Ranking the Atlanta Braves top trade chips entering the offseason

Ever since winning the World Series back in 2021, the Braves have remained true to their core group, filling in around the margins in hopes of finding the right combination to get back to the top of the mountain.

It hasn’t worked.

The Braves have just one playoff series win over the last five seasons, beating the Phillies in a three-game Wild Card Series this year. They may have won 94 games this season, but after watching Milwaukee dismantle the Dodgers — the team that knocked out Atlanta — this wasn’t a club close to its ultimate goal.

Which raises the question: how much longer can they keep doing the same thing and hoping for better results? Eventually, one would think the Braves must take a swing if they want to win another championship with this core group, which will soon be broken up one way or another.

Ozzie Albies has just one season remaining on his contract. Ronald Acuña Jr. will be a free agent in two. Matt Olson isn’t getting any younger, and this very well could be the final season of Chris Sale’s career.

If there were ever a time to make a blockbuster trade, it’s this offseason. So let’s take a look at what the Braves have to offer to get that done.

5. JR Ritchie

Ritchie tossed over 73 innings for the major-league club this year and was a bit all over the place, recording a 4.91 ERA. However, he’s still just 23 years old and would be regarded as a top-100 prospect if he hadn’t burned his prospect eligibility this season. For a real blockbuster, the Braves would have to include more, but he’s definitely someone teams around the league would still value in trade conversations.

4. Cam Caminiti

Caminiti is the top-ranked pitching prospect in the system and has legitimate frontline potential at the major-league level, which he showed over his final six starts after a promotion to Double-A Columbus, posting a 2.01 ERA while averaging north of a strikeout per inning. This is the point on the list where I believe the Braves could start bringing in game-changing talent in a blockbuster.

3. Eric Hartman

Hartman is the top prospect in the Braves organization according to most prospect outlets. He’s a true five-tool athlete with power, speed, and an incredible arm — all of which were on display during his memorable run in Rome this season, where he hit 24 homers and swiped 38 bags in fewer than 100 games. He’s a player the Braves would have a real tough time parting with, but I could see a scenario where the organization might want to sell high. Hartman wasn’t a highly regarded player coming into the season, and he really slowed down after he was promoted to Double-A, recording a .577 OPS over the final 34 games of the season.

2. Tate Southisene

If Hartman isn’t your top prospect in the organization, it’s probably Tate Southisene. At just 19 years old, the Braves’ 2025 first-round pick raked at every level, earning a promotion to Double-A in his first professional season. Unfortunately, a hand injury cut his campaign short, but he’s picked up right where he left off in the Arizona Fall League, recording an OPS approaching 1.000 over 14 games. Southisene is probably the prospect the Braves would least like to part with this offseason.

1. Ronald Acuña Jr.

Do I think the Braves seriously entertain offers on Ronald Acuña Jr.? Absolutely not — I’ve made that clear through every avenue I can since the end of the season. That said, I could at least see them gauging interest with only two years remaining on his contract, and if a Godfather offer did come across the table, perhaps they’d bite. It would have to be something pretty incredible, because the Braves’ best chance at winning a World Series is with Acuña on the roster — but there are probably a few packages out there that would at least make them consider it.

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