why in the span of a few months he went from nowhere on my radar to the 19th ranked prospect in the organization. This kid put together one of the most impressive minor league pitching seasons I’ve seen in a while, and the attention will certainly be pointed his way heading into 2022.

2022 outlook

With all that said above, though, I hate to report that Diaz actually struggled mightily in the Arizona Fall League. Over the last couple of months in the desert, the 23-year-old righty pitched to a 12.79 ERA in 6.1 innings as he walked more than he struck out. And I know it’s a bit disappointing, and the rough AFL performance may be a cause for concern for some, but honestly, I wouldn’t look into it too much. For one, the sample-size is incredibly small, and though Diaz has had some control problems throughout his career, I don’t think his middling numbers with the Peoria Javelinas this fall should spoil what he accomplished during the regular season.

In fact, I’d say Diaz is a Braves prospect that’s perhaps on the cusp of contributing at the big league level – maybe even one of the closest among the system’s prospects. The kid has flown through the organization, skipping Single-A altogether, but even with only 45 innings of full-season ball under his belt, I could easily see him getting the call to Atlanta at some point in 2022.

Which means… I expect Diaz to begin the season in Triple-A Gwinnett, where he’ll not only be tested for perhaps the first time but where he can also continue to work on his control and his still-developing breaking ball. The kid already wields a spin-heavy, high-90s MPH fastball, but being able to also use his curveball will be huge in his quest to becoming a late-innings reliever in the majors. I certainly think he has what it takes. Let’s see if he can keep it up.

Offseason Prospect Review: Darius Vines

Thursday, November 18, 2021

-Clint Manry

The offseason is here and it’s a perfect time to recap the 2021 season of each of the Braves top 30 prospects. In this series, I’ll discuss each player’s performance from this past year, as well as what’s needed for them to continue to rise in the organization. All rankings are derived from my most-recent 2021 Braves Top 30 Prospect List, which came out this past August. Following this series, a fresh top 30 will be constructed, primarily based on the notes I’ll provide in this column.

Previous reviews

  • Jefrey Ramos, OF (link)
  • Brandol Mezquita, OF (link)
  • Cody Milligan, 2B (link)
  • Drew Lugbauer, 1B/DH (link)
  • Tanner Gordon, RHP (link)
  • Greyson Jenista, OF/1B (link)
  • William Woods, RHP (link)

#23. Darius Vines, RHP

23-years-old

2021 stats (A / A+):  111 IP, 2.92 ERA, 10.5 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 15 HR

Trend:  Up

It’s not as if Vines was some unheard-of player in Atlanta’s system, though his struggles in 2019 has perhaps kept him on the outside looking in. But in 2021, the kid sort of came out of nowhere, going from unranked this past summer to 23rd on my Midseason Braves Top 30. Posting a 2.25 ERA in 36 innings with Single-A Augusta before logging a 3.24 ERA in 75 frames with High-A Rome, Vines not only put himself on the map in Braves Country but also among national evaluators.

The 23-year-old won Pitcher of the Week back in early August, thanks to a seven-inning no-hitter with Rome that featured nine strikeouts, and the righty just continued to mow down the opposition on into September, posting a season-best 1.80 ERA during the final month of the campaign. As a 7th-round pick from 2019, Vines has developed into a potential mid-rotation starter for the Braves, who already has multiple offerings at his disposal; even on draft day, he had a low-90s MPH fastball to go with a power curveball, a changeup AND a slider. Vines is a sneaky prospect in the Braves system, and one that could really rise up the ranks in 2022.

2022 outlook

I have no doubt that at some point in 2022 we’ll see Vines with Double-A Mississippi. It may not come at the start of the season (though it very well could), but given he performed so well in over 70 innings of work with Rome in 2020, I’m pretty confident the Braves will give him an opportunity next year to showcase his skills in the upper-minors.

