2021 Pre-Season Profile: Atlanta Braves

 #6

The Atlanta Braves continued to show in 2020 that they are one of the best young teams in all of baseball, coming one win away from making the World Series.  Can they continue to take steps forward in 2021?

2020 Predictions

#10 - 2nd in NL East, WILD CARD, lose in Wild Card Game

MIH - Marcell Ozuna

MIP - Cole Hamels

PTW - Kyle Wright

2020 Results

#6 - 35-25, 1st in NL East, lost in NLCS

I thought 2020 was due to be a step back for the young Braves roster.  Instead, they leapt forward.  I thought Cole Hamels was going to be a factor, and he pitched one game.  Marcell Ozuna had a big year, but not as big as league MVP Freddie Freeman.  Their young pitching stepped up, and that was after Opening Day starter Mike Soroka went down with an injury in his third start.  This all just proved how talented this team truly is and how high their ceiling is going forward.

Additions / Subtractions

Despite the big 2020 season, the Braves still understand the need for some veteran pitching to mentor the young aces they are developing.  So they went out and picked up Drew Smyly and Charlie Morton to pitch alongside the kids.  The other big move was re-signing Marcell Ozuna.  The only real subtractions from the lineup were Adam Duvall leaving for the Marlins and the retirement of Nick Markakis, moves that made room in the lineup considering there is no DH this year.  They did lose some key bullpen arms in Mark Melancon and Darren O'Day.

Most Important Hitter

Dansby Swanson

The Braves' lineup is pretty loaded with stars.  From Freddie Freeman to Marcell Ozuna to possibly the best of them all in Ronald Acuna Jr., this lineup can produce runs.  The breakout star among stars last season was Dansby Swanson.  He put together his best season to date at the plate and trailed only Freeman and pitching phenom Max Fried on the team in WAR (his highest WAR mark of his career despite it only being a 60 game season).  The question is whether or not the former number one overall pick can replicate that level of production for a full 162.  If he can, he becomes yet another weapon opposing pitchers have to deal with in this lineup.

Most Important Pitcher

Will Smith

The Braves always have a plethora of starting pitching, but the real question mark this season is the bullpen.  Closer Mark Melancon and specialist Darren O'Day left this team in the offseason and weren't really replaced.  So who is the closer?  How will they end the brilliant games their starters will pitch?  The most likely option, and the option the Braves need to emerge, is Will Smith.  A former All Star closer with the Giants, Smith has shown he can be an impact arm at the end of a game, something no one else in the bullpen has really proven.  If he can establish himself as the guy, all the other arms in the pen can start to find their role.  If he can't, it might be bullpen by committee which rarely ever works.

Prospect to Watch

Cristian Pache

After a taste of the big leagues in 2020 as a 21 year old, Cristian Pache will be the Opening day starting centerfielder.  Ranked the 12th best prospect in baseball, Pache is an elite defender (which earned him a spot on the postseason roster last season) that is still learning how to be an impact bat in a lineup.  He has shown some great progress and could be the next great young star in the Braves lineup.

2021 Prediction

1st in NL East, lose in NLDS

Emerging from the mayhem of the NL East in 1st place is going to be no easy task, but the Braves seem to have the depth and the youth to do it.  With that said, I think come October some of that youth could hurt them from making a deep run this season, especially considering how strong some of the other contenders are.  It might be a quick exit, but the Braves are a powerhouse that are here to stay for awhile.

Fearless Prediction

Ronald Acuna Jr. wins the NL MVP.

Somehow, Ronald Acuna Jr. is just entering his age 23 season, and he has already established himself as a perennial MVP candidate.  He won Rookie of the Year in 2018, finished 5th in MVP in 2019, and finished 12th in MVP in 2020 despite missing some time with injury and his teammate taking first place.  This could be the year he emerges with the crown.  What will help him is the development of Cristian Pache so he doesn't have to play centerfield anymore.  Being in rightfield might be a little less taxing and might be able to preserve some health.  Either way, it should be a big year for Acuna.

