Braves' 2022 MLB Draft Guide and Top Prospects to Target
Despite winning the World Series last year, the Atlanta Braves have the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft since draft order is based on regular-season record.
The Braves have never picked No. 20 overall before, but they have found good value in the 20s before with Jeff Francoeur (No. 23 in 2002), Mike Soroka (No. 28 in 2015) and Adam Wainwright (No. 29 in 2000).
Who might the Braves be targeting this time around?
Ahead, we've broken down three prospects who should be on their radar when their pick comes up in the 2022 MLB draft.
LHP Cooper Hjerpe, Oregon State
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Oregon State ace Cooper Hjerpe led Division-I in strikeouts this spring with 161 punchouts in 103.1 innings while going 11-2 with a 2.53 ERA and 0.87 WHIP.
The 6'3", 200-pound southpaw doesn't have overpowering stuff, but his polish and advanced pitchability helped him dominate at the collegiate level, and it should also allow him to move quickly through the minors toward his ceiling as a middle-of-the-rotation starter.
The Braves farm system has skewed heavily toward pitching in recent years, but the pipeline has thinned out a bit, and picking at No. 20, they will be in a great position to choose from a number of the top college arms in a thin class.
RHP Cade Horton, Oklahoma
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No player benefited more from the bright lights of the College World Series than Cade Horton.
"After he finished the regular season with a 7.94 ERA, his stock soared when he logged a 2.61 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 31 innings over five postseason starts as Oklahoma finished second at the College World Series," wrote MLB.com.
A two-way player who spent more time at third base than he did on the mound during the regular season, Horton showed a lively fastball that topped out at 98 mph, a hard-biting slider and solid command during the postseason, and with that, he has vaulted into the first-round conversation.
In terms of pure stuff, he stacks up to any college arm in the class. If the Braves are willing to overlook his limited track record and his past injury issues, they could walk away with the best college arm in the 2022 draft.
RHP Gabriel Hughes, Gonzaga
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With a strong 6'4", 220-pound frame, a polished three-pitch mix and good overall command, Gabriel Hughes is one of the few slam-dunk first-round picks from this year's collection of college arms amid a wave of injuries.
Hughes finished 8-3 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 138 strikeouts in 98 innings, and while he ran out of steam a bit down the stretch, he checks all the boxes to be a quality starter at the next level.
His smooth mechanics and electric stuff would be a welcome addition to an organization that has proved time and again it knows how to develop high-end pitching talent.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.
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