The next potential great Braves pitching prospect is turning heads

The Braves have continued to churn out high-quality starting pitchers from their farm system year after year. Max Fried, Kyle Wright, Ian Anderson, and Michael Soroka are all gone after helping deliver a championship, but the next wave has already arrived in Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, and A.J. Smith-Shawver — with several more on the way.

JR Ritchie absolutely dominated in the minors this season and is expected to make his debut in 2026. Didier Fuentes and Owen Murphy are two other names to keep an eye on next year, but perhaps the most underrated arm in Atlanta’s system right now is Luke Sinnard, who’s turning heads in the Arizona Fall League. Through five innings, Sinnard owns a 1.80 ERA with a 10.8 K/9, showcasing a mix of stuff and command that has scouts buzzing.

Our own Clint Manry was one of the first to hop aboard the Sinnard hype train, drawing comparisons to Spencer Schwellenbach all the way back in May.

“But for now, it appears the Braves maybe picked up another Schwellenbach, and if that ends up being the case, we could be seeing Sinnard pitching in Atlanta as early as 2026. Pitching in the majors just one year after beginning a pro career in the minors, while coming off a serious surgery, may seem crazy — but that’s exactly what Schwellenbach did.”

Now, some of the big guys are starting to take notice, with Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman writing this just a few days ago in a piece about prospects that could make the jump to the majors next season:

Remember how the Braves drafted Schwellenbach knowing he needed Tommy John surgery? Well, they may have also struck gold with their decision to take Sinnard in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft, as he neared the end of his recovery from the same elbow surgery. The 6-foot-8 right-hander impressed as he introduced himself to pro ball this past summer. He posted a 2.86 ERA, constructed a 28.3% strikeout rate and an 8.8% walk rate over 16 combined starts (72 1/3 innings) for Single-A Augusta and High-A Rome. More impressively, he finished the season strong, notching 22 strikeouts and allowing just four runs over his final three starts (16 innings). He is currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League.

Additionally, Luke Sinnard made Keith Law of The Athletic’s short-list of standouts thus far in the Arizona Fall League.

He pounded the zone with all of his pitches in a three-inning start, throwing 30 strikes in 39 total pitches, and showed both a four-seamer with IVB up to 21 inches and a sinker with good late tailing action. He threw 72 innings this year in his first mound work after the surgery, and I think he’s going to take a solid step forward next year and establish himself as a potential No. 4 starter or better.

Sinnard is oozing with potential, boasting plenty of swing-and-miss in his arsenal along with the command to match. That combination tends to lead to quick promotions in the Braves’ farm system. He’s a prospect who’s going to generate a lot of buzz moving forward, and with his impressive frame, it’ll be fascinating to see how he continues to develop as he gets further removed from Tommy John surgery.