Breaking: As trade deadline draws near, Braves set to land two-time World Series champion in a blockbuster deal.

Two weeks from now is the trade deadline, and the Braves will make some big moves. The real question is which path they ultimately choose.

When Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered an ACL tear in 2021, Alex Anthopoulos replaced him with four outfielders whose contracts were about to expire before the trade deadline. The outcome was the Braves’ first World Series since 1995, and it came at no great expense to them in terms of prospects.

While it is obviously the better option this time, Alex Anthopoulos might be interested in a player of All-Star caliber who is available at this year’s trade deadline and has several years of control. The Braves would therefore need to be prepared to give up some of their best prospects in that situation.

One of the most common statements I heard before this year’s deadline was, “The Braves don’t have any prospects to trade.” They will never be able to get that guy.

Granted, the Braves’ farm system isn’t as strong as most teams’. The statement that they have nothing to offer is completely untrue. This is a company that has multiple prospects ranked in the top 100 and many more on the horizon that any prospective trade partner would be keen to acquire.

5. Murphy Owen
Murphy might have been ranked higher on our list, but he recently had Tommy John surgery, so it’s unlikely that he’ll be back before the end of the following season. Even so, considering he is only 20 years old, that shouldn’t prove to be a deal breaker for a rebuilding team that plans to look ahead several years.

In high-A Rome before the injury, Murphy had a 1.54 ERA and 60 strikeouts in just 41.0 innings, making him nearly unhittable. He had a 0.73 WHIP and opponents were only hitting.129 against him. Because Murphy was so dominant, I believed there was a high chance we would see him in advanced leagues this season, which would have been amazing for such a young arm. While all Braves fans should be thrilled about him upon his return, pitching prospects are highly erratic, so it’s usually preferable to use them as trade pieces rather than seeing the process through to completion.

4. Murphy Owen
The Braves have several quality players who could help them land pretty much anybody they want, as evidenced by the #4 spot on the list going to a 2023 first-round draft selection who has already made his Major League debut.

Hurston Waldrep was regarded as a top 100 prospect going into the season. Though he has encountered some setbacks this year, particularly after being called up to the majors, it is still the true in certain areas. He truly has to work on improving his second and third offerings as he isn’t quite ready to be a starting pitcher at the highest level just yet. He has a unicorn pitch for a splitter, but everything else needs work.

Honestly, the Braves ought to have realized this and refrained from allowing him to be publicly humiliated at the major league level. That not only diminishes Waldrep’s trade value but also can have a negative impact on his confidence going forward. He ranks far higher on our list than people might anticipate because of this. Although Waldrep’s ceiling as a reliever is still very high, many doubts now surround his ability to succeed as a starter.

3. Shawver, AJ
Though AJ Smith-Shawver is regarded as the Braves organization’s top prospect by most prospect outlets, it appears like a change of leadership is imminent. For him, 2024 has been a mixed bag. He was excellent in his lone major-league start, pitching 4.1 innings of scoreless ball. But he’s been roughed up a bit in Gwinnett and is recovering from an indirect injury.

Smith-Shawver seems to be the ultimate wild card right now. He undoubtedly have the tools to develop into a front-line player, but it’s also possible that the bullpen is the best place for him. Nevertheless, any rebuilding club would be intrigued by his upside.

2. Alvarez Nacho
The top two guys on this list have benefited the most from the 2024 season thus far. We live in a what have you done for me lately kind of world. Before the season ends, many Braves supporters are hoping to see Nacho Alvarez at shortstop. In 25 games, he has a.942 OPS, six home runs, and a.317 average in Gwinnett. Orlando Arcia’s problems have been widely reported.

I’m not sure if Alvarez is ready for that kind of responsibility, and if the Braves don’t think he can play shortstop defensively, now might be the ideal moment to sell high on him. It’s likely the Braves have a Vaughn Grissom 2.0 scenario on their hands because that’s really the only spot he can play in Atlanta. This time, though, they might trade Alvarez while his trade value is extremely high before considering a major league audition. Though I wouldn’t rule anything out, it would need to be a big step.

1, Drake Baldwin
There is not a single untouchable player in the Braves farm system. None of these men appear to be the next Ronald Acuña Jr., and this is a team that is right in the thick of its championship window.

Having said that, Drake Baldwin has the makings of a real star. He is a catcher who is having a breakthrough season. He was selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft. In 24 games since getting the call from Gwinnett, he is hitting.307 with six home runs and a.972 OPS. Nacho Alvarez’s numbers are strikingly comparable. The distinction is that Baldwin’s approach feels far more enduring. He recently homered for the Braves in the Futures Game and possesses amazing power to all fields.