The Atlanta Braves were relatively quiet at the trade deadline, but as rosters expand at the beginning of September, they should consider some minor-league additions.
With Atlanta general manager Alex Anthopoulos holding onto the majority of his MLB-ready prospects at the MLB trade deadline, it would leave some fans to assume the Braves intend on adding those players to their September or postseason roster down the road.
Atlanta is notoriously short in the outfield and bullpen, and they could also use some middle infield depth if they can afford it.
Anthopoulos is one of the best front-office executives in the sport for a reason. He knows something we don't, clearly, which is why he chose not to swing big at the MLB trade deadline and instead kept the core of this group in tact. The Braves are World Series frontrunners. Why mess with a good thing?
Braves prospects to add to the roster: Vaughn Grissom
Atlanta opted against trading Vaughn Grissom at the deadline despite myself and other pundits assuming he was on the block. The Athletic believed Grissom to be the most likely Braves prospect dealt at the deadline. Anthopoulos thought otherwise for a reason, and it's likely due to his potential at the plate.
It's clear as day that Grissom needs to work on his fielding if he's to be an everyday player, whether that's in Atlanta or elsewhere. But on a team like Atlanta, there should be plenty of pinch-hit opportunities. Grissom offers a solid bat against righties and can be used as a pinch-runner. He's certainly not taking ABs away from the likes of Orlando Arcia, but he and Nicky Lopez make for a decent backup middle infield tandem, if Brian Snitker chooses to employ them as such.
In Triple-A, Grissom is raking. He has a .316 batting average and .857 OPS in Gwinnett. If he can bring that kind of production to the Braves bench, they'd be wise to use him early and often.
Braves prospects to add to the roster: Darius Vines
Vines spent most of the 2023 season recovering from injury, but he's a top-10 prospect in Atlanta's system and has pitched quite well so far in Gwinnett. In six games, Vines has a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings pitches.
Whether it's as a spot starter or in the bullpen, Vines surely has a role with the Braves if they choose to call him up. The only obstacle might be his recovery timeline, as Anthopoulos and Snitker may prefer to be cautious with him in preparation for 2024 spring training. Keeping him in Gwinnett would allow him to get consistent innings.
Max Fried's return to the rotation has gone well so far, but they still lack a true No. 5 starter until Kyle Wright comes back in late September. Fried, Charlie Morton, Bryce Elder and Spencer Strider have done a great job holding down the fort without Wright, but they could use some help on the back end. This is where Vines comes in.
Anthopoulos could have dealt Vines at the trade deadline for some bullpen help, but opted against it. As the man who understands Atlanta's farm system better than most, it's fair to assume there's a reason he kept Vines in the mix.
Braves prospects to add to the roster: AJ Smith-Shawver
Atlanta's top prospect is AJ Smith-Shawver, who is still 20 years old but made his MLB debut this season. He's a great option to have out of the bullpen or as a spot starter, though the Braves are certainly watching his innings this early into his career.
It's smart for Anthopoulos and Snitker to be cautious with Smith-Shawver, who is a major piece of Atlanta's future. He's expect to start next season on the big-league roster barring a setback in spring training.
Smith-Shawver has a respectable 4.57 ERA in his first big-league season. He's been even better in the minor leagues, pitching to a 2.38 ERA in 10 starts with Gwinnett. The Braves wanted to give Smith-Shawver consistent innings, which is why they sent him back down to begin with. However, when the rosters expand, it would be a relative surprise to not see him get another chance in Atlanta's bullpen, at the very least.
Per MLB Pipeline, the 2022 campaign was the first season Smith-Shawver focused completely on baseball, as he was drafted out of high school. However, the team has incredibly high expectations for him, which is why he's rated as a top-100 prospect overall.
"The Braves are optimistic about his ability to harness his stuff and find the strike zone more consistently than he did in his first full season. Of the young high school arms the Braves have selected over the past couple of Drafts, Smith-Shawver might have the highest ceiling."
With that ceiling comes great responsibility, but the Braves would be wise to use Smith-Shawver on a limited basis come the end of the season.