My rough draft for the new Braves Top 30 is still rather rough, but I can already almost guarantee that Vines will move into the top 20 as he could even become the system’s top pitcher, in terms of lower-level arms currently on the cusp of gaining more attention (such as guys like Victor Vodnik and Indigo Diaz). There must be something said for how well Vines pitched in 2021, and even if there’s a bit of regression as he moves up through Double-A and even Triple-A, he’s improved his stock tremendously by practically cruising through his first taste of High-A.

As long as those secondary pitches continue to improve, Vines will no doubt remain a legit prospect starter in the organization.

Offseason Prospect Review: William Woods

Thursday, November 18, 2021

-Clint Manry

The offseason is here and it’s a perfect time to recap the 2021 season of each of the Braves top 30 prospects. In this series, I’ll discuss each player’s performance from this past year, as well as what’s needed for them to continue to rise in the organization. All rankings are derived from my most-recent 2021 Braves Top 30 Prospect List, which came out this past August. Following this series, a fresh top 30 will be constructed, primarily based on the notes I’ll provide in this column.

Previous reviews

  • Jefrey Ramos, OF (link)
  • Brandol Mezquita, OF (link)
  • Cody Milligan, 2B (link)
  • Drew Lugbauer, 1B/DH (link)
  • Tanner Gordon, RHP (link)
  • Greyson Jenista, OF/1B (link)

#24. William Woods, RHP

22-years-old

2021 stats (Rk / A+):  10.2 IP, 4.22 ERA, 8 K, 4 BB, 3 HR

Trend:  Up

Entering 2021, the hype surrounding Woods was crazy. Following a strong 2019 campaign with then-Single-A Rome as a 20-year-old, many in Braves Country believed this was perhaps the biggest mover in the organization. However, due to an undisclosed injury, Woods didn’t make his debut this past season until Aug. 19 with the FCL team, and it was Aug. 26 until he reached High-A Rome. His 2021 campaign had essentially been wasted. But due to his track record, I kept him right where he was in my prospect rankings, just inside the top 25.

Now that it appears Woods is healthy; the excitement should return. An entire year off may have even helped the right-handed pitcher, and many of the major prospect outlets still believe he’s a top-20 prospect in the Braves organization, thanks to a dominant upper-90s MPH fastball and wicked upper-80s slider.

2022 outlook

Until he develops a viable third pitch, there’s still a ton of reliever risk with Woods, although that could perhaps be a good thing in terms of his ETA to the majors. I think the Braves should move him up to Double-A to start 2022, and stick him in the M-Braves bullpen, where he can continue to develop as a high-leverage weapon. Atlanta can always use up-and-coming relief options, and though the organization may continue to give him a look as a starter, I believe ultimately his best shot at contributing in the majors is as a reliever.

Per reports, Woods is still working on a changeup (that third pitch), so maybe his future role is dependent on how well he can throw his offspeed. Plus, set to turn 23 in late December, the kid is still plenty young enough to be patient with. Regardless, though, 2022 could be a big year for Woods as it could help determine which route is best for him on the mound. I still think he could be a damn good late-innings reliever, but we’ll see how the Braves use him. He has mainly started in the Arizona Fall League this year, making four starts and one relief appearance while sporting a 4.24 ERA. This past week in the AFL, Woods made a start and went four innings of two-hit ball to go with a walk and seven strikeouts.

Offseason Prospect Review: Tanner Gordon

Monday, November, 15, 2021

-Clint Manry

The offseason is here and it’s a perfect time to recap the 2021 season of each of the Braves top 30 prospects. In this series, I’ll discuss each player’s performance from this past year, as well as what’s needed for them to continue to rise in the organization. All rankings are derived from my most-recent 2021 Braves Top 30 Prospect List, which came out this past August. Following this series, a fresh top 30 will be constructed, primarily based on the notes I’ll provide in this column.

