The Braves had a rough 2025. Looking at their farm system, there do not project to be many reinforcements coming in 2026. For dynasty managers, the only thing of attraction is pitching prospects. Owen Murphy, JR Ritchie, and Cam Caminiti headline the group, while Didier Fuentes already made his debut last year. The Top 20 prospect list below is filled with recent draftees that Atlanta is hoping will reinforce their farm system.
This article is part of a series focusing on each MLB team’s Top 20 prospects for fantasy baseball heading into the 2026 season. Stay tuned for prospect breakdowns for all 30 teams throughout January here at Pitcher List, and be sure to check out all our published pieces in the series here.
Top Braves Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Owen Murphy – SP, 22 YO
2025 Stats (CPX/A+): 30.1 IP | 1.19 ERA | 30.9 K% | 5.5 BB%
Owen Murphy was well on his way to a breakout season in 2024. The former first-round pick was dominant across his first seven starts of the season. Increased velocity on his fastball and refined command of his secondaries had Murphy moving quickly up prospect rankings. Then, the dreaded elbow injury, which seems to happen to every major pitching prospect these days. The injury kept Murphy sidelined until July of this season, when he finally made his return to the mound. The good news for dynasty managers is that Murphy did not seem to miss a beat. In seven starts, Murphy went 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA. He struck out 30.9% of the batters he faced while seemingly having no rust, with only a 5.5% walk rate.
In his return to the mound, Murphy’s four-seam velocity was the one thing lacking. After creeping into the mid-90s pre-injury, Murphy’s fastball settled back into the 90-92 range upon his return. The good news is that the pitch still has plus potential even with below-average velocity. Murphy has excellent command and control of the pitch and gets great late rising action on it, which allows it to play up. Beyond his fastball, Murphy tunnels his curveball and slider well and locates each pitch with precision. Another full season removed from his surgery, Murphy is poised for a major 2026 season and should be viewed as one of Atlanta’s top dynasty prospects.
2) Cam Caminiti – SP, 19 YO
2025 Stats (CPX/A): 70.0 IP | 3.09 ERA | 30.5 K% | 9.5 BB%
For the last several seasons, it has seemed like Atlanta’s top prospects are entirely pitching prospects. That is not changing this year as 2024 first-round pick Cam Caminiti checks in at number two. Caminiti put together a solid first professional season for Atlanta. Forearm tendinitis delayed the start of his season until May, but he still wound up. making 17 starts. Caminiti seemed to grow more comfortable and improve as the season went along. Across his final seven starts, Caminiti posted a 1.32 ERA supported by a 2.66 FIP. Still just 19, there is a lot of excitement about Caminiti’s future potential.
The 6’2″ lefty is an incredibly tough at-bat for left-handed hitters. Caminiti’s delivery is a cross-body motion that makes the ball extremely difficult to pick up. He looks as though he releases the ball from the middle of the left-handed batter’s box and then fires a 93 mph fastball in for a strike. Caminiti has had some trouble maintaining his velocity, but has flashed the ability to hit as high as 97. Maintaining that velocity would increase his future ceiling. Caminiti’s arsenal is filled with plus potential, but the concerns are how he will handle righties. Caminiti held lefties to a .184/.283/.207 slash last year, while righties slashed .251/.328/.371 against him. That is quite a large difference and something to monitor moving forward.
3) JR Ritchie – SP, 22 YO
2025 Stats (A+/AA/AAA): 140.0 IP | 2.54 ERA | 24.8 K% | 9.6 BB%
JR Ritchie has become somewhat of a darling for dynasty managers. After being taken 35th overall back in 2022, Ritchie suffered an elbow injury in 2023 that required Tommy John surgery. 2025 marked Ritchie’s first real season back. Despite never throwing more than 49.2 professional innings, the Braves released the reins on Ritchie, who threw 140 innings last season. His sparkling ERA and highlight-reel slider thrust Ritchie quickly up prospect ranking lists.
