The Braves optioned right-hander Touki Toussaint to Triple-A Gwinnett, per the league transactions log at MLB.com. He’d pitched well during spring before the league shutdown. Over 8 2/3 frames, he yielded a pair of runs on two hits and three walks with eight strikeouts.
Toussaint, 23, was a consensus top 100 prospect entering the ’19 season but had a miserable year in Triple-A, where he yielded 33 earned runs in 39 2/3 innings over the life of 10 starts (7.49 ERA). Toussaint was clobbered in his lone big league start as well — seven runs in 1 1/3 innings — but he also turned in 4o 1/3 innings of respectable work out of the ’pen, including a scoreless six-inning relief appearance in April. Overall as a reliever, Toussaint notched a 4.24 ERA with better than a strikeout per inning, although the 25 free passes he issued in those 40 1/3 frames were still too high a number.
This’ll be the second of three option years for Toussaint, a former No. 16 overall pick whom the Braves effectively purchased from the D-backs by taking on the remainder of Bronson Arroyo’s contract after the right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery. With Mike Soroka, Max Fried, Mike Foltynewicz and (eventually) Cole Hamels locked into rotation spots plus several veteran additions in the bullpen since last July (Will Smith, Chris Martin, Mark Melancon, Shane Greene, Darren O’Day), Toussaint’s path back to the big leagues is a bit muddied. He’ll likely be a key piece of depth in the event of injuries, though, and if the league resumes with expanded rosters early in the season (as some have speculated), he could be a name the club considers as well.
So individual players being optioned are stand-alone stories?
there’s not much else to report on right now. lay off the criticism.
Even though he is a Phillies fan, this time, I have to 100% agree with DarkSide830..
Not only that, Toussaint was a legitimate contender for one of the Braves last remaining rotation spots. The fact that he was effectively being out of the running to start the season as one of the starters on a contending team is certainly noteworthy..
Opening Spring Training, the Braves starting rotation was likely going to be Soroka, Fried, Foltynewicz, Hamels, and then it was going to be a battle for the 5th and final spot between Sean Newcomb, Kyle Wright, Felix Hernandez, Bryse Wilson, and Touki Toussaint.
Next, further adding to the intrigue and on-going storyline(s), Hamels starting dealing with an injury effectively opening up another rotation spot.
With the uncertainty of Hamels’ health, Newcomb still having to build up his stamina, and also with the promising spring starts of Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint, and King Felix it only further clouded who the Braves would begin their season with..
Regardless of the lack of ongoing news, thos was still noteworthy..
RELAX BRP
Sure — at a time when there are no other transactions taking place and the player in question has recent MLB experience and had a nonzero chance at making the Opening Day roster.
But, uh … sorry for apparently inconveniencing you with this post’s very existence?
lmao, lay it on Steve!
Even if camps hadn’t shut down, I would have still appreciated this story.
I thought the same thing. He was a pretty big name prospect.
Me too
Got eeemmm
@ Steve Adams
Great response!!
Is there an procedural reason these moves are happening, as everything is kinda in standstill right now? Seems unnecessary, doubt it actually is, but don’t know why.
Why do you take yourself so seriously
LOL so easy to rile all you folks up
It’d be easier for you not to be a peckerhead. Lame sense of humor.
Ah, the go to troll retort. Usually posted with tears streaming. Face it, no one respects you.
You guys are alright. Think I’ll string you along a bit more for the minimal entertainment value. Eagerly awaiting your next reply. Don’t keep me waiting!
You legitimately started it. If you don’t want to hear other people’s replies to your thoughts and opinions don’t share them.
I just stated the exact opposite. Not too bright, are ya, little Funko fella?
If this is the only way you can get people to talk to you, then I’ll comply as well. Just consider it a pity comment.
8ManLineup resume: experienced with social distancing since, well, forever.
Dude you came in bitching about how much content was in a free article… you’re an idiot
@scrawny69 Lol
Don’t be that guy. The sports world is silent right now. No action leads to the need of any news at all. This is a detailed baseball site. If they choose to spread out the activity by writing typically unnecessary stuff, then more power to them
Yes it is a stand alone story. Deal with it
I’ll never understand why people complain about posts. On my phone, I can choose which ones I read. When I see one that doesn’t interest me, I don’t read it. It’s great
Funny how that works … I do the same … amazing that some trolls cannot do it as well
He is right now. Touki is not relevant nor a future asset to the Braves (not a productive one anyway).
He’s 23 and has a fairly decent ceiling if he can hit it. Also only two years removed from good stats that’s what I would call and asset.
The guy has been a failure the moment he was drafted by Arizona.
I’m not sure where you get your stats but Touki was an above average arm from 2016-2018 in the minors. And as stated above was a top 100 prospect. I wouldn’t label him a failure yet at 23 yrs old.
