Braves' Anderson to make MLB debut Wednesday
The Braves need starting pitching. It helps that they have one of the game's best pitching prospects waiting in the wings. The waiting will soon be over. Atlanta has called up No. 42 overall prospect Ian Anderson for his Major League debut. The right-hander will face the Yankees in the
The Braves need starting pitching. It helps that they have one of the game's best pitching prospects waiting in the wings. The waiting will soon be over.
Atlanta has called up No. 42 overall prospect Ian Anderson for his Major League debut. The right-hander will face the Yankees in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday after Tuesday night's game was postponed due to rain at Truist Park.
Right-hander Touki Toussaint was optioned to the alternate site in Gwinnett to make room for Anderson on the 28-man active roster, while the younger righty will claim an open spot on the 40-man roster. All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (wrist) was also activated from the 10-day injured list while catcher Alex Jackson -- the Braves' No. 23 prospect -- was optioned.
Taken with the third overall pick in the 2016 Draft out of an upstate New York high school, Anderson has developed into Atlanta's top pitching prospect during his four years in the system. He has yet to post a season ERA above 3.50 while hitting every stateside rung of the developmental chain from the Gulf Coast League to Triple-A Gwinnett.
The 22-year-old is coming off a season in which he notched a 3.38 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 135 2/3 innings between Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi. His 172 strikeouts were both a career high and tied for fourth-highest in the Minors. That said, after a dominant turn at Double-A, he did struggle at the Minors' highest level, where he posted a 6.57 ERA and issued 18 walks over 24 2/3 innings following an August promotion to Gwinnett.
The 6-foot-3 hurler showcases three pitches with above-average potential in his fastball, curveball and changeup. The fastball sat in the low-90s last season but stands out because of the way it can bear down on hitters from Anderson's over-the-top delivery. The curveball, which features a low spin rate, works with a 12-to-6 movement that led to plenty of K's, and his changeup has improved enough to give him the three necessary pitches to start in the Majors. Control has been an issue -- as evidenced by his Triple-A walk total -- but the 2019 Organization All-Star has developed to the point that he should be at least average in that department over the long term.
Anderson joins a Braves club that sits atop the National League East with a 16-12 record despite issues with its rotation. Ace Mike Soroka is out for the season with a torn right Achilles tendon and other starters like Toussaint, Kyle Wright, Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb have struggled to the point where all four have been reassigned to the alternate site this season. Foltynewicz was designated for assignment after one particularly rough outing last month. Braves starters rank 25th out of the 30 Major League clubs with a 5.37 ERA and 24th with a 0.7 WAR.
In the outfield, Acuña's return, along with Nick Markakis' activation off the injured list later in the day, pushed top Braves prospect Cristian Pache back to the alternate site Tuesday. Pache had appeared in two Braves games since he was first recalled last week -- once as a starter in left field and the other as a late-game defensive replacement. His Gold Glove potential and plus-plus speed could still provide value to the big club down the stretch, especially if Ender Inciarte continues to struggle to hit as Atlanta's starting center fielder.
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring