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
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 experienced just one full season at the professional level.
“Both of them are young puppies, but you will continue to see them progress,” Pendleton said. “If they continue to grow the way they have, I think you will see them in the big leagues.”
Gil, who ranks as the Braves' No. 14 prospect, and Guanipa, who ranks No. 15 on the same list, were the two highest ranked Braves position player prospects to participate in this year’s event. Both should begin this season where they ended last season, with Single-A Augusta.
Both prospects produced a near .800 OPS in the Florida Complex League before receiving a promotion. With the elimination of short-season Rookie-level teams, they made the jump to the Single-A ranks and struggled. Guanipa had a .450 OPS in 32 games and Gil had a .552 OPS over 39 games.
This was a humbling experience for Guanipa, who received a $2.5 million signing bonus. Gil has successfully played the underdog role since receiving a far more meager $110,000 signing bonus.
“We knew what we were sending there,” Pendleton said. “We knew it was going to be kids that weren't going to get crushed by this. Some kids lose confidence and they're done. You have to be real sensitive with certain kids. You can't send them there knowing that if they fail or don't succeed, they're done. These two kids will fight you, too, until they’ve got nothing left, you know? We knew they would bounce back if they had success or didn't have success.”
Gil started at shortstop on Sunday and went 1-for-3 with an infield single. He exited under his own power after seemingly pulling a left leg muscle while attempting to beat out a grounder in the sixth. Guanipa batted ninth and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout while playing center field.
Three of Sunday’s pitchers ranked among the Braves’ Top 12 prospects. Here is a look at how they did:
RHP JR Ritchie (Braves No. 8 prospect): The 21-year-old right-hander’s parents were among the friends and family members who flew from the Seattle area to see him start this game. They were treated to seeing him work a perfect first inning against three players from MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list -- Max Clark (No. 6), Kevin McGonigle (No. 28) and Thayron Liranzo (No. 81).
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Ritchie ended the first inning by striking out Liranzo with a 97 mph fastball. The young hurler, who was taken with the 35th overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft, allowed two runs, surrendered five hits and recorded a pair of strikeouts in three innings of work. He missed most of the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
“It was a great experience all around,” Ritchie said. “I loved it and I felt great. It was everything I thought it would be.”
RHP Garrett Baumann (Braves No. 9 prospect): The 6-foot-8 pitcher towers over Isaiah Drake, his 6-foot roommate last year. Drake playfully got under Baumann’s skin in the dugout last year. The tall pitcher responded with an impressive performance over the remainder of that outing.
“He wasn’t happy about what [Drake] did, so I asked him a question,” Pendleton said. “'Why don’t you take that to the mound with you?' You could tell what he has to offer. At times, it seemed like he wasn’t sure of himself. I said, ‘Hey we need to see that bulldog on the mound.'”
Baumann’s inexperience and nerves were on display as he walked five of the 10 hitters he faced on Sunday. He flashed his potential with a 98 mph fastball that he will try to harness as he likely begins the upcoming season with High-A Rome.
RHP Didier Fuentes (Braves No. 12 prospect): The 19-year-old hurler was added to Atlanta’s roster Sunday and he took advantage of the chance to shine. He flashed an upper 90s fastball while recording three strikeouts in a scoreless seventh and added two more strikeouts in a scoreless eighth. He finished his outing with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth, finishing his day with a game-high 7 K's.
Supervising Club Reporter Mark Bowman has covered the Braves for MLB.com since 2001.
Blue Rocks Announce 2025 Promotional Schedule
WILMINGTON, DE – On Thursday, March 13 the Wilmington Blue Rocks released their 2025 promotional and theme night schedule. This season kicks off at Frawley Stadium on Tuesday, April 8, as the Blue Rocks welcome fans back to the ballpark for an exciting six-game series against the brand-new Hub City
2024 Holiday Packages On Sale Now
Our popular holiday packages are back for the 2024 holiday season! Choose from four packages to place under the Christmas tree for the Blue Rocks fan in your life to enjoy! Package items range from certificates that can be used for tickets and throwing out a First Pitch to a
Washington Nationals Farm Report - 2024 Season Recap
Hundreds of games were played this season throughout the entirety of the Washington Nationals organization. While the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ season is over, all three of the Nationals’ other affiliates are continuing to play into the second half of September. Double-A Harrisburg Senators and Triple-A Rochester Red Wings are wrapping
Fireworks, Fans, Fun - The Final 2024 Series at Frawley Stadium
The past week marked the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ final home series of the 2024 season. They hosted the Aberdeen Ironbirds in the teams’ fifth and last meeting of the year and split the series 3-3. Ahead of the homestand, the Blue Rocks still had a slim chance to make the
Friday Night Lights to Frawley Stadium Strikes
Seth Shuman, one of many talented starting pitchers that worked their way from the Wilmington Blue Rocks to the Harrisburg Senators this season, grew up in Valdosta, Georgia. The southern Georgia town is known for its rich sports culture, specifically when it comes to football, so it’s no surprise that
Wilmington Falls 3-9 to BlueClaws and Cyclones in Back-to-Back Home Series
Now back on the road, the Wilmington Blue Rocks just completed their back-to-back home series. In the 12 total games against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws and Brooklyn Cyclones, Wilmington fell 3-9 and holds the bottom spot in the South Atlantic League North heading into the final two weeks of the
Washington Nationals Farm Report - August 2024
The Wilmington Blue Rocks started August just above .500 with a second-half record of 16-15. With their current spot in the South Atlantic League North, the Blue Rocks are very much in the position to make a postseason run, but how are the other teams within the Washington Nationals’ organization
Opponent Preview: Jersey Shore BlueClaws And Brooklyn Cyclones
After a six-game road trip to take on the Greenville Drive, the Wilmington Blue Rocks are back in Delaware for their longest home stint of the season. They are set to host the Jersey Shore BlueClaws and Brooklyn Cyclones in back-to-back six-game series. At this point in the season, the
The Blue Rocks Triumph in Final Homestand vs Hudson Valley
Fans gathered at Frawley Stadium for the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ third and final homestand against the Hudson Valley Renegades this season. The Blue Rocks were 6-11 against Hudson Valley heading into the series, and managed to improve their record against their South Atlantic Division rivals to 10-13 by winning the
Third Time’s A Charm: The Hudson Valley Renegades Are Coming Back to Wilmington
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are set to host the Hudson Valley Renegades for the third and final time of the 2024 season. In their two homestands and one road trip against the Renegades so far, the Blue Rocks are 6-11.