Previous reviews

  • Jefrey Ramos, OF (link)
  • Brandol Mezquita, OF (link)
  • Cody Milligan, 2B (link)
  • Drew Lugbauer, 1B/DH (link)

#26. Tanner Gordon, RHP

24-years-old

2021 stats (A / A+):  108.1 IP, 3.90 ERA, 9.1 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, 1.1 HR/9

Trend:  Up

The future looks extremely bright for Gordon, who, after struggling a bit at first in High-A Rome to begin 2021, wound up putting together an excellent campaign in his first taste of A-ball. After posting a 5.32 ERA in 22 innings with the R-Braves to begin the season, the righty was sent down to Single-A Augusta, and from there he flourished, averaging over 10 strikeouts per nine and posting a 3.43 ERA in 11 starts. By mid-August, Gordon was back in Rome and featured in my midseason Top 30.

At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, this is a kid that could have a very bright future once he puts it all together on the mound. The Indiana University product was a sixth-round pick by the Braves back in 2019, and with a mid-90s MPH fastball, to go with an above average breaking ball, Gordon could very well evolve into yet another top-tier arm in the system. At this point, with him just now breaking into full-season ball, the next season or two will be huge for his stock as a prospect.

2022 outlook

In 2021, Gordon really struggled when he had traffic on the base paths, posting dramatically worse numbers with runners on, compared to bases empty.

  • Bases empty:  288 PA, .211 AVG, .603 OPS
  • Runners on:  155 PA, .307 AVG, .844 OPS

A little bit of disparity between the two isn’t bad, but a whopping 239 points in OPS is a rather stark difference when it comes to performing with runners on. Gordon will definitely need to clean that up as he progresses within the Braves minor league system.

Speaking of progressing through the system: given Gordon needed a stint in Single-A to get settled in this past year, it would probably be more beneficial for him to spend at least a half-season in High-A again. The Braves still have quite a bit of depth when it comes to prospect starters, and there’s no need to rush anyone. However, with Gordon now entering his age-24 campaign, reaching Double-A in 2022 seems pretty dire. If starting is still in the cards, a continuation of what he provided last season will go a long way.

Either way, though, so far Gordon is progressing nicely. In 21 career minor league starts, to go with 14 relief appearances (or 132.2 total innings), the right-hander sports a 3.60 ERA, while also maintaining solid K/BB rates (9.8 K/9, 2.2 BB/9). It will certainly be interesting to see what his stock looks like this time next year, because another strong campaign as a starter (with perhaps some strong showings at the Double-A level), could push Gordon in the top-15 range.

Offseason Prospect Review: Cody Milligan

Friday, November 12, 2021

-Clint Manry

The offseason is here and it’s a perfect time to recap the 2021 season of each of the Braves top 30 prospects. In this series, I’ll discuss each player’s performance from this past year, as well as what’s needed for them to continue to rise in the organization. All rankings are derived from my most-recent 2021 Braves Top 30 Prospect List, which came out this past August. Following this series, a fresh top 30 will be constructed, primarily based on the notes I’ll provide in this column.

Previous reviews

  • Jefrey Ramos, OF (link)
  • Brandol Mezquita, OF (link)

#28. Cody Milligan, 2B

22-years-old

2021 stats:  96 G, .230 AVG, 17 XBH, 15 SB, 77 wRC+

Trend:  Down

A hot month of July put Milligan on the map this past season, as he hit .281 in 24 games with High-A Rome, which complimented his even-better May rather well (.323 AVG / 19 G), earning him a top 30 rank in my mid-season rankings. But the second baseman’s prospect title didn’t last too long. From Aug 1. to the end of the year (33 games), the 22-year-old hit a lowly .133, spoiling what was beginning to look like a career-best performance as a pro.

The problem for Milligan is his evident inability to hit same-handed pitching. As a lefty-batter, the kid hit just .143 with three XBH versus southpaws in 2021 (equaling a .427 OPS), compared to a .263 AVG and 13 XBH against righties (.698 OPS). A roughly 250-point difference in OPS is an issue he’ll certainly need to fix.  Fortunately, though, Milligan also provides speed, and as a second baseman, he won’t be required to post huge numbers on offense. In fact, his 2019 rookie-level campaign is a pretty solid threshold he should strive for. During that season, Milligan hit .252 with eight XBH and tallied a dozen stolen bases in 59 games with the GCL (now FCL) team – good for a respectable-for-his-position 104 wRC+.

