The Braves will promote top position-player prospect Austin Riley to the majors, according to David O’Brien of The Athletic (subscription link). Ender Inciarte is expected to be placed on the injured list with back tightness; the corresponding 40-man move isn’t yet known.
With the move, the Braves are adding a player who entered the season graded as a consensus top-fifty prospect. Riley was listed as high as 22nd overall, by Baseball America. He has moved up the boards since with an impressive offensive onslaught.
The 22-year-old Riley has turned in 162 plate appearances of .299/.377/.681 hitting with 15 home runs thus far at Triple-A. He has also drawn 18 walks to go with 31 strikeouts, representing a notable improvement for a player who has shown some swing and miss in the past.
While Riley’s long-term fit is probably at third base, he began seeing time in the corner outfield recently. That clearly set the stage for a call-up, though it came a bit sooner than might have been anticipated.
Joining the majors today will mean that Riley can earn as many as 138 days of MLB service this season. That could set him up for eventual Super Two qualification, if he’s able to hang onto his roster spot permanently.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Braves manage things once they’re at full health. There could be some roster and playing time crunches. If so, the club will no doubt consider it a good problem to have.
Now that he’s in the majors, Riley will have the chance to drive the decisionmaking. Inciarte might return in a reduced role. Matt Joyce could be bumped from the roster, though he’s performing quite well in a limited capacity. Utilityman Johan Camargo can be optioned. Josh Donaldson will remain entrenched at third base this year and remains a qualifying-offer candidate at season’s end, but Riley could spell the veteran at times.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Can he pitch?
He used to
I know it has only been 1 hit, but am I the only one that thinks Riley’s debut last night is the beginning of the end for Ender Inciarte’s tenure in Atlanta? With Ender’s poor start and Riley, Acuna, Markakis, Camargo and Donaldson all performing better and blocking his way I don’t see how he fits on the team after his IL stint. Thoughts anyone?
The Braves were actually one of the few teams that preferred him as a hitter over a pitcher during the draft
that’s cool, I didnt know that
I believe he was throwing mid 90’s too.
No no no! Position players are getting TJ too much as it is! Dare not speak the P word!
“Position” or “pitch?”
Pizza.
I don’t want to live in a world where I cannot say “pizza…”
Yay, very exciting! Hope he takes this spot and never looks back. Rooting for the kid!
dont they have space with Blevins gone?
The brought biddle up to work his magic last night lol
yes
woohoo nice!…Where’s he gonna play tho, LF?! I agree with sidbream1991…can he pitch cuz we kinda need someone who can pitch effectively, just sayin….
atlantic league always has options…
Bust
Negatory!
Yea cause every highly rated prospect pans out.
Yea cause every highly rated prospect is a bust. What a pointless comment
I think he’s saying nothing is certain like the original two guys were saying. FYI..prospects fail way more than they succeed.
More prospects fail than succeed? I wasn’t aware, thanks for spelling that out for me.
Always happy to school the youngins.
Great? I want him to play full time and not just sit on the bench if he’s going to be up here.
Yes. He doesn’t have to play every day, but he needs semi-regular playing time to develop, as all young players do.
You don’t call up a top prospect like this to sit the bench. He will play.
Sometimes they do-depends on if they perform…
Depends on whether or not the manager has a brain, really.
One option not mentioned is make a trade. I know they’d be selling low on Camargo since he’s off to such a slow start, but many teams recognize he is a good player. They should be able to get some pitching in return.
“but many teams recognize he is a good player” Where on earth are you getting that from?
2018 he was a 3.7 WAR playing full-time 3B. Compare that to Bryce’s 1.3 — but we all know Bryce is not “a good player”, so sorry for the comp.
He’s not playing full-time in multiple positions, including OF to get additional playing time. Sure, he’s lost some value starting out of the gate slow, but he still could be an impact player for any team in need of an everyday 3B. Considering he’s a cheaper option than Donaldson post-2019, and Arenado has re-signed, Camargo could be a present and future impact player for a team.
What he did last year is only so relevant. The guy never showed any power in the minor leagues and hasn’t been hitting the ball hard at all this year. There’s value there but we don’t know what type of player Camargo is nor do the Braves who clearly weren’t in love w giving him the 3B job again this season. Even with Riley beating at the door as a potential back up plan if he flopped. So does Camargo have value? Yeah he has some value but I’m not sure any team in baseball knows what they’re buying. And I certainly wouldn’t pencil him in as an impact player. That’s what you hope. The guys who wanted Arenado or Donaldson probably aren’t pivoting to Camargo.
