Last time Braves fans got a glimpse of Kyle Muller in Atlanta, it was pretty grotesque. The hard-throwing lefty walked six batters and surrendered seven earned runs over just 2.2 innings in a blowout loss to the Rangers. Immediately after the game, Muller was optioned back to Gwinnett, but fortunately, he’s making the most of his time in AAA.
Since the calendar turned to June, Muller has been nearly unhittable, recording a 1.87 ERA and 0.79 WHIP over 33.2 innings (five starts). However, most importantly, he only has six walks in that span compared to 43 strikeouts.
The stuff has always been there for Muller, but his control has been a glaring issue throughout basically his entire career as a professional. That’s not uncommon, though, as progression for prospects is very rarely linear.
Braves fans have been blessed in recent years with rookies like Ronald Acuña, Ozzie Albies, Spencer Strider, and Michael Harris II; guys who have burst onto the scene and shown no signs of turning back. However, that is a rarity in baseball and a testament to how well the organization has been at drafting and developing players.
Usually, the path that Kyle Wright has taken is much more prevalent — a lot of trips up and down from Gwinnett to Atlanta before figuring it out. Muller has already had a couple of stints in Atlanta, and if he keeps this up, he’ll be back very soon. And hopefully, he’ll be here to stay.
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