I get somewhat spoiled by getting to see the Rome Braves this season. Nearly every time I go, one of baseball’s exciting young pitching prospects takes the mound. Whether it is Max Fried or Mike Soroka, the Rome Braves rotation is stacked with big names like Kolby Allard, Touki Toussaint and Patrick Weigel.
Last night, I didn’t see any of those names, but walked away impressed with the pitcher I saw. It says a lot about the depth on the Braves pipeline.
ROME, GA — Luke Dykstra can flat out hit a baseball. Since the day he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves, that’s what Dykstra has done, and he has done it extremely well. In an Atlanta Braves system that is flowered with some of the finest middle infield prospects in the game like Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Kevin Maitan, and now Travis Demeritte, Dykstra is making people take notice another fine season in Rome.
David Buchanan has had quite the interesting ride over his short career. He came from seemingly nowhere to post an impressive 2014 rookie campaign. The Phillies’ rewarded his work, and he earned the three-slot in the 2015 Philadelphia Phillies rotation. The start to his 2015 was tough for the righty, but he finished with a final four starts that left no doubt that he still could do it.
He has spent 2016 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley and seems to have found that old magic that led to his breakout 2014.
Gary Sanchez has been to The Show before. Twice to be precise. This time is different, however. This time Sanchez isn’t going back to the minors, at least he shouldn’t. This time, the arrival of Sanchez marks the beginning of a new era of Yankees baseball.
When you look at the Double-A home run leaders, it probably is not a tremendous surprise that big 6-foot-4 Rhys Hoskins or monstrous 6-foot-6 Dylan Cozens are atop the charts. What may come as a surprise is that Willie Calhoun has become one of the bigger power threats in all three leagues on the Double-A level. All 5-foot-8 of him.
Even with the departure of catching prospect Francisco Mejia in last night’s late Jonathan Lucroy deal, the Cleveland Indians boasted a very talented top-ten prospects in their system. The New York Yankees seemed to think so as well, swooping in and snagging top prospect Clint Frazier and left-hander Justus Sheffield for Andrew Miller a few hours later.
It sure has been a long time, hasn’t it? I mean the last few years haven’t been all that bad, and hey, the Bronx Bombers won the wild card spot last year. Of course, there was that feeling of hopelessness going in with a lack luster offense against the American League Cy Young Award winner, but it was a playoff appearance that had been missing since 2012.
The Milwaukee Brewers had once hoped that Mitch Haniger would join Ryan Braun in their outfield to form a dynamic power-hitting duo. A slow start to his career, a few injury setbacks, and a new team have seen Haniger’s career take a different path. He finally seems to be putting it all together this year with the Reno Aces.
When the Atlanta Braves began their overhaul, they were left void of a top-tier pitching prospect on the upper levels, one seemingly on the cusp of major league greatness. They addressed that issue this past offseason, sending fan favorite — and arguably the best defensive shortstop in the game — Andrelton Simmons to the west coast for Sean Newcomb, the Angels promising left-hander who was regarded as one of the best in the game.
His first year in the Braves organization has not looked that way.
The St. Louis Cardinals have arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball — Alex Reyes continues to miss bats at an unworldly pace. Not to be overlooked, however, Luke Weaver is making a strong push to be right behind Reyes en route to the big leagues.
![Philadelphia Phillies David Buchanan back on track in Lehigh Valley [Interview]](https://waynecavadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2255.png?w=672&h=372&crop=1)
![Get to know Dodgers prospect Willie Calhoun [Interview]](https://waynecavadi.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/los_angeles_dodgers4.jpg?w=672&h=372&crop=1)
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