More than a month into the season MLB Pipeline has updated its list of top 100 minor league prospects, moving around a few Braves youngsters.
Braves outfielder Cristian Pache made the biggest jump from No. 30 to 17th best overall prospect in baseball.
Pache is hitting .298 with three homers, 37 hits and 19 RBI in 33 games for Double-A Mississippi. MLB says:
As a 20-year-old in Double-A, Pache's all-around game is coming together quickly, as he's beginning to tap into some of his impressive raw power, making quality contact more consistently and playing his usual elite defense in center field.
International League Batter of the Week Austin Riley ranks at No. 34. Riley is batting .300 (42-for-140) in 36 games during his second season with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Pache’s teammate Drew Waters climbed up MLB’s list from No. 76 to No. 66.
Waters has handled the jump to Double-A at age 20 with aplomb, as he's thrived as the M-Braves' leadoff man while lining up alongside Pache in the outfield. The 6-foot-2, 183-pound switch-hitter enters week as the Southern League's leader in average (.336), hits (48), extra-base hits (19) and total bases (75).
Sliding down the list was pitcher Bryse Wilson (No. 72 to No. 80).
Wilson is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA in six starts since being sent to Gwinnett by Atlanta after starting the season with the Braves.
Wilson has lost a bit of the helium he created last season, when he reached the Majors at age 21, and there's some concern about the consistency and effectiveness of his secondary pitches in a starting role.
The franchise's top propsects, as listed by MLB Pipeline are:
1. Cristian Pache, OF, Mississippi
2. Kyle Wright, RHP, Gwinnett
3. Ian Anderson, RHP, Mississippi
4. Austin Riley, 3B/LF, Gwinnett
5. Touki Toussaint, RHP, Gwinnett
6. Drew Waters, OF, Mississippi
7. Bryse Wilson, RHP, Gwinnett
8. William Contreras, C, Florida
9. Luiz Gohara, LHP
10. Kolby Allard, LHP, Gwinnett
Baseball America ranks Braves' top prospects as:
1. Austin Riley, 3B, Gwinnett
2. Ian Anderson, RHP, Mississippi
3. Mike Soroka, RHP, Atlanta
4. Kyle Wright, RHP, Gwinnett
5. Touki Toussaint, RHP, Gwinnett
6. Bryse Wilson, RHP, Gwinnett
7. Drew Waters, OF, Mississippi
8. Cristian Pache, OF, MIssissippi
9. William Contreras, C, Florida
10. Luiz Gohara, LHP
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