Three Braves Prospects To Keep An Eye On After Memorial Day

Memorial Day has passed, and it’s time for another Atlanta Braves prospect check-in. These are three notable players that are worth keeping an eye on as the summer approaches. 

Something to note, these are prospects that have not gotten as much attention on Atlanta Braves On SI. Prospects who have gotten their own stories recently - such as Cam Caminiti, JR Ritchie and Hurston Waldrep - have been omitted for that reason. 

They’ve gotten an update. It’s time for these three to get theirs. 

Drue Hackenberg, Pitcher, Double-A Columbus

Hackenberg initially earned his call-up to Triple-A last season after a solid run with Double-A Mississippi. However, despite a 1.52 ERA in four starts with the Stripers, the Braves decided to start their No. 4 prospect back in Double-A in 2025. 

So far, his welcome back to Double-A hasn’t been pleasant. He had a 7.02 ERA and a 1.81 WHIP across 24 1/3 innings in eight starts. He’s averaging about three innings per start. 

Hackenberg ultimately went on the 7-day injured list in mid-May, so something was clearly up. Once he gets healthy, whenever that might be, we could see him looking like his sharp self from last season. 

Didier Fuentes, Pitcher, Double-A Columbus

Fuentes first put himself on the radar when he dominated Tigers prospects during the Spring Breakout in March. 

The No. 10 prospect had a rough first start of the season in High-A, but after two strong starts, the Braves bumped him up a level. Like at the previous level, his first start wasn’t pretty, but he’s looked sharp since then. In his last three starts, he has a 2.57 ERA. 

In his most recent start, he pitched four innings of one-run ball and struck out nine before being pulled due to a blister. 

Fuentes is a pitcher we can expect to likely be at the Triple-A level before the season’s end. He might not join the 40-man roster as quickly, but he and Ritchie are two pitchers currently in Double-A that we should expect to be at Spring Training next season. 

Jose Perdomo, Shortstop, Complex League 

He’s the highest-rated position player prospect currently active. Nacho Alvarez Jr. is still hurt and would likely be in the Majors backing up Nick Allen if he was. 

Coincidently, this is the first time Perdomo has been able to play and stay healthy. He suffered a hamstring injury eight games into his pro career last season and didn’t return until this season. 

In his first healthy season, Perdomo has a slash line of .262/.315/.323 through 17 games. The power isn’t there immediately, but he’s getting on base and driving in runs (10) at a respectable rate to start. 

The No. 8 prospect’s scouting profile has high expectations for his ability to hit all parts of the field and hit the ball hard. 

“Thought to be one of the best pure hitters in his signing class, the right-handed hitter does not swing and miss much and can make consistently hard contact. With his knack for finding the barrel comes an over-aggressive approach at times, chasing out of the zone, but he seems to have good pitch recognition skills and the ability to handle all kinds of stuff. He can drive the ball to all fields and there could be plenty of power to come as he matures.”

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