While Ritchie is a fine prospect, it is fair to discuss how much dynasty upside he has. Yes, Ritchie’s slider is a plus offering, however, he has never posted above-average strikeout rates. Instead, Ritchie’s arsenal and approach are to limit hard contact. He relies heavily on his sinker to get ahead in counts and prevent the long ball. The pitch is a solid offering sitting 92-95 on the gun, but his attack approach limits his future fantasy upside. Ritchie projects as a mid-rotation arm who could provide more real-life value than fantasy production.
4) Didier Fuentes – SP, 20 YO
2025 MiLB Stats (A+/AA/AAA): 57.0 IP | 4.58 ERA | 29.8 K% | 6.7 BB%
2025 MLB Stats: 13.0 IP | 13.85 ERA | 17.4 K% | 8.7 BB%
As has been the case with most of their recent pitching prospects, the Braves pushed Didier Fuentes aggressively through their system. After starting the year in High-A, Fuentes found himself pitching on a major league mound by the end of June. Fuentes’ four starts did not go as he imagined. His 13.85 ERA have caused the shine of his name in dynasty circles to fade. His major league debut provided invaluable insight into his arsenal and pitch metrics, but it is also causing some overreaction. Fuentes does not turn 21 until June, and there is still plenty of time for Fuentes to develop into a fantasy-relevant player.
Fuentes’ major league debut was filled with inconsistencies. Even still, he showed flashes of why the Braves were so excited to push him to the major leagues. His fastball sits at 96 mph and generates above-average arm-side run. His big-breaking sweeper generated a whiff rate of 34.3% and his curveball profiles as at least an average offering. Consistency is the biggest thing that Fuentes needs to work on. Fuentes’ release point varies between pitches. These inconsistencies, along with falling behind hitters too often, resulted in low chase rates and disappointing strikeout rates. Fuentes was pushed too aggressively to the major leagues. There is still a lot of upside that dynasty managers should be excited about.
5) John Gil– SS, 19 YO
2025 Stats (A/AA): .252 AVG | .348 OBP | .366 SLG | 7 HR | 54 SB | 14.5 K% | 12.4 BB%
The Braves signed John Gil out of the Dominican Republic back in 2023 at just 17 years old. Despite posting an above-average wRC+ in each of his first two seasons, Gil failed to gain much notoriety in the dynasty community. The reason why is puzzling. Standing at 6’1″, 175 pounds, Gil has the frame and athleticism that dynasty managers love to project. Gil is a strong athlete with good instincts and plus speed. He has stolen 94 bases over the last two seasons. Gil projects to be a 30+ base stealer at the major league level.
Gil’s game power is still a work in progress, but he made significant strides in this area last season. Gil posted a career-high seven home runs, with all seven coming from May 4th forward. Gil’s power is substantial to his pull side. He has quick hands and a natural feel for pulling the ball. Do not be surprised if his power ticks up again in 2026. Gil’s long-term dynasty value is still contingent on a lot of projection. He does not turn 20 until May and could be in line for a breakout 2026. For now, he ranks as Atlanta’s fifth-best prospect heading into 2026.
6) Garrett Baumann– SP, 21 YO
2025 Stats (A+): 113.2 IP | 3.40 ERA | 22.5 K% | 6.4 BB%
The Braves decided to go prep pitcher with their fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft. Baumann, who was committed to Central Florida, has found success in each of his first two professional seasons. He finished 2024 with a 3.18 ERA and found similar success pitching all of 2025 in High-A. Baumann is an intimidating presence on the mound. He stands at 6’8″, but has a surprisingly easy and repeatable delivery. Strike throwing and walk suppression have been two of Baumann’s biggest strengths since moving to pro ball. The only thing missing from his profile so far has been strikeouts. Even though Baumann has yet to make it past High-A, his strikeout numbers are underwhelming. This will need to change for his dynasty value to increase.