If the Braves put Camargo on the market, more than a few team would be interested. The Braves would not be very smart to get any less than market value, and I mean winter of 18 market.
So 134 games of MLB service was a fluke? Some guys are late bloomers and others do better with regular playing time. Sure, it’s a risk, but when you consider top prospects are never available, Camargo has years of control left and MLB experience. If I were a team in need of a long-term 3B, it doesn’t get much better than that, especially considering ATL probably won’t want a top prospect/top arm return for him.
I didn’t say what he did in those games was necessarily a fluke but that’s the only sample size of power he has in an entire career of ABS. It’s still early but his hard hit % has reverted back to his pre 18 levels. Personally I think 2018 was the best version of Camargo you’d ever see. Which is a very quality player if he can repeat that but I’m not sold he can. I think he’s a potential Marwin Gonzalez. Who himself had one great offense season and then was more average the rest of the years. That player has value but it isn’t as an impact bat or ideal starting 3B on a contending team.
Maybe more a valuable player than good, though I believe with full time reps he could be.
Future bust
Keep it up! Say this for every prospect and you are bound to be correct.
You could say that exact comment for people hyping every prospect as if they were on the road to the HOF as well.
How many AB’s do you have in the bigs?
Future bust? Like in the HOF?
The next Ken Oberkfell
Pitch then run to his left field position before the ball is hit.
Or maybe just pitch from left field? Can’t imagine it’d result in more walks.
lol good idea
Hahaha!! Holy ****! That’s the best comment I’ve read all week!
The Donaldson signing keeps getting more moot by the day while the pitching woes howl at the moon unfortunately..
Ender needs to learn how to come out of the gates and realize his defense can’t make up for his lack of hitting for 80 games a season, but his shots have about expired as anchoring down CF in ATL.
Stay hot Riley and welcome to the show!
Hilarious that everyone keeps saying that, though Donaldson is already worth 1.2 WAR in 2019 (Arenado is 1.5; Chapman 1.9). Yes, RPs are in need, but please name a few FA that would have been money well spent? Remember: hindsight is 20-20.
Relief pitching has been a hot commodity for a few years and premium arms are either overpaid or not available.
A slow start Camargo and a guy who doesn’t have an MLB atbat yet have these fans screaming about the solid year Donaldson is having!
Could have used his salary on 2 (or maybe even 3!) of the struggling RPs signed as free agents!
I agree 100 percent B.C.
Again, name the available RPs you would have spent the money on…Andrew Miller, Ottavino, Robertson,…???
Camargo and Duvall suffer from the same phenomenon, when they don’t play every day they have no timing at the plate. When you have no timing, you’re struggling and worrying about being criticized which leads to pressing to get hits and when you’re pressing you have no confidence.. Some need repetition or they’re essentially useless at the plate.
Camargo is a whole different hitter when starting every day as we seen last season so its impossible to compare he and donaldsons numbers thus far.
As far as Josh goes, he just needs to get back to where he was before his calf injury and these conversations wouldn’t exist lol.
Not going down the hindsight road because theres far too many factors involved, in baseball you make the most educated move and live with it..
That being said I think snit should sometimes learn when to put down a bunt in ideal situations.
It’s not about Donaldson having a “solid year.” The point is whether for $23 million he’s better than Camargo and whoever didn’t get signed COMBINED.
If Riley was THIS close (getting called up the 2nd week of May), then, yeah, it looks even more like resources probably should have been allocated better.
Here’s a stat for you: May 16, 2018, 26-16. May 16, 2019 22-21. When this happens people are going to look to see how the holes were addressed. The biggest ones weren’t.
Last year people talked about Carlos Santana’s WAR, not realizing his presence in Philly pushed Hoskins to play out of position and hurt the ballclub. Suddenly Santana was traded.
Donaldson may be playing fine. I’m sure they’d be a better team with Camargo at 3B using that money for _________.
Camargo will be a sell low candidate. Atlanta all but told 29 other teams that he’s not good enough to start on their team
ATL has available funds, just not a GM that wants to overpay for RPs, which is what it’d be considering how many of those RPs have already looked bad, though it’s still very early in their deals. How’s that David Robertson deal lookin’?
