Another potential interesting twist to the Braves offseason

The Braves’ disappointing finish to the 2025 season gives them a 45% chance of picking inside the top six in next year’s MLB Draft and a 4.54% chance of landing the first overall pick. Simply put, this could be a massive year for a farm system that desperately needs an infusion of depth.

That said, it could also present Alex Anthopoulos with an opportunity to significantly improve the big-league club this offseason. Rather than holding on to that extra draft capital, it might encourage the Braves to pursue a free agent who has been issued a qualifying offer.

The qualifying offer system remains one of the most absurd rules in professional sports. It actively discourages teams from pursuing top-tier free agents by penalizing them a draft pick for signing any player who has received a qualifying offer.

This year, 13 players were issued a qualifying offer: 

• Kyle Tucker, OF, Cubs
• Kyle Schwarber, OF/DH, Phillies
• Bo Bichette, SS/2B, Blue Jays
• Framber Valdez, LHP, Astros
• Dylan Cease, RHP, Padres
• Ranger Suarez, LHP, Phillies
• Edwin Diaz, RHP, Mets
• Zac Gallen, RHP, D-backs
• Shota Imanaga, LHP, Cubs
• Michael King, RHP, Padres
• Trent Grisham, OF, Yankees
• Gleyber Torres, 2B, Tigers
• Brandon Woodruff, RHP, Brewers

That’s a long list of players the Braves should have interest in, but history shows they’ve typically avoided free agents who have received a qualifying offer because of the attached draft-pick penalty. Now, armed with extra draft capital thanks to Drake Baldwin’s Rookie of the Year win, there’s a legitimate case to be made for Alex Anthopoulos to be more aggressive and overlook that cost in pursuit of a marquee free agent.

Prospects are exciting, and the 2026 MLB Draft would certainly be more intriguing with added ammunition, but at the end of the day, the Braves are trying to win championships. Nothing that happens in next year’s draft is going to help them achieve that goal next season.