Braves No. 14 Prospect Wins Carolina League Player of the Month

He led the league in average (.344), doubles (nine), HRs (four), slugging percentage (.578), and OPS (1.016). He also drove in 24 runs for good measure. 

Gil joined Triple-A Gwinnett pitcher and Braves No. 2 prospect JR Ritchie in receiving an award this past week. On Monday, Ritchie was named the International League's pitcher of the month.

While he’s had solid months before, August can be viewed as a breakout moment for the Braves' shortstop prospect. He hit more home runs last month than he had in a season before this. It’s also the first time he’s truly shown power at the plate. He’s had a slugging percentage below .400 in his professional career so far, and here he had a month with a slugging percentage over .500. 

It’s a big moment for a ballplayer whose power was rated only a 40 on the 20-to-80 scale. 

Knowing the woes the Braves have had at the position as of late, this could be what puts him on the radar for a lot of fans and analysts. While Ha-Seong Kim could be around next season, the long-term solution is still up in the air. 

Gil has been playing for Single-A Augusta since last season. A promotion is possible, but after the struggles he had earlier in the year, they may wait to see how long he keeps this up. 

Knowing that his projected arrival to the Majors in 2028, moving him up too quickly shouldn’t be expected for the 19-year-old. 

Gil was one of eight players the Braves handed out bonuses of six figures or more to at the start of the 2023 international signing period. While he’s a top prospect now, he wasn’t a top name when he signed. 

While the top player in the prospect pool received $2.5 million, he signed for $110,000. His speed and plate discipline have helped him move up in the ranks over the last couple of years. 

In 2024, he stole 40 bases on 48 attempts between the Florida Complex League and Single-A Augusta. This year, he’s already soared past that number with 49 stolen bases on 63 attempts. 

As for getting on base, he has an on-base percentage of .352, nearly 100 points better than his batting average this season. During his award-winning August, his OBP was .438. 

If power becomes a nice bonus to that, it only helps his prospects for the future. If it doesn’t, he has tools that can still be valuable to the Braves in due time. 

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