Did I say relief pitchers at any point? The bottom line is Anthopoulos has had a habit of acquiring players at position of-need and not address positions needed. All that does is force his own hand by emptying the cupboard like he did in Toronto. Aside from Syndergaard the rest of the players dealt didn’t bite him in the backside.
Like it or not Donaldson is likely in ATL for the year, but quality pitching could be available from teams going nowhere and needing to rebuild. if the pot was sweetened enough.. I keep circling back to MadBum. . Would Folty, Newcomb & Ender be enough to get the Giants’ attention. ATL has excess at both P & CF, plus prospects, and no TOR starter,so I would say why not if the Giants would bite..
That’s a ridiculous overpay and in no way should ever be considered.
Depends on one’s viewpoint.. You have to give something to get something – I must have missed your suggestion. Is there one?
He suggested that is was a overpay
This guys swing reminds me a lot of Troy Glaus. Big fella that can swing it!!
My comparison was Klesko…
Bold claim: he will finish the year with more HRs than Vlad Jr.
Already half-way there in only 1 game…
The only reason I disagree with that, is because I am not entirely sure he will get enough at bats. Just keep in mind he has only been playing LF for a couple of weeks now plus the few weeks in spring training. He probably plays full time until Ender gets back and after that he may only start against lefties.
If he plays adequate defense and is getting on base there’s no way Ender comes back and gets the starting spot back. With the rest of the OF talent in the system I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve seen the last of Ender as a starter for the Braves before he’s shopped around. Could be absolutely wrong but that’s my guess.
I don’t think you’re wrong. Pache/Waters are coming on strong and there’s some that believe Acuna cannot continue to play out of position in LF when he should be in CF. Would be interesting if Riley stays up (presuming he will) and there’s an injury to Donaldson, would he take 3B or would they have Camargo/Culberson — that would be awkward. Feels like Chipper moving from SS>3B>LF>3B all over again.
Can’t wait for him to strike out at least twice a game and apologists will make excuses for him being a rookie, or needing to adjust, or some BS fake analysis that a 12 year old and “experts” at ESPN or MLB Network formulate for every player.
This team needs another star hitter, along side with Freeman and Acuna is not it. Donaldson is not it either (for now).
Hopefully, this is the start for more moves to come. Number 1 order of business, move Faulty to the bullpen, where he has belonged since his debut. Reminds me a lot of Archie Bradley and Hader.
Sounds like you know more than apologists and analysts … and just about everybody else. Perhaps all of our Gods have not abandoned us.
Adam Duvall is doing well in Gwinnett; Austin Riley is doing even better and has has earned a call up. Duvall is a good LF while Riley is a 3B. Does this mean ATL will trade Josh Donaldson.
No
Duvall used to be a good 3B before they moved him to LF. Positions are not carved in stone for AAA players. Heck, now they aren’t even carved in stone for solid MLB players.
I was hoping that they’d bring up Duvall. He’s earned it.
I totally agree bham
Option Camargo? you mean the guy that should be starting for any MLB team!! this super utility guy is a joke. People forget 2018 campaign with 464 Abs had 19 hrs and 76 RBIs..my God freddie had 618 ABs (154 more ABS than camrgo) and only had 4 more Hrs and 20 more RBIS. Camargo is a stud and needs to play everyday to showcase his ability. i pray Riley is the next acuna and not paraded like the next hank Arron like heyward was. Everyone hating on ender and dude is a gold glover.. the only thing with ender is you never know what half he will show up during the season.
When you’ve had 2-3 seasons in a row hitting around the mendoza line up until the all-star break, people are going to talk; gold glover or not. We all saw what happened to Heyward and uggla.
He needs work with Jeremy Reed from the angels on how to just focus on hitting to the opposite field. Post all-star break, Enders at his best when he’s hitting to LF every. Amazing how long it takes him to figure it out every year..
I love his passion and he seems to be an awesome teammate, but I’ll bet he’d even admit that his bat is nowhere close to where it needs to be as a starting OF.
A bench with Camargo, Culberson, Ender, Mc/Flow is really good. If Riley hits, this could be the call up that gets the team going.
Then what would we do with Matt Joyce? He as actually done really well as a bench player IMO. Paying an average of $8 Mill a year guaranteed for the next 3 1/2+ years is a steep overpay for Inciarte… Especially in a bench role. Joyce only costs peanuts over the league minimum.