John Gant was acquired alongside Rob Whalen in the deal that sent Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson to the Mets prior to the trade deadline. Looking back at this trade in a few years, it could end up being a steal. Gant and Whalen both have the potential to be MLB starters, and Gant especially has impressed since joining the Braves’ farm system. It’s a small sample size, but the righty is 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA in 7 starts since being acquired. Gant has gotten back to striking out batters at a high rate, and he is currently dominating in AA. He’s not a big name prospect by any means, but he’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
The Braves’ starting pitching is a big question mark right now as the rookies have struggled, and it’s a real possibility that Gant could be starting games for us in 365 days from now. He has the potential to be a nice mid-rotation guy in the big leagues. His arsenal is nothing out of the ordinary. He throws a fastball, changeup and a curveball. It’s hiS command that makes him successful, allowing him to maintain a high strikeout and ground ball rate. Hitters have hit just .201 off him for AA Mississippi thus far.
Gant is also from Savannah, Georgia, and that’s most definitely Braves Country. This is a guy who is constantly flying under the radar. He was drafted in the 21st round by an organization that owns the best pitching staff in the league. He’s now in a farm system that stockpiled starting pitching prospects, but he is quietly putting together a better season than a majority of these guys. Getting him, along with Whalen, who is a nice prospect in his own right, for two expiring contracts is a steal. I was bigger on Whalen than Gant when the deal was made, as he struggled in his promotion to AA with the Mets’ affiliate. However, Gant has a track record of success in the minors and has been nothing short of sensational since his arrival. I think the two have similar ceilings. Gant has most definitely earned a promotion to AAA Gwinnett to start the 2016 season. I currently have him ranked as the 17th best prospect in the organization.