The Atlanta Braves lost on Friday night despite a respectable performance from top prospect Didier Fuentes, who just turned 20 years old and gave up four runs in five innings pitched to the Miami Marlins. Fuentes’ only major blemish was a three-run homer given up to Marlins catcher Agustin Ramirez.
While one might hope that earns the Braves prospect another start, it’s far from a guarantee thanks to an upcoming shakeup in the farm system.
As great as Fuentes’ moment was on Friday – which occurred with his father in attendance, who caught a foul ball – it could be shortlived. Fuentes is just 20 years old, after all, and could use more fine-tuning in the minor leagues. No one, including most Braves fans, thought this was permanent.
Yet, Atlanta needs all hands on deck. The Braves did just sweep the Mets, but they’re six games under .500 as of Friday night and 11 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Fuentes has the stuff to one day be a regular in the Braves rotation. Even Brian Snitker sounded impressed when the 20-year-old got the call.
“It sounds like he’s a kid who is above his years, as far as maturity and throwing strikes,” Snitker said.
Braves prospect’s big moment could be spoiled by Jurickson Profar
Yet, just as Fuentes is receiving the moment of a lifetime, an Atlanta regular is slowly working his way back into the fold. That would be Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar, who received an 80-game suspension for taking performance-enhancing drugs just a few months ago.
The Braves signed Profar in the hopes he would be a stopgap while Ronald Acuña Jr. was on the mend, and that he would eventually join the former NL MVP and Michael Harris II to create one of the best outfields in the National League.
It hasn’t quite worked out like that, but it’s a long season and Profar is eligible to return to the Braves as of July 2. Per David O’Brien, Profar has been raking in the minor leagues.
“Braves LF Jurickson Profar is 4-for-5 with two solo homers tonight for Triple-A Gwinnett, and is now batting .529 with a 1.491 OPS in 4 games of a rehab assignment as he prepares for return from 80-game PED suspension. He’ll rejoin ATL on July 2 provided no rainouts before then,” O’Brien wrote on X.
I’m not here to argue against the inclusion of Profar on the Atlanta roster. He is a proven veteran who can help the Braves win now more than someone like Fuentes, who is an intriguing storyline but more than likely a footnote in a long season.
If anything, Profar’s soon-to-be promotion speaks to the business of baseball.
It’s tough out there, folks. One day you’re on top of the world, making your MLB debut at the age of 20. The next, you could be headed back down to Gwinnett, with a PED user taking your place.
