At this point, farm system rankings, at least when it comes to the Braves, shouldn’t be taken seriously.
This is an organization that constantly is placed near the bottom of prospect rankings every year; yet somehow, they keep producing Rookie of the Year candidates about twice as often as any other team.
In 2022, Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider finished first and second in the voting. Last season, Spencer Schwellenbach emerged as another potential candidate for the award.
And this year, Drake Baldwin and AJ Smith-Shawver are currently the favorites for the NL Rookie of the Year award. Pretty good for a farm system that has consistently been ranked around 27th over the last three years.
It’s pretty simple: nobody drafts and develops talent as well as the Atlanta Braves. So, while most of their top prospects will not be featured on top 100 prospect lists, recent history tells us there are a number of future stars working their way through the ranks.
Here are two that are currently ranked outside the Braves top 15 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, that every fan should get to know.
Luke Sinnard (MLB Pipeline Rank: 19)
Our own Clint Manry recently compared Luke Sinnard to Spencer Scwhellenbach, given Sinnard was also a high draft pick (3rd round, 2024) that missed his first season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023.
However, he’s more than making up for time lost in his debut season with the Braves organization, recording a 0.92 ERA over seven starts for the Low-A Augusta GreenJackets, striking out 41 batters over 29.1 innings.
Sinnard is a giant on the mound at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds, wielding a mid 90s fastball with a plus-curveball and slider as well as a developing changeup.
At 22-years-old, he could be the next Braves arm to rocket through the system.
A promotion to High-A Rome should be coming any day now, and if his success continues at that level, he’ll be one of the most talked about prospect pitchers entering the 2026 season.
Ian Mejia (MLB Pipeline Rank: 23)
A bit of an older prospect at 25-years-old, Ian Mejia was an 11th round selection by the Braves in the 2022 MLB Draft.
He wasn’t discussed much coming into the season, but he posted a more than respectable 3.47 ERA over 124.1 innings for AA last year, the level he also started at this season. However, his results so far in 2025 are jumping off the page.
Mejia owns a 1.03 ERA in eight appearances (five starts) for the Columbus Clingstones with a 0.92 WHIP, and opponents are hitting just .189 against him.
His fastball isn’t going to blow anyone away in the low-90s, but he has plus command and a plus slider that he throws about as often as he does the heater.
The upside with Mejia probably isn’t as great as an arm like Sinnard, but he’ll likely earn a promotion to Gwinnett this year and could potentially suffice as a back of the rotation arm someday at the major-league level.
