The Braves didn’t just draft for upside in 2026. They attacked the board with a plan, opened up bonus room early, and then used it to land one of the most unusual and intriguing classes Atlanta has put together in years.
The headliner is high school right-hander Jensen Hirschkorn, who signed for $4 million after being selected beyond the second round. That deal set a record for the largest bonus ever given to a player taken after the second round, and it says plenty about how the Braves view the 6-foot-7 California native.
Hirschkorn’s fastball has already reached 96 mph, and the expectation is that more velocity could come as he fills out physically. He also brings two pitches that already play: a swing-and-miss slider and an upper-80s changeup that give him legitimate front-of-the-rotation potential.
The Braves’ confidence in Hirschkorn was clear enough to draw a welcome from Dylan Lee, who quickly reached out to his fellow Central Valley native after the pick.
Atlanta kept the spending going with seventh-rounder Jack Brenner, who was signed away from his commitment to defending NCAA champion Oklahoma for $1.25 million. That matched the highest bonus ever handed to a seventh-round selection. Brenner, a Wisconsin prep standout, stood out to scouts because of his advanced contact ability, compact right-handed swing and improving defense behind the plate.
To make those bigger bonuses work, the Braves found their savings later in the draft. College seniors Jacob Jerrell, Parker Brosius and Ben Zeigler-Namoa each signed for $500, allowing Atlanta to save more than $650,000 in bonus pool money.
And the class didn’t stop there. First-round outfielder AJ Gracia brings some of the loudest raw power in the draft after strong runs at Duke and Virginia. His patient approach and left-handed pop point to a future middle-of-the-order bat, even if he eventually settles into a corner outfield spot.
Right-hander Kaiden McCarthy may have the highest ceiling of the group. The Vermont Academy standout can touch 99 mph, and he pairs that with a high-spin curveball, slider and changeup that make him one of the most electric prep arms in the class.
Atlanta mixed polished college bats with high-upside prep talent, and the result is a draft class that covers both the present and the future. If a few of these players hit their ceilings, the Braves’ 2026 haul could end up as one of the franchise’s best in a long time.
In Other News...
Braves May Finally Have The Trade Match Fans Have Waited For
The Athletics are reportedly open for business on some of their outfielders, and that is the kind of market note the Braves have to pay attention to. Atlanta has the sort of pitching depth that can make a real conversation possible, while also carrying a need in the outfield that has lingered long enough to matter as the season moves along.
Several of the names that could come up in any framework are young Braves arms, the sort of pieces other clubs usually ask for when they are looking to restock a rotation for the future. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: if the front office is going to turn surplus pitching into a bat, this is the kind of matchup that could finally line up. The only question is how far the As are willing to go, and whether the Braves decide this is the moment to act. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Got A Spencer Strider Update They Were Dreading
Spencer Striders rehab has reached a point the Braves were hoping to avoid. The right-hander is dealing with elbow inflammation and still has not started a full pitching progression, which leaves his status in a murky place as Atlanta tries to map out the rest of its season. Manager Walt Weiss has already signaled the uncertainty around his return, and the club is now waiting on another evaluation from Dr. Keith Meister.
For a Braves team that has spent much of the year trying to stay in the race, the timing matters as much as the diagnosis. Striders recovery could shape how aggressively Atlanta pursues starting pitching before the trade deadline, and whether the front office leans toward longer-term answers or a more temporary fix. For now, the only real certainty is that the Braves are still looking for clarity on one of the most important arms in the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Braves May Have Found A Rotation Fix With One Major Catch
The Braves are still looking for starting pitching help, and one name that has surfaced as a possible fit is a veteran with a track record of steady production. A two-time All-Star with a consistent career, he would give Atlanta the kind of rotation stability it has been chasing, especially with the trade market beginning to take shape and clubs weighing whether to buy, sell or hold.
The catch is in the contract, which makes any deal harder to sort out than a simple need-for-need swap. Recent trades for pitchers on similar deals have offered a rough guide, but they also highlight how quickly the asking price can drift depending on how a team values the player, leaving Atlanta and Kansas City with plenty to work through before anything gets close. [Read more 🡒]