Right now, Baumann relies heavily on his fastball. This is his go-to pitch, even with two strikes. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and gets a lot of arm-side run. Although the pitch is capable of generating whiffs, it does not profile as a plus strikeout offering. Baumann is still working on the consistency of his secondary offerings. His slider looks really good sometimes with significant two-plane break, but he tends to overthrow both that and his changeup. That leads to too many uncompetitive pitches and prevents him from trusting either pitch enough to strike batters out. Right now, Baumann profiles as a back-end starter with upside to move up if his secondaries develop more consistency.
7) Alex Lodise – SS, 21 YO
2025 Stats (A+): .252 AVG | .294 OBP | .398 SLG | 1 HR | 2 SB | 38.5 K% | 4.6 BB%
Alex Lodise put together a breakout season in his final year at Florida State. With the Seminoles, Lodise hit an absurd .394 with a career-high 17 home runs. The result was Atlanta grabbing him in the second round at 60th overall. Despite being the team’s second pick, Lodise is the first of their 2025 draft picks to be ranked in this list. Lodise has a solid blend of polish and athleticism that should have dynasty managers excited. In his first 23 games, he spent time at both shortstop and second base, although he has the skills to stick at short long term.
Despite batting .394 in his final collegiate season, Lodise’s hit tool is far from a sure thing. Lodise has a big swing from the right side. His swing gets long at times as he drives the ball out of the yard instead of taking what pitchers give him. Professional pitchers were able to exploit his suspect pitch recognition. While his hit tool is a clear area of development, Lodise has significant dynasty upside. His power, especially to his pull side, is a plus attribute. He is a good athlete with upside for 15-20 stolen bases in a season. Lodise is not a top-tier prospect, but is an intriguing late-round FYPD pick for 2026.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Know
8) Tate Southisene – SS, 19 YO
2025 Stats (A): .219 AVG | .242 OBP | .297 SLG | 0 HR | 3 SB | 40.9 K% | 1.5 BB%
Tate Southisene was selected 22nd overall by Atlanta in the 2025 draft. The 19-year-old middle infielder is definitely still a work in progress. Swinging the bat from the right side, Southisene is trying to do damage on every pitch. He has quick hands and loves to get to his pull side. Professional pitchers were able to easily exploit his aggressiveness. This led to a lot of strikeouts and a high tendency to roll over on pitches. The raw tools are there for Southisene to develop into a fantasy-relevant prospect, but he will need to mature at the plate first. For now, he is an upside dart throw with good speed and a suspect hit tool.
9) Diego Tornes- OF, 17 YO
2025 Stats (DSL): .279 AVG | .395 OBP | .402 SLG | 0 HR | 24 SB | 21.8 K% | 15.6 BB%
If dynasty managers want to circle one name from this list who could turn into the top prospect in all of baseball, it is Diego Tornes. Signed out of Cuba last January, Tornes checks all the boxes when it comes to projectability. He is already 6’2″ with room to grow and fill out his frame, he has good speed, and the twitchy athleticism that turns into star power. Tornes posted a low contact rate in his first taste of professional baseball last year and is still years away from the major leagues. He ranks ninth for now, but could move up this list quickly in 2026.
10) Dixon Williams – 2B, 22 YO
2025 Stats (A): .269 AVG | .395 OBP | .462 SLG | 2 HR | 6 SB | 30.7 K% | 14.0 BB%
Dixon Williams was selected with the first pick in the fourth round by Atlanta last season. Swinging from the left side, Williams has a pretty swing when he connects. Although there is still room to add muscle, Williams has impressive power and can drive the ball out to all fields. He went a perfect 6/6 on the bases in 28 games at Low-A last season and could provide sneaky value in that department moving forward. His combination of plate discipline and power gives him a relatively stable floor, even if his ceiling is not the highest.