Yet somehow he was a top 100 prospect NoBumgarner. Try again.
Hey look. Its the poster that’s been having a tantrum ever since the Diamond Backs signed MadBum. He didnt get what he wants and so suddenly, the Braves are going to be in 4th place, Acuna actually sucks to the surprise of everyone EXCEPT this heart broken high school girl and the list of fabricated, unverifiable claims keep going on..and all because the Braves didnt go out and get his favorite little crush.
So Toussaint will miss L’ouverture?
This is the content I crave.
Seriously!
Deadspy3, you have given me a much-needed laugh in a challenging time. Thank you.
De nada
I don’t get why the Braves don’t just trade for Arenado. They got the young pieces to do so in Riley, Wright, Anderson, Toussaint, Newcomb, Langeliers, etc. If only Areando’s contract wasn’t in the way.
Check his splits. Overrated and not worth the king’s ransom it would take to land him.
Well, there is the fact that both Arenado and Colorado would have to want to as well. This is not a video game where you can just set it to “AI accepts all trades.” The Rockies are not just going to take a bunch of secondary prospects for their franchise player.
1. Prospects stated above aren’t “secondary prospects” all but one are top ten prospects in a top 5 system. 2. The Rockies aren’t going to get much prospect capital back if they don’t eat part off the contract. Any team could have sign Rendon this offseason without giving up any prospects.
No Pache, no Waters I think is the point.
Any team could have drafted Nolan Arenado, but that is in the past. They cannot sign Anthony Rendon now. If you driving down the road and get hungry, the restaurant you passed 15 minutes ago doesn’t matter anymore, you have to look for something ahead of you. Besides, any team couldn’t have just signed him, only one team could have and he had to agree to it. And you would have still given up 2 draft picks, which is the equivalent of 2 prospects.
HiFlew getting offended over a non offending comment! Wow, I am shocked! Don’t mention Arenado’s name in trade talks around this Blowhard!
Assume facts not minding his own business. Wow, I am shocked. Are you stalking me dude? Do I really matter that much in your life that you have to follow me around to make these useless comments that contribute nothing to the conversation. I don’t mind being disagreed with, but at least have something to say in rebuttal. You are just useless.
Taking on that contract, giving up prospects AND most likely giving up on Austin Riley seems too great an ask. I legitimately want to see what Riley is made of (while devoting that money elsewhere: Freeman ext, Soroka, Fried, FAs, etc).
Love what DMC said. Prospects becoming productive players is an essential ingredient to the Braves winning anything.
They are doing this to not play players their 1100 a week. Dick move by owners
Still on the 40 man roster = still getting paid
Would you pay people more than you had to? He is still going to get paid, just not as much. I guarantee you he is not going hungry right now.
Ok
If you say so. How much is he getting paid? Minimum wage? $12/hour? $15/hour? All of these are hard to get by on, though $15/hr is getting there. Paycheck to paycheck. One or two bad months from having no car (can’t afford payments or repairs), losing your job and your apartment.
What the heck are you talking about Mo? He’s on a Major League Baseball 40 man roster. Why don’t you take your fat little fingers to google and see how much they make! He’s not having the same issues your local busboy is. I promise you little buddy!
he’s on an MLB 40 man roster. you know he’s getting paid well beyond that. no one is losing their car becaue they have been optioned.
Sorry, thought he was going to MiLB wages… My bad.
Even if he was he received a 1st round bonus figure in the millions of dollars. He would deserve absolutely zero sympathy if he had blown through that stack of cash
OP, why are you being so defensive of players? Both sides are loosing money. Stop taking a side between this millionaires vs billionaires battle.
Ah man. It makes sense, but I hate it for him
My fellow Braves fans, I’m sure much like the fans of every other team, can get very impatient with our prospects. Toussaint is just 23. Pitching develops slower than hitting. Seriously, what talent did ANY of us develop to near perfection at the age of 23?
As already suggested, if we trade Toussaint, we would be selling him low. As a trade chip he wouldnt give us much of anything so just let him mature and see if he develops into anything.
You make some great points but I also think theirs a point were you get too conservative and the Braves may be at this point-
Time is on their side but at some point they are going to have to push their chips in a little and quit playing the hedge 1 yr deals/ bank on internal breakout game –
Ive heard for years the Braves have loaded young arms yet they still want to sign a 3/4 starter in Hamels for 18 mill and let Donny walk for 23…. somethings not adding up…this team needs stalwarts not potential imo at this point in the curve
Some very good prospects take a while to figure it out, and the Braves don’t want to trade away a question mark who later becomes an exclamation point. Tom Glavine was a not-very-good pitcher until he was 25.
T is for Touki…