Braves Promote Two Top Pitching Prospects
The Atlanta Braves are gearing up for the future by challenging two of their top pitching prospects with new assignments as the 2024 season winds down. With potential changes in the starting rotation looming—Max Fried and Charlie Morton could depart in free agency, and Morton might retire—the Braves are preparing for the possibility of needing additional pitching depth in 2025. To address this potential need, the team has promoted two of their top pitching prospects to higher levels.
Drue Hackenberg, the Braves’ No. 9 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is moving up to Triple-A Gwinnett. The 22-year-old right-hander, a 2nd-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Virginia Tech, began the 2024 season with High-A Rome and quickly climbed through the ranks. In 12 starts with Rome, Hackenberg posted a 3-3 record with a 3.64 ERA, allowing just two homers over 59.1 innings and recording a 9.4 K/9 rate. His performance improved even further after being promoted to Double-A Mississippi, where he went 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA and a 12.5 K/9 rate over 46 innings, all while not allowing a single home run. It’s worth noting that Trustmark Field, the home of the Mississippi Braves, is notoriously difficult for hitters, making Hackenberg’s stats even more impressive.
Hackenberg now joins a stacked Gwinnett rotation that includes top prospects AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep, along with Tommy John-recovering Ian Anderson, MLB veteran Bryce Elder, and Allan Winans.
Meanwhile, JR Ritchie is also moving up the ranks, advancing from Single-A Augusta to High-A Rome. The 21-year-old right-hander, MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 organizational prospect, is continuing his climb through the system after returning from Tommy John surgery. In seven dominant outings for Augusta, Ritchie compiled a 1-3 record with an impressive 1.95 ERA, striking out 40 batters while walking only 10 over 32.1 innings.
Ritchie was drafted in the Competitive Balance-A round of the 2022 MLB Draft, along with fellow prep pitcher Owen Murphy. Although Ritchie was initially considered to be a year behind Murphy due to needing Tommy John surgery after just four starts in May 2023, he has made a strong return. With Murphy also sidelined this season due to an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery, Ritchie is poised for a significant role in 2025. Many believe he could follow a similar rapid progression through the minors as AJ Smith-Shawver in 2023 and Spencer Schwellenbach in 2024, potentially reaching the majors within a single season.
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