2022 outlook

Milligan was a one-hit wonder in 2021, going unranked in my summer Top 30 but cracking the mid-season list due to the hot July mentioned above. His second-half decline will almost assuredly push him off the next set of rankings, though he’ll continue to remain as a relevant prospect given how thin the Braves system is when it comes to middle-infielders (especially true second baseman).

What’s really hurting Milligan right now is that come the end of December he’ll be a 23-year-old with not even 100 games of full-season ball under his belt, of which aren’t very inspiring to begin with. I don’t necessarily believe he’ll go down a step, but there’s no question that Milligan should probably spend at least another half-season in Rome, or at least a period of time long enough to show he can consistently hit lower-minors pitching.

But it’s not all bad for Milligan. Though his numbers this past season weren’t ideal, the kid appears to have a solid approach at the plate. He doesn’t strikeout a ton (23.7 K% in 2021) and for the second year in a row he posted a double-digit walk rate (11.5 BB%). It’s obvious that there’s not much power in his swing (2 career homers), but if he can perhaps develop some doubles-power, his speed (along with what seems to be at least average defense) could still make him a top 30ish prospect in the organization. The Braves don’t exactly have a surplus of second basemen hanging around in the minors right now, so Milligan doesn’t have much competition.

Braves 2021 Minor League Awards: Reliever of the Year

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

-Clint Manry

I’ve covered perhaps the two most noteworthy end-of-year awards for the Braves minor league system, awarding righty Bryce Elder this season’s Cy Young winner and catcher Shea Langeliers MVP. Today it’s time to look at another Braves minor league award: Reliever of the Year.

Braves 2021 Minor League Team Awards: Reliever of the Year

Indigo Diaz

You may not remember him as a prospect, but Craig Kimbrel’s career in the Braves minor league system was unlike anything we’d seen at the time. From 2008 until late-2010, the hard-throwing right-hander was nearly unhittable, and in 2009 – spanning four different levels – Kimbrel averaged 15.5 strikeouts per nine to go with a 2.85 ERA in 60 innings of relief. There was no doubt about it – this kid was the Braves future closer. And we all know what happened next. Kimbrel ended up spending five seasons in Atlanta (2010-14), tallying 186 total saves and 476 strikeouts. As a reliever with the Braves, the Alabama native accrued 11 fWAR, running out to Welcome to the Jungle on an almost nightly basis.

The Braves have rostered some pretty sharp closers since then. But never as incredibly dominant as Kimbrel.

It’s impossible to predict the next Craig Kimbrel, as potential Hall of Fame closers don’t usually come around very often. But in Indigo Diaz, the Braves may have their next homegrown star.

Diaz – drafted in the 27th round by Atlanta in 2019 – wasn’t a very sought-after prospect. He only pitched one season at a major college (Michigan State), and his numbers were far from inspiring (5.73 ERA / 5.9 walks per nine). However, Diaz’s time as a pro has been much different.

Going from nowhere to currently 19th on my latest Braves Top 30, Diaz is now a bonafide prospect within the organization. And although it was only at the rookie level, Diaz actually began showing signs of stardom during his draft year in 2019. With the Gulf Coast League Braves, the then-20-year-old only pitched 10.1 innings that season, but his ability to rack up strikeouts was obvious as he averaged 13.1 punch outs per nine. Admittedly, High-A Rome to start 2021 seemed a little aggressive, but it didn’t take long for Diaz to master that assignment either. In 27 innings there, the righty struck out an incredible 54 batters, which went nicely with his just-as-impressive 1.00 ERA. At nearly three years younger than the average player in Double-A, Diaz continued to mow down the opposition with the M-Braves. Tallying his final 18 frames of the 2021 campaign with Mississippi, the 22-year-old struck out 29 batters – good for an average of 14.5 K/9.

