Five Emerging Braves Prospects to Watch in 2024

December 6, 2023 Adam Greene Braves, General, MiLB, NL East 0

David McCabe, 2023 Arizona Fall League. Photo credit Benjamin Rush, @BenRushPhoto on Twitter and @BenRushPhoto on Instagram
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The Atlanta Braves have a simple philosophy when it comes to their young talent. If they play well and they contribute to winning, the organization keeps them there for a long time. We’ve seen it time and time again, it’s a key reason they’re a perennial contender. After the major league call-ups of players like Michael Harris II, Bryce Elder, and Spencer Strider, the Braves minor league depth has had to replenish itself, but it seems like the talent-level in the lower minor leagues is strong. In just a few years time, they could be on the rise again. These five prospects are some that could be climbing rankings with strong 2024 seasons.

Thank you to Lindsay Crosby (@CrosbyBaseball, Locked On MLB Prospects) for collaborating on player data and providing insight to the Braves farm system.

Current rankings listed are from our Prospects1500 Braves midseason Top 50 prospects (from this past July).

Blake Burkhalter, RHP
Last Braves Top 50 Rank – 25

Following his stretch of dominance at Auburn, Burkhalter was drafted by the Braves in the second round of the 2022 First Year Player Draft. He made three appearances, pitching 4.1 innings between the Complex League and Single-A Augusta, but was sidelined throughout 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. When healthy, his fastball sits in the mid-90s and tops out at 99. He displays strong height control that allows him to effectively utilize the top of the strike zone. Burkhalter has thrown a secondary cutter, but Atlanta has expressed interest in converting it to play more as a slider. Additionally, he throws a changeup with good velocity ranging in the mid-80s.

In his final year at Auburn, Burkhalter showed much improved command, with a 10.14 K/BB ratio as well as a career high 13.9 K/9. His success that season led to him being named a Second Team All-American. The Braves selected him as a starter, but in college he was often used in a relief role and tallied 16 saves in his 2022 season. If Burkhalter comes back from surgery and is as strong or stronger than he was before, there’s a lot of upside for someone that can come out of the bullpen in high leverage situations. The organization will build him back up cautiously, so I’d expect him to spend more time in the lower minors before moving up. As far as organizational prospect rankings, he has a great chance to move up in 2024.

David McCabe, 3B
Last Braves Top 50 Rank – 27

The third baseman from UNC Charlotte was selected by the Braves in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. With a ton of raw power and a true 25+ home run profile, the Braves added a smart, switch-hitting prospect to their system. Although McCabe can swing from both sides, he’s been primarily focused as a lefty at the plate, showing his ability to hit the ball very hard in 2023. His closing mark was an organization-leading 75 RBIs, and he finished third in home runs with 17. McCabe also sees the ball extremely well for someone with as much power as he has, producing the highest walk rate in the system last year at 15.3%.

McCabe began his 2023 season in Single-A Augusta but was quickly promoted to High-A Rome by the end of May after posting a 145 wRC+ in Augusta. At UNC Charlotte, he was utilized as a corner infielder, getting time at first and third, but since being drafted, he has almost exclusively played at third base. McCabe has an above-average arm and plus arm strength, so the organization aims to get the most out of his defensive abilities. He earned a spot in the Arizona Fall League for his production in 2023 and played well over his 96 plate appearances. McCabe will now look to the upper minors, aiming to reach Double-A Mississippi next year.

Drue Hackenberg, RHP
Last Braves Top 50 Rank – 35

Hackenberg came out of Virginia Tech in the 2023 Draft, being selected by Atlanta in the 2nd round. The Braves showed a ton of confidence in the 21 year-old pitcher when they moved him to Double-A after 12 strikeouts over just 5.2 IP in Single-A Augusta. Skipping over High-A straight to the upper minors is a clear indicator of Hackenberg’s talent level. For someone who wasn’t typically known for missing bats early on, he flipped that narrative on its head. He has a good combination of control over his primary pitches and keeping walks to a minimum.

Hackenberg’s pitch arsenal consists of two main pitches, a sinker in the mid 90s with above average drop, and a slider with an increasing spin rate in the low 80s. He does rarely throw a changeup and used it almost exclusively against lefties in 2023. While it doesn’t produce a whole lot of outs, it does tend to keep the ball on the ground. Hackenberg will want to continue pitching as many innings as he can in 2024, because at this point his development will be centered around getting professional experience against high level batters. He was reliable throughout his collegiate career, and if he throws 100+ innings next season he could become one of Atlanta’s top pitching prospects.

Keshawn Ogans, IF
Last Braves Top 50 Rank – NR

One of the more intriguing picks from Atlanta recently is Keshawn Organs, a 2022 20th round lottery ticket from UC Berkeley. He played his full 2023 season at High-A Rome, and spent about equal time between a few infield positions; second, third, and short. Speed is a significant part of his game, in 19 games in Single-A in his pro debut season he stole nine bases. It was interesting he only added one to that total in 2023 with about 100 more games. Using his speed to better his defense, specifically range, will be a massive help to the profile.

His bat has been solid for the majority of his professional experience but a scorching hot September, slashing .361/.425/.583/1.008, earned him a spot in the Arizona Fall League. Ogans won the fan vote to be named a Fall-Star, and went 1-1 in the game with a single and HBP. He’s shown to be a pull-heavy hitter with a 52% pull rate, but it contributed to his 32 XBH last season. He’s also one of the best hitters in the system with runners in scoring position, hitting for a .844 OPS in those scenarios. There’s a good chance Ogans will be playing in Double-A in 2024, and improving on his already strong contact percentages and OBP will make him a more polished player.

Isaiah Drake, OF
Last Braves Top 50 Rank – NR

The second-ranked high school outfielder in Georgia this past year didn’t have to move too far when he was drafted in the 5th round by the Braves. North Atlanta HS produced an all-around star athlete in Drake, a 6’0”, 180 lb Georgia Tech commit. Drake participated in the MLB Draft League, where he impressed many with a .333/.486/.593/1.078 slash line, ultimately resulting in his selection in the 5th round. He combines a quick, short swing with plus baserunning, creating a dangerous combination of power and speed. Physical development will play a crucial role in determining the type of player he becomes.

Drake had the opportunity to compete with many of the Braves’ major leaguers during an intrasquad at Truist Park before their playoffs began. He drove a ball deep to right off Collin McHugh, resulting in a triple. The skillset to be a top 100 prospect is there; the organization believes it’s attainable with improved route running in centerfield. With his speed, that’s certainly within reach. In his 18 Draft League games, Drake stole nine bases; unsurprisingly, he runs a 6.15 second 60 yard. Drake is nowhere close to a finished product, and refining his tools and giving him enough time to develop will go a long way for him. 2024 could serve as a breakout year for the young outfielder.

Adam Greene

Adam Greene is a Sport Management and Marketing double major at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. His main focus is sport marketing, where he's already had internships with the local Westfield Starfires and Springfield Thunderbirds. He now writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life. When Covid hit, he started paying a lot more attention to the Red Sox minor league teams, and now, follows them almost as much as the big league squad. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.

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