Snitker excited about prospects
ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker hopes he’ll have some tough decisions to make at the end of March.
That would mean such top prospects as Ronald Acuna and Austin Riley have made such good impressions in Florida, it would be difficult to leave them off the roster for opening day. And for Snitker, who’s entering his second full season as manager, that would be great news for Atlanta’s future.
Acuna, a 20-year-old outfielder from Venezuela with power, speed and strong defense, is the franchise’s player to watch. Last year he was named MVP of the Arizona Fall League — the youngest ever to earn that honor — and Baseball America’s No. 1 prospect.
He impressed the Braves last spring on his visits from the minor league camp. Even at 19, he looked ready for the major leagues.
“If you want to get right down to it, he probably made our club as a fence-jumper last year, really,” Snitker said. “… It’s going to be even more fun this year to have him in camp every day and see what the kid brings.”
The voluntary reporting date at spring training for pitchers, catchers and injured players is Wednesday, with the voluntary date Feb. 19 for other players and the mandatory date Feb. 24. The Braves open the season against the Philadelphia Phillies at SunTrust Park on March 29, when active rosters for MLB teams must be reduced to 25 players.
The Braves would gain a seventh year of contractual control if Acuna spends a few weeks at Class AAA Gwinnett before making his MLB debut. He could make the decision difficult by outplaying his competition.
“He’s a very talented young man,” Snitker said. “… He’s probably going to make it hard on us.”
The Braves helped to clear Acuna’s path to the majors — and salary space in 2019 — by trading Matt Kemp to the Los Angeles Dodgers in December.
Here are some other things to watch from the Braves when spring training begins:
› Two veteran starting pitchers, right-hander Brandon McCarthy and left-hander Scott Kazmir, were acquired from the Dodgers along with infielder Charlie Culberson — a former Calhoun High School standout — in the Kemp trade. McCarthy will likely land in the middle of the rotation. The Braves see Kazmir, who missed the 2017 season with hip and back problems, as a possible bonus if he can return to good health. Preston Tucker, acquired in a trade from the Houston Astros, could share time with Lane Adams in left field until Acuna is ready. R.A. Dickey, the most consistent starting pitcher last season, was not re-signed.
› Riley hit a combined 20 homers at classes A and AA last season, so he is probably a year away from taking over at third base. Like Acuna, he could influence that timetable with a strong spring. Two 2015 first-round draft picks, right-hander Mike Soroka and left-hander Kolby Allard, also will be in their first big-league camp. The rookie with the best shot to make the rotation is hard-throwing lefthander Luiz Gohara, who was more impressive than his statistics in a five-game audition late last season.
› First baseman Freddie Freeman was on track for his best season before missing seven weeks with a fractured left wrist. He said he’s now fully recovered. Other strengths are the catching tandem of Tyler Flowers and Kurt Suzuki, the young middle infield combination of Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies, and Ender Inciarte, who won his second straight Gold Glove in center field.
› It’s not a good sign when the team’s most established starting pitcher, Julio Teheran, had a 5.86 ERA in 17 starts at home last season. Overall, Teheran was 11-13 with a 4.49 ERA, almost a run higher than his 3.59 career average. More scary pitching numbers: Mike Foltynewicz posted an ugly 6.34 ERA after last year’s All-Star break. McCarthy, Gohara, Sean Newcomb, Lucas Sims, Max Fried and Kazmir, if healthy, will compete for other spots.
› The Braves have made painfully slow progress the past three years, from 67 to 68 to 72 wins. They no longer are relying on such veterans as Dickey, Kemp, Bartolo Colon and Brandon Phillips to fill in while young players develop. The rebuilding process will gain momentum when Acuna makes his debut.