Stock Up, Stock Down for Atlanta Braves' Top 10 Prospects for Week 18

Don't look now, but Julio Teheran has arrived.

In his first 16.0 innings of 2013, Teheran surrendered 13 earned runs. 

Since then, the Colombian dynamo and former Braves prospect has posted an ERA of 2.38 over 19 starts and 121.0 innings, according to Baseball-Reference.

In the process, Teheran has elevated himself from No. 5 starter to probable Game Two starter of the NLDS behind ace Mike Minor. 

He's demonstrated consistency, poise and even moxie, intentionally beaning Bryce Harper last week, video courtesy of Yahoo! Sports.

Interestingly enough, former prospect Alex Wood now finds himself in position to possibly make the playoff rotation, needing to beat out Kris Medlen and Paul Maholm for the No. 4 spot. The battle for the playoff rotation will be one of the most intriguing storylines down the stretch for Atlanta, which finds itself in a position to possibly end the year with baseball's best record.

Prospect rankings courtesy of Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.

10. Aaron Northcraft

Level: Double-A (Mississippi)

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Right-handed

Season Stats: 6-8, 3.60 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 115.0 IP, 106 H, 40 BB, 97 K 

Last Week's Stats: 0-0, 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K

Analysis

Aaron Northcraft has simply dazzled in his last five starts. In 31.2 innings pitched, the workhorse righty has allowed just six runs, good for a 1.71 ERA, according to Baseball-Reference.

He remained unflappable last week, going seven strong for a no-decision. 

While his stuff may not jump off the page, the movement on his pitches does and should allow Northcraft to carve out a role as a No. 4 or 5 starter in the big leagues in the next few years.

Stock: Up

9. Matt Lipka

Level: High-A (Lynchburg)

Position: Outfield

Throws/Bats: R/R

Season Stats: .263/.306/.383, 60 R, 26 2B, 6 3B, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 20 BB, 94 K, 23 SB

Last Week's Stats: .136/.208/.182, 4 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 8 K

Analysis

While he is still young enough to develop offensively, it remains discouraging that former first rounder Matt Lipka has proven so inconsistent at High-A.

Last week, the 21-year-old continued his downward spiral, striking out eight times and walking only once.

At this point, Lipka can only hope to finish strong and take control of High-A his third time around.

Stock: Down

8. Todd Cunningham

Level: Triple-A (Gwinnett)

Position: Outfield

Throws/Bats: R/S

Season Stats: .279/.357/.352, 54 R, 12 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 36 BB, 54 K, 18 SB (AAA)

.333/.333/.333, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 SB (Majors)

Last Week's Stats: No action seen. (AAA)

.000/.000/.000, 1 K (Majors)

Analysis

With Jordan Schafer and both Upton brothers returning to health, Todd Cunningham found his way back down to Triple-A this week. 

Cunningham only received six at-bats in his short stint in the majors, but he should be proud of his cup of coffee with Atlanta. He should receive another call-up when rosters expand in September.

Stock: Even

7. Cody Martin

Level: Triple-A (Gwinnett)

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Right-handed

Season Stats: 3-3, 2.82 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 67.0 IP, 63 H, 27 BB, 71 K (AA)

2-4, 3.97 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 56.2 IP, 51 H, 25 BB, 55 K (AAA)

Last Week's Stats: 0-2, 10.1 IP, 10 ER, 13 H, 4 BB, 7 K

Analysis

While the 10 earned runs in 10.1 innings pitched looks pretty awful, it doesn't tell the whole story of Cody Martin's week. He got lit up in his second start—eight earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched—but only gave up two runs in his first start of the week. 

Even with his latest start, Martin remains knocking at the door of the major leagues. Should an Atlanta starter go down with injury, expect the righty from Gonzaga with the major league cutter to get the call.

Stock: Even

6. Mauricio Cabrera

Level: Low-A (Rome)

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Right-handed

Season Stats: 2-7, 4.03 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 116.0 IP, 104 H, 61 BB, 97 K

Last Week's Stats: 0-0, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Analysis

Mauricio Cabrera's hot streak—according to Baseball-Reference, he's allowed 16 runs in 52.1 innings pitched, a 2.75 ERA over his past nine starts—continued last week, as the hard-throwing 19-year-old has seemed to put things together lately.

His command still needs a lot of work, but he has been able to work out of his jams more often than not. 

Cabrera's next test will most likely be in High-A next year, where he'll be asked to walk fewer and develop his secondary pitches. 

Stock: Up

5. Jason Hursh

Level: Low-A (Rome)

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Right-handed

Season Stats: 1-1, 0.82 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 22.0 IP, 16 H, 9 BB, 15 K

Last Week's Stats: 0-1, 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 1 K

Analysis

Jason Hursh's 4.0 inning, two earned-run outing last week was deceptively poor—the righty out of Oklahoma State gave up seven hits and six runs in the process, only striking out one.

Nonetheless, this was the first time Hursh was tested, and as he begins to go deeper into games, he'll start climbing the ranks of the Braves' farm system. He's likely to become a reliever in the major leagues, but expect the Braves to have him throwing every fifth day in the minors.

Stock: Even

4. Sean Gilmartin

Level: Low-A (Rome)

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Left-handed

Season Stats: 3-7, 5.83 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 71.0 IP, 89 H, 30 BB, 47 K (AAA)

0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 11 (Rookie)

1-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K (Low-A)

Last Week's Stats: 0-0, 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 6 K (Rookie)

1-0, 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K (Low-A)

Analysis

Sean Gilmartin has done nothing but impress in his rehab assignment. Through 14.0 innings since returning from injury, he's allowed five hits, one run and struck out 16. 

Most encouraging though has to be his strikeout-to-walk ratio, which stood at 11-to-0 this week. 

Gilmartin is on a quest to prove that his unfortunate start to the year was a fluke, and he'll try to regain the role of Triple-A ace once he returns.

Stock: Up

3. Christian Bethancourt

Level: Double-A (Mississippi)

Position: Catcher

Throws/Bats: R/R

Season Stats: .278/.304/.423, 34 R, 18 2B, 8 HR, 37 RBI, 13 BB, 48 K, 11 SB

Last Week's Stats: .269/.269/.346, 3 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K

Analysis

Christian Bethancourt had a less-than-stellar week at the plate, but he's swung the bat so well over his last 103 plate appearances—.333/.343/.542, 12 extra base hits according to Baseball-Reference—that it should be just a minor blip on the radar.

He'll likely repeat Double-A next year as a 22-year-old, but the young catcher seems to have taken a step forward during the past month. If he's figured something out, expect Bethancourt to keep raking as the season closes.

Stock: Even

2. J.R. Graham

Level: Double-A (Mississippi)

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Right-handed

Season Stats: 1-3, 4.04 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 35.2 IP, 39 H, 10 BB, 28 K

Last Week's Stats: Seven-day disabled list; no action seen.

Analysis

At this point, the Braves will probably begin to consider shutting J.R. Graham down for the season instead of risk playing him the slightest bit before he's fully healthy.

Graham's next pitch may be thrown in the Arizona Fall League.

Stock: Even

1. Lucas Sims

Level: Low-A (Rome)

Position: Starting pitcher

Throws: Right-handed

Season Stats: 8-4, 3.04 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 94.2 IP, 71 H, 39 BB, 105 K

Last Week's Stats: 1-0, 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K

Analysis

Screaming into the top spot of the prospect rankings this week is 19-year-old Lucas Sims, who dazzled last week in a 7.0 inning, nine strikeout performance. 

He may not be an elite prospect, but he still has the upside of a No. 2 starter should he develop his secondary offerings. With Low-A all but mastered, expect Sims to head to High-A in 2014.

Stock: Up