Eric Hartman’s first half was the kind of run that turns heads fast. By the end of June, the Braves prospect had put together a .294/.360/.557 line with 19 homers and 30 stolen bases in 70 games, production that looked more like a video game than a minor league stat line. That surge is a big reason his stock has climbed so sharply in 2026.
July, though, has been a different story.
In 18 games and 81 plate appearances this month, Hartman has hit just .145/.346/.339 with three homers and two stolen bases. The numbers have cooled enough to raise questions, even if not everything going wrong can be pinned on the same cause.
Some of it is the normal grind of a hitter facing better-informed pitching plans, especially for someone drafted out of high school. But a chunk of this slump has also been plain bad luck.
The biggest red flag in the month has been what’s happening when Hartman actually puts the ball in play. His walk rate has been strong, which speaks to how dangerous he’s become at the plate, but his .154 BABIP in July is brutally low. With his speed, that kind of number is hard to sustain for long.
There’s more to it than luck, though. Hartman has been an extreme pull hitter all season, and opposing pitchers have clearly adjusted by living on the outer edge or just off the plate away from him.
That approach makes it tougher for him to get the ball out front and drive it the way he wants. He’s talented enough to beat that plan eventually, but the weak rollers he’s producing right now are not doing him any favors.
It’s still just one month, and this could easily end up looking like a temporary blip later on. Even so, the Braves not promoting Hartman to Double-A yet suggests they believe he still has work to do at Rome before taking the next step. Based on the way July has gone, that call is tough to argue with.
In Other News...
Braves Trade Value List Is Going To Spark A Serious Debate
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The bigger eyebrow-raiser may be what was missing. Matt Olson, despite his production and team control, was left off the list entirely, a reminder that trade value is often as much about the calendar as it is about the box score. For a Braves roster built around star power, that kind of evaluation is bound to spark debate about how much long-term value still sits on the roster and where the market really sees the most appeal. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Shortstop Search Feels Headed For Another Frustrating Turn
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Baltimore, though, may have complicated that picture. Jarvis came out of the series against the Orioles with a rough weekend that snapped his momentum, and the defensive miscues stood out for a player who had otherwise been viewed as steady. Atlanta still has other paths it can take at shortstop, including Mauricio Dubn or a trade, but the latest turn only adds to the sense that this search may not be nearing a clean resolution. [Read more 🡒]
This Braves Stat Just Changed The Trade Deadline Conversation
The Braves have spent enough innings watching their offense go quietly that the trade deadline conversation is starting to sound different in Atlanta. Entering Sunday, they had already piled up 316 innings in which nobody reached base, a reminder that even a team with early-season success can still have too many empty stretches in the lineup. The issue is not one thing, either. It has shown up with Ronald Acua Jr. sidelined, with backup catchers struggling to give the lineup any lift, and with shortstop and third base both offering uneven production.
Austin Riley has been better since the All-Star break, but the broader picture still points to a club that may need a bat more than it first looked like it would. That is why the Braves are being linked to help at designated hitter or in the outfield, with names like Lane Thomas and Jo Adell among the possibilities, while the infield market could also come into play. The challenge now is figuring out whether Atlanta wants to patch one spot or address a lineup that has too often gone cold all at once. [Read more 🡒]