Taking a chance on a former Oakland A’s prospect who struggles with command, the Atlanta Braves
Right-handed pitcher Jorge Juan was assigned to the Double-A Mississippi Braves by the Atlanta Braves earlier this week after he signed a minor league contract with them. The Oakland A’s signed Juan in 2017, and he remained a member of the team until he decided to exercise his right to free agency after the 2023 season. He is only twenty-four years old.During his time with the team, Juan only made it to the A’s top 30 prospect rankings once, coming in at number 24 in the system in 2022 according to MLB Pipeline.
During his time with the team, Juan only made it to the A’s top 30 prospect rankings once, coming in at number 24 in the system in 2022 according to MLB Pipeline.
According to his MiLB page, this season was the first time he’d entered a game with runners on base. He allowed 12 of the 17 runners he inherited to score. You have to think with a little more experience (and maybe a little luck) headed into 2024, those numbers will go down a bit.
This season was the first time he had entered a game with runners on base, according to his MiLB page. Out of the 17 runners he inherited, he gave up 12 runs. You have to assume that those numbers will decline slightly by 2024 with a little more experience—and perhaps a little bit of good fortune.
Naturally, Juan’s command will be the main problem. Though the Braves are one of the better teams at developing arms, the A’s usually take a chance on guys who struggle with command and hope for the best. Seeing if a change of scenery can help him turn things around will be interesting to watch.
The 6-foot-8 righty has a fastball that can reach 99 mph, but he typically sits it in the upper 90s. He also carries a wipeout slider in his toolbox. His ability to consistently land those pitches could make him a valuable depth option for Atlanta.
