Three Cuts: Braves offense poised for scoring breakthrough

Seven of Atlanta’s top 20 prospects have pitched for the Gwinnett Stripers this season, but the next wave continues to build. Bryse Wilson’s 2016 draft classmates are on the way.

Four players have started 10 or more games for Double-A Mississippi’s rotation this season: Preseason No. 1 Braves prospect Ian Anderson, Kyle Muller (No. 11), Joey Wentz (No. 12) and Tucker Davidson. Here are their combined Southern League numbers:

Innings: 210 2/3
ERA: 2.82
K%: 25.3
BB%: 12.8
HR/9: 0.60

There are few questions remaining about Anderson, the former No. 3 overall draft pick and a consensus top-50 prospect. The 21-year-old right-hander is striking out nearly 30 percent of batters with a 3.27 ERA, though he’s faced a few more command- and damage-related hiccups this season. He appears destined to hold down a future major-league rotation spot.

Muller is the breakout performer, though. The 6-foot-6 southpaw is one of the most improved pitchers throughout the minors, translating his offseason work at Driveline into an overpowering run in Double-A. He’s given up just one home run with 57 strikeouts through 52 1/3 innings this season — good enough for a 1.89 ERA. He’s slowly getting a hold of his command questions, giving up just 11 walks over his past five starts and refusing to give up more than one run in each of those outings. After falling behind his fellow 2016 draftees early his pro career, he’s now getting top-100 prospect nods.

“It was just kind of trying to figure out who I am as a pitcher and as a player,” Muller said of his improvement back in spring training. “Trying to get my athleticism out in my delivery. I got kind of caught up in all the mechanics and all that stuff. So I was like, ‘Look, just let the athleticism take over and then try to be as explosive as possible.’ That was the best thing that could happen for me.”

Throw in Wentz, who has four quality starts in his past six outings including two seven-inning shutout performances, and late-round steal Tucker Davidson’s 1.49 ERA and the Double-A affiliate is in good hands.

The Braves have not been shy about aggressive pitching promotions in recent years. That may change this season with a crowded (and semi-experienced) field already waiting in the wings at Gwinnett, but it’s a good bet that at least one of those names factors into the major-league equation by 2020 at the latest.

Reinhold Matay