Dynasty player of 10+ years. Helping you find the building blocks of your championship rosters as a co-host on the Dynasty Baseball Pickups podcast since mid-season 2023, joined Prospects Live at the start of 2024.
The Braves were many people's pick to challenge the mighty Dodgers as the top team in the National League in 2025; it certainly didn't work out that way. On paper, they have as much position player talent as any team in MLB, and their pitching isn't too far behind. Injuries and inconsistent performance plagued this club all season long and the season-ending numbers were underwhelming for many of the Braves' household names.
In dynasty, team success doesn't really matter, but a successful team means that the hitters are turning the lineup over and piling up counting stats, and the pitchers are limiting baserunners and runs scored. Since the Braves have so many talented players, and their success has shone the spotlight on them in big spots, it's quite probable that you spent some significant draft or trade capital to acquire these players. So when underachievement or injury occurs, it's often detrimental to the performance of your fantasy roster.
Make no mistake, this team is still very talented and they have multiple All-Star caliber players on both the hitting and pitching side of things. Players like Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, Chris Sale and Spencer Strider can each carry your roster for weeks at time when they are going right. So, at the right price, each of these players will provide production and value.
Aside from the core roster, there are a number of young players who might be flying under the radar in your leagues. Drake Baldwin has an elite combination of contact and power and might just have wrestled the lion's share of the catching duties away from incumbent Sean Murphy. Most people know Spencer Schwellenbach had back-to-back great seasons, but do they realize that he actually improved his walk rate (4.1%) and batting average against (.215) over his already elite baseline? He might never be called an ace, but he's a trustworthy #2 with elite skills.
The young arms are coming! The Braves don't have much in the way of top hitting prospects, but they have stocked the cupboards with pitching. Hurston Waldrep started to figure things out last season and before he was injured AJ Smith-Shawver was doing the same. Some pitchers we might see take a step forward in 2026 include JR Ritchie, Owen Murphy and Cam Caminiti. They are all uber-talented hurlers who will be contributors for the Braves' squad (and your dynasty roster) in the near future.
Smith-Shawver is the clear buy. He’s a top-tier athlete, flew through the system in 2024, and already has Tommy John behind him. His arsenal is still sharpening, but the ceiling is frontline. In 10 MLB starts, he owns a 3.51 ERA with a 21% K rate and 11% BB rate. That’s below his 29% strikeout clip from the minors, suggesting room for growth. In 2025, he leaned more on the splitter, which returned a 40% whiff rate. He’s a buy—just be patient.
Patrick Clohisy
Clohisy deserves more love. He swiped 79 bags between High-A and Double-A in 2025, added seven homers, and posted an 87% in-zone contact rate. The chase issues are real, but there’s legit 5-HR/40-SB upside if he wins playing time. In deeper leagues, he’s one to stash, especially with a slight Truist’s lefty boost.
Dynasty Sells
Spencer Strider
This one hurts, but Spencer Strider is my sell. In six years, he’s had both Tommy John and an internal brace procedure. His velocity remains above average, but I tend to think the arm can’t sustain a starter’s workload for much longer. He ended last year healthy, which makes this the window to move him without taking a discount.
Nacho Alvarez Jr.
As for Nacho Alvarez, I’ll keep it brief: I’m out. He’s a solid contact bat, but there’s no impact. Atlanta may give him a long leash due to his glove, but the offensive ceiling is capped. Zero barrels in Triple-A this year, no running game, and nagging injuries paint a bleak fantasy picture. At best, you’re looking at a .275 hitter with ~15 steals, little power, and a bottom-of-the-order profile. There are better gambles at middle infield.
Top Fantasy Prospects
Players are in order of their fantasy prospect ranking from our September end of season list.
Caminiti's first full professional season was put on hold when he began the year dealing with forearm tendinitis. Upon his return, he struggled to a 7.24 ERA in 13 rehab innings in Complex ball. The Braves still saw enough to move him up to Single-A, and that turned out to be the right move at the right time as he cruised to a 2.08 ERA over 56 innings, striking out 32% of batters and allowing just one home run. He did walk 11% of batters he faced at the level, but his command is thought to be at least average, and he did throw 64% strikes, so that rate should come down. His arsenal is more developed than most pitchers his age, so, health permitting, he could be a fast mover in an organization that has shown a willingness to shuttle their pitching prospects to the big leagues at hyper speed. 2026 could be a huge year for Caminiti, who should improve greatly on his fringe top 100 status. - Kyle Sonntag
Murphy returned from Tommy John surgery mid-season and showed much of the same promise he had before his injury. While not high velocity, Murphy has a very good fastball metrically, and even though he typically sits in the low to mid-90s, he gets a solid amount of swing-and-miss with the pitch. Murphy employs three solid secondaries —curveball, slider, and changeup —to complement his 4Seam and does a solid job of locating, giving him a solid floor to go with his high ceiling. Murphy has shown the ability to maintain a 30% strikeout rate while keeping his walk rate well below 10% (25.5% K-BB rate in 2025), making him a very enticing fantasy pitcher. He's an arm to target, especially before the hype gets too big; the upside here is a top 10 pitching prospect. - Greg Hoogkamp
The Braves continue to do a good job developing major league-caliber pitching, and Ritchie should be next in line for an opportunity. While he doesn't strike out the world, he does a great job mixing in strikeouts and inducing weak contact, specifically of the ground ball variety. When combined with solid command, Ritchie looks like he will be able to handle a big league starter's role. Ritchie threw 140 innings at three different stops (High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A) and even earned the start at the Futures Game in Atlanta this summer. Ritchie's six-pitch, sinker-first approach generated a 15.2% K-BB rate and 49.6% ground ball rate, which led to a 3.74 xFIP. Come spring 2026, Ritchie should be in the mix for a rotation spot and should provide solid fantasy production as a depth starter. - Greg Hoogkamp
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