Add it all up and the numbers were video game-like this season. A whopping 83 of the 175 batters Diaz faced in 2021 (or 47.4%) went down on strikes. The kid allowed one home run this year, and amazingly that lone long ball came in Diaz’s very last appearance of the year on September 16 — part of an outing in which he allowed two runs in one inning of work (his one and only appearance in 2021 in which he surrendered more than one run).

So who knows if Diaz has a Kimbrel-like future ahead of him. But either way, this is a slam dunk of a prospect; and at this rate, it won’t be long before he’s contributing in an Atlanta uniform.

Braves 2021 Minor League Team Awards: Cy Young

Thursday, September 21, 2021

-Clint Manry

The 2021 regular season is coming to an end, both at the major and minor league level. Last week I began a team awards series for the Braves, in which I named Charlie Morton as Atlanta’s Cy Young pitcher for this year. Today I will do the same for the Braves minor league system.

Who has been the best minor league pitcher for the Braves organization?

Braves 2021 Minor League Team Awards: Cy Young

Bryce Elder

Like the major league version of this award, this wasn’t all that close. No other prospect starting pitcher has accomplished what Bryce Elder – ranked no. 8 on my Midseason Braves Top 30 list — has in 2021, and other than perhaps reliever Indigo Diaz, none have flown through the minor league system with such dominance. Last year’s fifth-round pick is looking at a potential 2022 MLB debut, and for a system already rich with talented arms, Elder’s ascent within the minors this season has been one of the most-exciting storylines to follow.

Elder’s 2021 stats (all levels combined)

23 starts, 128.2 IP, 2.80 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 3.5 BB/9

For Elder, 2021 started with a quick and easy assignment at High-A Rome. There, the righty averaged 11 strikeouts per nine innings and posted a 2.60 ERA in 45 innings (nine starts). It was evident from his very first outing, though, that the 22-year-old was much too advanced for lower-minors competition.

On June 29 Elder made his first Double-A start with the M-Braves. At the time, it was his worst performance of the season as he allowed four runs from seven hits in just four innings. His debut in the upper-minors was far from ideal, but Elder made up for that one poor outing by quickly becoming one of Mississippi’s staff aces. Over his next eight Double-A starts, Elder pitched to a 2.77 ERA and struck out nearly 30% of the batters he faced. By the middle of August, following a five-start stretch in which he lasted exactly seven innings in each outing and allowed just two earned runs over his final 12 frames with the M-Braves, it was time for another challenge. Surprisingly, the Braves promoted Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett.

On August 20 the Braves rising prospect debuted for the Stripers, striking out six in five innings to go with two runs from three hits. Elder has been with Gwinnett ever since, and to this day – now with just a handful of games remaining – the righty hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a single start. Heading into a new minor league week (Tuesday), Elder’s Triple-A ERA sits at a cool 2.28 and his K rate is holding steady at just over 10 strikeouts per nine. At each and every level, this kid continues to impress.

So for the 2021 minor league season, there’s no other Braves pitcher more deserving than Elder. For him to not just dominate the High-A ranks, but to also maintain that performance all the way up the ladder to Triple-A is incredible all by itself; him doing so while only in his first full pro season is basically unheard of. There have been several strong performances by Braves prospect pitchers in 2021. But in terms of the system’s Cy Young… that honor has to go to Bryce Elder.

Braves drop fourth in a row while farm gets swept

Sunday, September 19, 2021

-Clint Manry

Saturday was a rough day for the Braves organization as not only did Atlanta lose but so did each of the three minor league affiliates that played.

I’m out of town for a family vacation, so today’s report is short and sweet. But I’ll definitely have some material to write regarding the conclusion of the minor league campaign. I’ve also started a team award series at SportsTalkATL, with the first post covering the Braves Cy Young pitcher for this season… so be sure to check that out.

