Braves: SportsTalkATL’s Top 20 Prospect Rankings — 15-11

This continues our list of the Braves top 20 prospects. If you want to check out the previous editions, click the link below:

• Braves: SportsTalkATL’s Top 20 Prospect Rankings — 20-16

 

15. RHP Darius Vines (A+)

Vines fits the profile of a lot of different Braves prospects as an athletic former two-way player. He features a four-pitch mix, and although none of his offerings are outstanding, they’re each pretty solid. If he can keep up his 2.92 ERA over 111 innings in 2021 and develop a plus offering, he’ll become a real weapon for the Braves.

 

14. RHP Freddy Tarnok (AA)

Tarnok was always going to be a project, but the Braves obviously saw something out of the lanky high school kid. Another former two-way player, Tarnok has a hard fastball and sweeping slider. He finally had some solid production in 2021, posting a 2.60 ERA over 45 innings in Mississippi. Tarnok needs to cut down on the walks, but he has the makeup of an MLB starter.

 

13. LHP Jared Shuster (AA)

This might be a little low for Shuster, but it’s no fault of his own — I think there’s just that much talent in this system. Shuster is a former first-round pick for a reason; he’s a big lefty with a nasty changeup. He still needs a little more development before he hits AAA, but if he can cut down on walks, he has mid-rotation starter potential.

 

12. SS Vaughn Grissom (SS) (A+)

Grissom had a stellar 2021 season, posting a .848 OPS in Augusta before being promoted to Rome, where he promptly put up a 1.114 OPS. Over 87 total games, Grissom smashed 17 doubles, 4 triples, and 7 home runs with 16 stolen bases. He looks to be a true five-tool player, and if he keeps this up, he could easily enter the top ten or top five of this system. He’s a candidate to start 2022 in Rome.

 

11. RHP Indigo Diaz (AA)

This is a pretty high ranking for Diaz, but he deserves the credit — he was a demon in 2021. He posted an absurd 1.00 ERA over 27 innings with 54 strikeouts in Rome, which earned him a promotion to Mississippi, where he promptly posted a 1.50 ERA over 18 innings with 29 strikeouts. The former 27th-round pick is a potential closer of the future, and he’s a guy I’ll have a close eye on in 2022.