Humdrum draft has perks

Braves see potential in latest class that’s comparable to successes of recent years.

Fans’ mood surrounding the Braves’ draft Thursday night: underwhelming.

The Braves’ haul (or rather, basket) included four college players: Lefty Jared Shuster (No. 25), outfielder Jesse Franklin (No. 97), righty Spencer Strider (No. 126) and righty Bryce Elder (No. 156). The Braves were down a second-round pick in the already trimmed draft, but they feel like they made the most of it.

“These guys are pretty much mastering their craft,” vice president of scouting Dana Brown said. “Not only do they have talent, they’ve been able to develop the skill, which we think is going to lead to something, so they could move along pretty quickly.”

Yet the team’s satisfaction didn’t quell fans’ uneasiness. Baseball America, MLB Pipeline and other outlets publish predraft rankings. By those values, the Braves over-drafted several players. Now, this isn’t a blackand-white exercise, and factors such as signability and personal preference play a sizable role.

We don’t have the whole picture. And most of us can’t even fall back on our own eye tests, as we’d do in the NFL or NBA draft. So for people to be disappointed by the team’s draft – that is fair from a fan perspective. The class lacked flash and three picks didn’t align with projected values, and that’s really all most people go off of.

For instance, the Braves took Shuster at No. 25. Baseball America ranked him the 43rd overall prospect. MLB Pipeline placed him at 77. The Braves took Franklin at 97, 54 spots