The Braves pitching staff has been the one shining light in an otherwise gloomy season through two-plus months, and that success extends further than just the majors. The Braves have several arms on the farm that are turning heads, and three of them recently cracked Baseball America’s updated list of the top 100 prospects in baseball.

Braves Top 100 Prospects

#92 Spencer Schwellenbach

The first Braves prospect to crack the list Braves fans should be very familiar with. Spencer Schwellenbach is fresh off making his second MLB start yesterday afternoon, and while it didn’t go like he would have hoped, surrendering six earned runs over 4.1 innings, he’s already flashed a ton of potential this year. This is a 24-year-old that’s coming off Tommy John surgery not too long ago. His stuff has made tremendous strides this year, which is why the Braves felt comfortable with him skipping the AAA level altogether to make his MLB debut. The poise is evident; Schwellenbach looks to have a very bright future ahead of him at the major-league level.

#72 AJ Smith-Shawver

Smith-Shawver’s 2024 season hasn’t gotten off to the start many expected. He was the talk of the town after last season, a year in which he rose up the ranks from High-A to make his MLB debut, and even had some success with the Braves. The hope was that he would eventually take a stranglehold of the final spot in the Braves rotation. He certainly has the stuff to do so, but after a promising first outing with the Braves, he hit the IL with an oblique strain and is expected to miss multiple months. Still, Smith-Shawver has the potential to be an impact arm in Atlanta as early as this season.

#56 Hurston Waldrep

Ironically, the highest-ranked prospect in the Braves system according to Baseball America is the only one that has yet to make his major-league debut, but that may not be the case for long. With Spencer Schwellenbach struggling in his first two starts, Hurston Waldrep could very well could be the next in line. He was recently promoted to Gwinnett, and in his first start with the Stripers, he struck out 11 over six innings.

Waldrep has a split-finger offering that is one of the best pitches at any level. His fastball has gotten touched up at times this year, but his slider has made some fantastic strides. Waldrep could end up being the arm that finally puts an end to the revolving door at the back of the Braves rotation. However, we’ll have to see how they decide to handle him moving forward. The Braves have had a lot of success pushing their talent through the minors quickly, but not every prospect is the same. Regardless, expect to see Hurston Waldrep make his MLB debut at some point in 2024.

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Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire