Top Candidates to Enjoy Breakout Seasons for Atlanta Braves in 2015

Baseball is back with the Atlanta Braves jumping out to a 2-0 record on the young season.

The Braves played small ball in the 2-1 Opening Day win and followed that up by chasing Marlins starter Mat Latos by scoring seven runs in the first inning on their way to a 12-2 victory.

It is a surprising start for the Braves, especially on the heels of trading one of their best players and team leaders in Craig Kimbrel.

The Braves will need some new faces to exceed expectations and break out in 2015 if they are to compete for the National League East.

If not, they will struggle to keep up the pace in the division.

With that said, here's a look at the top five candidates to enjoy breakout seasons for the Braves in 2015.

1. Jace Peterson

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Jace Peterson impressed this spring training with a .324 average and .410 on-base percentage, which helped him seal the starting second base job.

The 24-year-old had a productive Opening Day with a hit, run and key sacrifice bunt that led to the go-ahead run in the Braves victory.

Peterson has shown he can hit in the minors with a career .287 average.

However, entering 2015 he had only compiled 53 at-bats at the MLB level.

Playing time will not be an issue for Peterson this year as he has earned the starting second base job for the Braves.

Peterson has a clear opportunity to prove his minor league hitting will translate to the majors and could make a name for himself across the league in 2015.

2. Jason Grilli

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Jason Grilli's role with the Braves changed dramatically with the shocking news that Craig Kimbrel had been traded to the San Diego Padres.

Obviously, the 38-year-old veteran has been in the majors for a while and isn't a natural pick for a breakout candidate.

However, the news of the Kimbrel trade one day before Opening Day is too difficult to ignore when it comes to Grilli's role.

Grilli is also coming off a down 2014 season in which he posted a 4.00 ERA with the Pirates and Angels.

He may be a forgotten man around the league, but he will now serve as the closer for the Braves with a chance for a rebound season.

Grilli was successful in his first save opportunity on Opening Day and will now look to break out with the Braves in 2015 as the team's closer.

3. Christian Bethancourt

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Christian Bethancourt displayed why he was one of the top catching prospects in the game as he threw out a speedy Dee Gordon trying to steal second base on Opening Day.

Bethancourt will now have the chance to display those raw skills to the rest of the league as the full-time starting catcher in 2015.

The 23-year-old will likely have his greatest impact with his defense, as that part of his game is ahead of his offense.

However, Bethancourt flashed some positive signs with a .286 average this spring.

Bethancourt needs to improve his approach at the plate to fully take advantage of his potential as a hitter. He has a frame that should allow him to have some pop at the plate.

Look for Bethancourt to break out defensively in 2015 while his offense steadily improves over the course of future seasons.

4. Alex Wood

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I don't have to convince Braves fans just how good Alex Wood is.

However, his name doesn't generally come up in the conversation when people talk about some of the top young left-handed pitchers in the game.

Wood could change that this season with a strong 2015 that he's more than capable of.

Part of the reason why Wood isn't talked about around the league more often is he hasn't completed a full season as a starter.

He started 24 games in 2014 and was impressive in those starts, posting a 2.59 ERA while recording 151 strikeouts.

Now, Wood just needs to put that together for an entire season, and he will be considered one of the best young left-handed pitchers in baseball.

5. Trevor Cahill

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The Braves completed another surprising trade when they acquired Trevor Cahill from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It looked like Cahill broke out in 2010 when he posted a 2.97 ERA and 18 wins with the Oakland Athletics.

However, he followed up those seasons with three mediocre ones and then a disastrous 2014 season in which he compiled a 5.61 ERA for the Diamondbacks.

On the surface, this looks like a strange player for the Braves to acquire.

However, there are signs that point toward Cahill having success in Atlanta.

Roger McDowell and the Braves have historically been successful with pitching projects.

Cahill also lives off a sinker that should feature more movement in a humid climate like Atlanta, rather than the dry heat in Arizona.

Arizona is also known as a hitter-friendly park, while Turner Field is much more pitcher-friendly.

The Braves have some talent to work with in Cahill and could have a nice trade piece at the trade deadline for a team starving for pitching.