Fueled by Determination and Doubt
The Wilmington Blue Rocks have had a lot of roster changes throughout the 2024 season, including players coming and going from injuries, promotions, and rehabilitation assignments.
Washington Nationals Farm Report - July 2024
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are hovering just around .500 heading into the middle of July and are fifth in the South Atlantic League North. There have been a lot of roster moves throughout the organization since the start of June. With so much shifting since we last checked in with
Wilmington Wins Four of Six vs Cyclones
The last time the Brooklyn Cyclones came to Wilmington was Opening Weekend. The Wilmington Blue Rocks put on quite the show to kick off the season and swept the New York Mets’ High-A affiliate in the three-game series. Brooklyn returned to Delaware for the first time since then, and the
Celery-brating the Holiday at Home
The Wilmington Blue Rocks hosted the first three games of their six-game split series against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. In the short homestand, the Blue Rocks took two of three to jump ahead before heading on the road to Lakewood. Sunny skies, 33 hits, 19 runs, and one sold-out game
Battle Of Blue Returns To Wilmington
After a six-game away series against the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Wilmington Blue Rocks are back in Delaware to host the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. This marks the first time the BlueClaws, the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, visit Wilmington this season. In the two trips the Blue Rocks have
Sink or Swim - Brendan Collins
If you were to look at Brendan Collins’ player biography, you’d find that the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ pitcher played for UNC Greensboro before being drafted. However, as he admits and has come to appreciate, his journey to his professional baseball career is a lot more complicated than it appears on
It’s Heating Up in Wilmington - Homestand Recap vs Aberdeen IronBirds
The Wilmington Blue Rocks hosted the Baltimore Orioles’ High-A affiliate Aberdeen IronBirds at Frawley Stadium for the second time this season. Although Wilmington won three of the first four games, they spit the homestand matchup 3-3. It was an extremely hot start to the summer that came with a lot
The IronBirds Fly Back to Wilmington
The Wilmington Blue Rocks and Aberdeen IronBirds have met in two six-game series so far this year. In the first in Aberdeen, they split the series 3-3, and the Blue Rocks won their second series 4-2 in mid-May at Frawley Stadium. A month later, the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore
Washington Nationals Farm Report - June 2024
With May behind them and June gearing up, the Wilmington Blue Rocks are just below .500 and currently last in the South Atlantic League North. After starting the season at the top, the team has faced everything from multiple rainouts and concurring doubleheaders to injuries and resulting roster changes. How
Hudson Valley Betters Wilmington in Rare Eight-Game Series
After being on the road for two weeks, the Blue Rocks returned to Frawley Stadium to host the Hudson Valley Renegades in a rare, eight-game series. The homestand included two double-headers, a washout storm, and the return of familiar faces. Sammy Infante and Elijah Nunez suited up for Wilmington for
The Return of the Renegades
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are finally coming home after a two-week road trip. They went 2-4 in their series against the Rome Emperors, and 3-3 against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The Blue Rocks look to get back above .500 with their second homestand against the New York Yankees affiliate
Confidence And Conviction
Many kids aspire to be professional athletes when they grow up, and many others dream of following the career path of their parents. In the rare case of Marquis Grissom Jr, he got to do both. After watching his father live out his dream in the MLB, he paved his
Getting Back On Track
The Wilmington Blue Rocks sat at the top of the South Atlantic League North for the first few weeks of the season. The team’s fall from grace came quickly after getting swept in their recent six-game road trip against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws.
The IronBirds are Flying Northeast to Wilmington
After a difficult road trip to Lakewood, the Blue Rocks look forward to playing where they play best – Frawley Stadium. Wilmington hosts the Aberdeen IronBirds, the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, this homestand, marking the second time the two teams have met this year. They split their first
Washington Nationals Farm Report - May 2024
Through a little over a month of baseball, the Wilmington Blue Rocks are above .500 and hold the 2nd spot in the South Atlantic League North. They have held their own as one of the Washington Nationals minor league affiliates, but how are the rest of the organization’s teams doing