Two Braves prospects are making noise in the Arizona Fall League, and the Statcast numbers help explain why.
Jim Callis of MLB.com recently spotlighted some of the AFL’s top Statcast performers, and Atlanta showed up twice. Braves No. 3 prospect Tate Southisene is sitting in the top five in average exit velocity at 95.5 mph, while No. 29 prospect Isaiah Drake owns the league’s best sprint speed at 31.1 ft/sec.
Southisene’s tools have been on display in a big way. On October 23, 2026, he picked up his first RBI of the fall with a triple that came off the bat at 109.7 mph and stretched the Desert Dogs’ lead.
For Braves fans, Southisene is the easier name to dream on. The infielder is viewed as a high-ceiling talent who could be helping in Atlanta within the next few years.
Drake’s path is a lot less straightforward. At 21, he doesn’t carry the same pedigree, and his bat has taken longer to come around. Last season was the first time he showed real power, and in 2026 he slugged over .400 for the first time.
The speed is undeniable, but Drake is still learning how to turn it into a bigger weapon on the bases. He went 19-for-26 in stolen base attempts in 68 games at High-A Rome this season, which shows there’s still room for growth there.
What he has done in Arizona is encouraging. Through 39 plate appearances in the AFL, Drake has eight hits and a 20.5% strikeout rate, building on the better contact he showed last season.
The Braves’ farm system took a big step forward in 2026, and these two are part of that wave. But development doesn’t move in a straight line, and Southisene and Drake are each advancing at their own pace, even if the road looks very different for both.
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