11) Lucas Braun – SP, 24 YO
2025 Stats (AA/AAA): 149.2 IP | 3.67 ERA | 24.3 K% | 6.5 BB%
The Braves selected Lucas Braun in the sixth round back in 2023. The six-foot righty split time between Double and Triple-A last season and appears set to make his major league debut next year. Control and variety are the calling cards for Braun. He works entirely from the stretch and has a big leg kick and an off-balanced release that resembles that of a reliever. Despite the unorthodox delivery, Braun walked only 6.5% of the batters he faced last season. His six pitch mix keeps batters off balance, but his fastball is below average and ultimately caps his long-term projection.
12) Conor Essenburg – OF, 19 YO
2025 Stats: DNP
Conor Essenurg carries more intrigue than most on this list. The former two-way pitcher was taken and signed away from his commitment to Kentucky by the Braves in this past year’s draft. The belief is that the Braves will use him as a hitter, where he has significant power potential. Essenburg’s swing is violent and aggressive. He is a good athlete, but does not project to have much speed, and his swing has significant hit tool risk. Essenburg’s profile resembles a lottery ticket where there is substantial upside, but a low probability that it all works out.
13) Landon Harper– SP, 24 YO
2025 Stats (AA): 107.2 IP | 3.59 ERA | 23.9 K% | 4.8 BB%
From one control specialist to another, here with Landon Harper. Harper was the team’s 14th-round pick back in 2022 and has been working his way slowly through the minor leagues. In 26 games with Double-A, Harper once again finished the season with a solid ERA and a sparkling walk rate. Harper was used both out of the pen and as a starter, but he has back-of-the-rotation stuff. His fastball does not have big velocity, but he pounds the zone with it. His slider and curveball both get good two-plane movement that gives him some sneaky upside. Harper is unlikely to ever be a significant dynasty asset, but his elite walk rates and sneaky breaking pitches earn him a spot at 13th in the Braves’ farm system.
14) Briggs McKenzie – SP, 19 YO
2025 Stats: DNP
The Braves’ selection of Briggs McKenzie in the fourth round of last year’s draft is all about development potential. The 6’2″ lefty is far from a finished product. The biggest concern right now is the lacklustre velocity on his fastball. In high school, McKenzie’s fastball sat in the upper 80s/lower 90s. The counterargument to his fastball is McKenzie’s breaking pitches. He already has a plus curveball and a strong changeup. At only 19 years old, McKenzie has a smooth wind-up and an effortless delivery. The Braves will need to unlock McKenzie’s fastball velocity to help take his game to the next level.
15) Patrick Clohisy– OF, 24 YO
2025 Stats (A+/AA): .254 AVG | .335 OBP | .346 SLG | 7 HR | 79 SB | 18.1 K% | 9.7 BB%
The stolen base potential that Patrick Clohisy showed off in 2025 helps him break into the team’s top 15. Clohisy has blazing speed that could turn him into a significant fantasy asset. The issue is that Clohisy does not do much else very well. His hit tool is average at best, and he lacks much of any power projection. His ceiling is that of a fourth outfielder who is used primarily as a pinch runner.
The Next Five
Although these prospects do not crack the top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eyes on these five players:
Ian Mejia – 25 YO – Right-handed pitcher who has posted strong ERAs and walk rates but lacks much upside for fantasy managers.
Cody Miller – 21 YO – The team’s third-round pick put up big numbers in his collegiate career at East Tennessee State and has good tools, but needs to improve upon his pitch recognition to turn into a fantasy-relevant prospect.
Blake Burkhalter – 25 YO – An older pitching prospect who is knocking on the door of the major leagues, with the ability to limit the long-ball but little in terms of strikeout upside
Jose Perdomo – 19 YO – A former top signing out of Venezuela, who has struggled to hit for average or power in two years since joining the Braves’ organization.
Ethan Workinger – 24 YO – An outfield prospect who has a good feel for his pull-side power but is yet to make it past Double-A at 24 years old.