Here are your scores and stats from Saturday’s Braves action…

(76-70) Atlanta Braves

L, 2-0 vs. Giants

SP, C. Morton – (L), 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

RP, A. Minter – IP, 2 K

RF, J. Soler – 1 for 3, 2B, BB

1B, F. Freeman – 1 for 4

(67-51) Gwinnett Stripers

L, 6-4 vs. Nashville

SP, K. Muller – (L), 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, ER, 4 BB, 2 K

1B, J. Camargo – 2 for 2, HR, 2B, 2 RBI

RF, D. Waters – 2 for 4, 2B, 2 R, BB, SB

CF, C. Pache – 1 for 5, RBI

(67-44) Mississippi Braves

Cancelled vs. Chattanooga (Rain

(56-60) Rome Braves

Cancelled vs. Hickory (Wet Grounds)

(53-66) Augusta GreenJackets

L, 12-2 vs. Myrtle Beach

SP, R. Rodriguez – (L), 3.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, HR

C, T. Tolve – 3 for 4, HR, 2 RBI

2B, C. Conley – 1 for 2, R

(25-31) FCL Braves

L, 5-4 (F/7) vs. Rays

SP, J. Bautista – 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

RP, S. Strickland – 2 IP, 3 K

LF, J. Palma – 1 for 4, 2 RBI, R

3B, J. Dilone – 2 for 3, 2B, BB

2B, E. Stevens – 2 for 3, 2B, R

SS, F. Floyd – 1 for 1, 2 BB, SB

Braves can’t complete comeback against Marlins while Augusta’s Justyn-Henry Malloy slugs a pair of homers

Sunday, September 12, 2021

-Clint Manry

We had a full slate of games yesterday as all five of the Braves minor league affiliates were on the docket, including a doubleheader for the FCL team. Unfortunately, the main event on Saturday night – Braves vs. Marlins – didn’t end the way we hoped, however there was still plenty of action down on the farm.

I don’t have time today to do a full report today, but let me let you in on a kid who’s crushing it right now: third baseman Justyn-Henry Malloy. Playing at the Single-A level currently (Augusta), the Braves sixth-round pick from this year’s draft bopped two more homers last night against Columbia, giving him five already this season in just 30 games. The 21-year-old is presently sporting a .271 AVG overall with a 137 wRC+ and looks primed to become another solid prospect outfielder in the Atlanta system. In his last 11 games, Malloy is batting a cool .351 with six XBH. Keep an eye of this dude.

Here’s your scores and stats from Saturday’s Braves action…

(75-66) Atlanta Braves

L, 6-4 vs. Marlins

SP, C. Morton – 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 7 K, HR

LF, A. Duvall – 1 for 3, 2B, BB

RF, J. Soler – 1 for 5, 2B, RBI, R

PH, E. Adrianza – 1 for 1, 2B, R

1B, F. Freeman – 2 for 5, 2 RBI, R

(65-48) Gwinnett Stripers

L, 3-0 vs. Columbus

SP, C. Johnstone – (L), 4 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 K, 2 HR

RP, J. Flaa – 3 IP, BB, 3 K

LF, D. Waters – 1 for 3, BB

1B, J. Camargo – 1 for 3, BB

*Gwinnett’s offense only managed three hits

(65-41) Mississippi Braves

L, 6-3 vs. Montgomery

SP, S. Strider – (L), 3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 K

RP, C. Clouse – 1.2 IP, H, BB, 2 K

DH, H. Clementina – 1 for 3, HR, 3 RBI

3B, C. Alexander – 1 for 3, 2B, R

RF, T. Harris – 1 for 4, 2B

(53-59) Rome Braves

L, 15-3 vs. Asheville

SP, D. Dodd – (L), 3 IP, 9 H, 8 ER, 6 K, 4 HR

RP, M. Stallings – 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K, HR

LF, D. Campbell – 3 for 4, 3B, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R

1B, C. Martinez – 1 for 4, 2B, RBI

(50-63) Augusta GreenJackets

W, 6-4 vs. Columbia

SP, R. Rodriguez – 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 6 K

RP, R. Munoz – (W), 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, ER, 7 K

3B, J-H. Malloy – 2 for 3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB

2B, C. Bunnell – 1 for 4, HR, 2 RBI

LF, L. Stephens – 2 for 4, HR, RBI

SS, C. Conley – 2 for 5, 2B, 2 R

1B, B. Horne – 1 for 4, 2B

RF, C. Robinson – 2 for 4

(25-28) FCL Braves

L, 3-1 (F/7) vs. Rays

W, 2-1 (F/7) vs. Rays

GAME 1

SP, J. Bautista – (L), 3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 K, HR

RP, E. Joseph – 2 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 K

DH, K. Morton – 2 for 3, 2B, R, SB

GAME 2

SP, A. Shoemaker – 2.1 IP, ER, 5 BB, K

RP, J. Niekro – (W), 2.2 IP, BB, 5 K

CF, J. Palma – 1 for 3, R

LF, E. Workinger – 1 for 3, RBI

C, G. Pena – 1 for 2, RBI, BB

3B, J. Fernando – 1 for 3

Shea Langeliers hits homer no. 20; Landon Stephens tallies five RBI in Augusta’s big win

Saturday, September 11, 2021

-Clint Manry

It’s a historic day today, marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I still remember where I was on that horrible day – in my fifth-grade history classroom (Mrs. Jeffries’ class). Although, at just 10-years-old, I had no idea what was going on.

Anyways, because my Saturday is a bit busy, today’s report only features scores and stats. However, I did put out a piece on the Braves outfield yesterday that I think you may like, so check it out. I’m still behind on my monthly check-ins for August but will hopefully have another installment out soon.

Here’s your Braves action from Friday…

(75-65) Atlanta Braves

W, 6-2 vs. Marlins

SP, I. Anderson – (W), 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, HR

Braves bullpen – 4 IP, 2 H, 8 K

RF, J. Soler – 1 for 4, 2 RBI. R

1B, F. Freeman – 2 for 4, 2B

C, T. d’Arnaud – 1 for 2, 2B

(65-47) Gwinnett Stripers

W, 6-3 vs. Columbus

SP, J. Rodriguez – (W), 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K

RP, D. Lee – IP, H, BB, 3 K

RF, T. Demeritte – 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI

CF, D. Waters – 2 for 5, HR, RBI

DH, C. Pache – 2 for 5, 2B, R

(65-40) Mississippi Braves

W, 7-0 vs. Montgomery

SP, F. Tarnok – (W), 6.1 IP, H, BB, 8 K

RP, O. Javier – IP, 2 K

C, S. Langeliers – 2 for 4, HR, 3 RBI

CF, J. Dean – 2 for 5, 2B, R

DH, C. Alexander – 3 for 4, 3B, 2B, RBI, R

1B, G. Jenista – 1 for 4, 2B, RBI

(53-58) Rome Braves

L, 8-2 vs. Asheville

SP, J. McSteen – (L), 6 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, BB, 5 K, 3 HR

DH, M. Harris – 2 for 3, 2 2B, RBI, BB

SS, V. Grissom – 1 for 4, R

3B, R. Delgado – 3 for 4, R

(49-63) Augusta GreenJackets

W, 11-1 vs. Columbia

SP, J. Johnson – 4 IP, H, R, 5 BB, 6 K

RP, K. Wells – (W), 3 IP, 2 H, 5 K

LF, L. Stephens – 3 for 4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB

C, T. Tolve – 2 for 4, 3B, 2 RBI, R, BB

CF, C. Robinson – 3 for 5, 3B, 2 RBI

RF, W. Carter – 3 for 5, 2B, RBI, 2 R

(24-27) FCL Braves

L, 13-2 vs. Rays

SP, D. Florentino – (L), 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, BB, 3 K, HR

C, A. Barranca – 1 for 3, 2B

2B, G, Quintero – 2 for 4, R