Maitan bashes first pro homer for Danville

The Braves waited almost a year to the day since signing him for Kevin Maitan to make his professional debut. Less than two weeks later, the club's second-ranked prospect has climbed a rung of the organizational ladder and begun to produce for Rookie-level Danville.
"He has some things to clean up because he's a very young kid," Danville hitting coach Barbaro Garbey said. "We've had to make some adjustments, some changes to his setup and his mechanics, and he's really shown he can be a good Major League player. He's able to make the adjustments he needs to make so early in his career."

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MLB.com's No. 24 overall prospect mashed his first career homer and added a pair of singles as the Braves were edged, 9-8, by Johnson City at TVA Credit Union Ballpark. Since joining Danville from the Gulf Coast League, the 17-year-old has a hit in all six Appalachian League games he's played.
"His approach is something we've been working with him a little bit more," Garbey said. "He holds the hands a little lower so he can have a more level swing. He was trying to pull all the balls and right now he just tries to use the whole field."
The Venezuela native made his GCL debut on July 3 and went 11-for-35 (.314) with three doubles and three RBIs in nine games. Maitan, one of five teenagers ranked among the Braves' top 10 prospects, inked a $4.25 million deal with the club on the first day of the international signing period last year.
"He's a very coachable kid. He takes criticism very well. He's very mature -- he needs to mature a little bit more, but so far he's come a long way," Garbey said. "The way I see it is that this is a good thing coming. Everything is positive so far from what I've seen from him."
Following Drew Lugbauer's two-run blast in the first inning off Cardinals right-hander Edwar Ramirez, Maitan snuck a ground ball through the middle for a two-out hit. 

Bradley Keeler popped to second leading off the third for Danville and Lugbauer went down swinging before Maitan sent Ramirez's next offering over the fence in left-center. 
"It was a good pitch, a fastball away," Garbey said. "Because his approach was to the middle of the field, he was able to stay inside the ball and hit it very well to left-center field. I'm very surprised how quick he can make the adjustments. He's a very interesting young kid."
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Maitan went down swinging against reliever Fabian Blanco to open the seventh and started the ninth against Jacob Patterson by grounding to third.
Brady Whalen doubled twice, singled and drove in five runs for Johnson City, while Jonathan Rivera contibuted a two-run shot. Cameron Knight added a solo homer and Wadye Ynfante doubled, singled and scored twice.