Could JR Ritchie make his Braves debut in September?

The Braves have pumped out some incredible arms over the last several years. Hurston Waldrep is just the latest example, and JR Ritchie could be next.

The Braves #2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Ritchie was promoted to AAA Gwinnett a couple of months ago and has put together some really incredible outings. Wednesday night’s performance being his most impressive, as he struck out a career-high 11 batters and allowed just one hit over six shutout innings.

Ritchie’s move to Gwinnett hasn’t come without some bumps in the road, but he boasts a more than respectable 3.86 ERA with the Stripers and has tossed six shutting innings in two of his last three starts. He has all the makings of being the Braves next impact starter to come through the system. The only question is when will he get the call?

There is case for and against it happening this year.

On the one hand, the Braves rotation is in complete shambles. JR Ritchie would certainly be an upgrade over several of the current starting arms in Atlanta, and they might want to see how he handles the opportunity before going into the offseason.

On the other side, Ritchie had Tommy John surgery not long ago. This is his first full professional season, and he’s already more than doubled his previous career-high of innings pitched. The Braves could feel like shutting him down in the near future is the best course of action, especially with how injuries have plagued this entire organization.

Regardless, JR Ritchie has made a strong case for prospect of the year honors, putting himself squarely in the conversation for the major-league rotation as we head into 2026.