2019 Pre-Season Profile: Atlanta Braves

#18

The Atlanta Braves took a giant leap forward in 2018, winning the division and making the playoffs with their new young core.  Will they continue to progress to one of the elite teams in the league in 2019?

2018 Predictions

2nd in NL East

Ronald Acuna will be the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year.

2018 Results

90-72, 1st in NL East, lost in NLDS

I knew the Braves were heading to something special, but no one saw them being this good this quick.  Everything seemed to align for them, including the division kings, the Nationals, having a down year which allowed them to take the top spot.  Although they did not go far in the playoffs, they showed their tear down from a few years ago was worth it.  They also showed that they have still further to go.

Additions / Subtractions

With most of Atlanta's lineup young and far from free agency, very little was changed in their roster.  Leaving was catcher Kurt Suzuki, and starters Anibal Sanchez and Brandon McCarthy.  Replacing Suzuki is former Brave coming home Brian McCann.  Replacing the starters are some of their super prospects.  However, the biggest move the Braves made this offseason was upgrading at third base by bringing in former MVP Josh Donaldson.

Most Important Hitter

Ozzie Albies

For the first half of the season, Ozzie Albies was possibly the best second baseman in the league as he helped lead the Braves to their huge start.  He feel off pretty impressively in the second half though.  Even though he is only entering his age 22 season, he is being counted on as an anchor of the Braves lineup with other young phenoms like Ronald Acuna.  They need to repeat their production and then some to help the Braves take the next step in 2019.

Most Important Pitcher

Mike Foltynewicz

Mike Foltynewicz emerged last season as the ace of the Braves staff, even making the All Star Team.  He is electric when he is on the mound.  However, the workload over the last few years might be catching up to him.  He is already missing the start of the season with elbow issues (terrible sign).  The Braves will be counting on him to come back and establish himself as the ace once again.  Of the young guns in their rotation, he is the most established.  Although they still have guys like Julio Teheran and Kevin Gausman, Folty is the leader.

Prospect to Watch

Touki Toussaint

You can really take your pick of several pitchers as three of the top four prospects in the Braves system are all starters and have all already made their big league debut last season.  Mike Soroka and Kyle Wright might garner a higher place on their top prospects (all three are in baseball's top 40 prospects), Touki Toussaint is the one slated right now to start the season in the Braves rotation.  The 22 year old righty throws hard with his best pitches being his fastball and curveball.  All three of these guys should have an impact this year, but Touki will be the one people will get to know right away.

2019 Prediction

4th in NL East

This was one of the toughest calls of the whole list.  The Braves have all the promise in the world and are really looking like the new version of what the Astros did a couple years ago.  They tanked to rebuild and came back stronger than ever with some of the most exciting young players in the game.  If you remember, the Astros broke out a year earlier than expected, taking a Wild Card spot in 2015.  Then, they took a giant step back in 2016, finishing in third in their division before busting out to a World Series title in 2017.  I see the Braves on a similar trajectory.  No one expected them to be as good as they were in 2018.  Many times, when a team breaks out big like that, the next year is a bit of a let down.  Combine that with the fact that their division has quickly become one of the most competitive in baseball, and you have a team that will probably be just over .500, but they will finish behind some of the new competitors in town.

Fearless Prediction

Mike Foltynewicz will throw less than 100 innings in 2019.

He is not off to a good start missing the first few weeks of the season.  When someone throws as hard as Folty does, he is bound to have arm issues at some point.  He is starting this season with an arm issue, and I have a feeling it might lead to more issues throughout the season.  Don't be surprised if you hear the words Tommy John thrown out before the end of the season.  Now Folynewicz isn't their only pitcher, but all of the Braves young studs aren't quite ready to take the reins.  Look for everything to align a bit better in 2020.