How the Atlanta Braves’ top 10 prospects have fared in 2021

With no minor league baseball season in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was costly in the development of young prospects.

The Atlanta Braves held simulated games at their alternate training site, but the lack of a full season of games prevented a year of growth for young talent. Those players returned to action this summer, showcasing what Atlanta fans can expect in future seasons.

Here’s a look at the Braves’ top-10 prospects in the MLB.com rankings and how they’ve fared so far in 2021:

1. Cristian Pache

Position: Outfield

Height: 6-2

Weight: 215

Age: 22

Pache is with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, but also has spent time with Atlanta after breaking through to the majors late in the 2020 season. A stellar defensive outfielder, his bat is the key to making a big step forward.

The Dominican Republic native has hit just .111 with a home run and four RBIs in 63 at-bats with the Braves this season. With Gwinnett, he is hitting .243 with three home runs, 14 RBIs and seven doubles in 111 at-bats.

However, he has struggled of late. At mid-week, he had one hit in his last 21 at-bats (.048) and four hits in his last 43 at-bats (.093).

2. Drew Waters

Position: Outfield

Height: 6-2

Weight: 185

Age: 22

While Pache has suffered through issues at the plate, Waters has ridden a hot streak of late with the Stripers. Over his last 10 games at mid-week, the former Etowah High star was hitting .390 with two home runs, five RBIs, five doubles and a triple.

For the season, Waters is hitting .261 with five home runs, 18 RBIs and 11 doubles. It is his first full season in Triple-A after splitting time between Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi in 2019.

3. Shea Langeliers

Position: Catcher

Height: 6-0

Weight: 205

Age: 23

Langeliers is a highly touted catcher, drafted ninth overall out of Baylor University in 2019, whose success with Mississippi could find him in Triple-A Gwinnett soon. He is strong defensively, ranking among the best in the minor leagues at throwing out base-stealers, and is in the middle of an impressive season at the plate.

In his first Double-A season (he was with Rome in A in 2019), he is hitting .249 with 14 home runs and 29 RBIs. If his bat continues to improve, he is ready for the majors defensively.

4. Braden Shewmake

Position: Shortstop

Height: 6-4

Weight: 190

Age: 23

Shewmake was Atlanta’s second, first-round choice in the 2019 draft at No. 21 overall after playing collegiately at Texas A&M. The left-handed hitter has shown a propensity for making contact already in his brief time with the club.

He hit .318 in a hot start with A Rome in 2019. earning a promotion to Double-A Rome that same season. After spending the COVID-19 pandemic-impacted 2020 season at the Braves alternate training site in Gwinnett, he has spent the 2021 season at the Double-A level. He is hitting .216 with six home runs, 28 RBIs, seven doubles and three triples. As of mid-week, he had hit .350 with two home runs and eight RBIs in his last 10 games.

5. Kyle Muller

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Height: 6-7

Weight: 250

Age: 23

A second-round pick in 2016, the hard-throwing Muller has been solid with the Braves and with Triple-A Gwinnett this season. He had a good season with Double-A Mississippi in 2019 (7-6, 3.14 ERA) and continued that success this year in his first Triple-A season with Gwinnett (2-2, 4.34 ERA, 52 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings).

The work with the Stripers, coupled with injuries at the major league level, has earned Muller starts with the Braves this season. He is 1-2 with a 3.45 ERA in four games (three starts) in Atlanta.

6. Jared Shuster

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Height: 6-3

Weight: 210

Age: 22

Shuster, Atlanta’s first-round pick (No. 25 overall) out of Wake Forest in 2020, is a hard-throwing lefty with a highly regarded changeup.

The 2021 season is Shuster’s first in minor league baseball game action — thanks to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic season — and he has been impressive at Advanced-A Rome. In eight appearances (seven starts), he is 1-0 with 36 strikeouts (to eight walks) in 28 innings. Opponents are hitting just .162 against him.

7. Tucker Davidson

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Height: 6-2

Weight: 215

Age: 25

Davidson has become a great find for the Braves, who drafted him in the 19th round in 2016. He pitched in Double-A and Triple-A in 2019, then made his MLB debut late in the 2020 season.

He looked good with the Stripers and the Braves this season before heading to the 60-day Injured List with a forearm injury. He was 2-1 with a 0.90 ERA in three starts with Gwinnett. Following his promotion this year, he had a 3.60 ERA in four starts with Atlanta.

8. Jasseel De La Cruz

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Age: 24

The Dominican features impressive stuff, which was on display in a breakout 2019 season that saw him rise three levels to Double-A Mississippi. He had a combined 3.25 ERA in 24 starts across those three levels that season.

After the 2020 pandemic season, De La Cruz hasn’t found the same success in his first season with Triple-A Gwinnett. He is 1-2 across 12 appearances (nine starts) with a 6.55 ERA.

9. Michael Harris

Position: Outfield

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Age: 20

The Stockbridge High product, a third-round pick in 2019, figures to soar up the next round of prospect rankings after shining in the system and representing the Braves in the 2021 Futures Game. A line-drive hitter with speed, he hit .349 in rookie league play in 2019 and earned a promotion to High-A Rome.

He followed that up with a good showing at the 2020 alternate training site in Gwinnett. At Rome this season, he is hitting .296 with five home runs, 38 RBIs and 15 doubles.

10. Freddy Tarnok

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Height: 6-3

Weight: 185

Age: 22

Atlanta scouts liked Tarnok’s athleticism as a two-way player in high school, then drafted him in the third round in 2017 with plans to develop him as a full-time pitcher. He hasn’t advanced out of A ball yet, currently pitching for Rome, where he is 3-2 with a 5.01 ERA in six appearances (four starts). He has 38 strikeouts in his 23 1/3 innings.