With the 2026 MLB Draft coming up fast, the Braves are once again under the microscope. Atlanta has two first-round picks this year, and after a stretch that has helped rebuild some real respectability in the farm system, this draft could push that group even higher. The emergence of Eric Hartman has been part of that climb, but the front office still has to keep hitting on the top of the board if it wants the momentum to last.
That makes the Braves’ recent first-round history worth a close look. Alex Anthopoulos and his staff have been around long enough now that their tendencies are pretty clear, and the bigger question is how well those picks have actually worked out. None of these evaluations are final - all five players are still in the organization and still developing - but they do give a useful snapshot of where things stand right now.
Owen Murphy is a good place to start. Arm injuries have interrupted his progress, and his first taste of Triple-A was rough, but he bounced back enough to put himself in the conversation as a legitimate rotation option. His MLB debut was a mess, though not really because of him, and while this still looks like a strong first-round selection, it doesn’t quite reach A territory yet because he still isn’t a sure thing to contribute in the majors.
JR Ritchie fits a similar mold, just with a bigger body of work. He’s shown enough in the minors to prove he belonged in the first round, and he even pitched well enough to force his way to the majors.
The downside is that he still has command issues to clean up, and he doesn’t look ready to claim a big league roster spot just yet. Even so, this is clearly a pick that has aged well.
Hurston Waldrep was on a much steeper climb. A year ago, he was trending toward an A after a strong second half, and the sinker he added gave him a real boost when he got another shot in the majors.
But a clean-up procedure on his elbow to begin the 2026 season, followed by a rocky return from the IL, has cooled some of that optimism. Even with the setback, this pick still looks better now than it did at this point last year.
Cam Caminiti is the most complicated of the group. He’s on most top-100 prospect lists and brings a left arm with three pitches that can all flash plus: the fastball, slider and changeup.
The problem is that the results haven’t matched the talent consistently, and he hasn’t missed bats at the rate you’d want. It’s still a strong pick, but there’s more work to do before the full picture comes into focus.
Then there’s Tate Southisene, Atlanta’s first position-player first-rounder in years. The Braves took him under slot, but he hasn’t looked like an under-slot player in 2026.
He tore through low-A to open the season, though high-A has been a tougher test for his hit tool. Even so, there’s plenty to like in the mix of speed and ball impact, and his growing presence on top-100 lists only strengthens the case.
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