Bryse Wilson

Believe it or not, Wilson is just entering his age-23 season. He has made starts for the Braves in each of the past three seasons, pitching to a 5.91 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 37:25 K:BB in 42.2 innings overall at the MLB level. Atlanta is going for it and can't afford to let Wilson figure it out on the job, so expect him at least start 2021 in the minors as rotation depth before eventually challenging for a big-league job. Around all the walks and homers, Wilson has shown flashes in his small MLB sample; all three of his top pitches (four-seamer, slider, sinker) had Whiff rates of at least 20% last year, per Statcast. He had good walk rates in the minors but has seemed reluctant to challenge MLB hitters, nibbling to a 12.6 BB%. Wilson is the type of player whose stock could explode with a strong spring training or a hot run in the minors; a once-hyped prospect with quality stuff on a good team.

Wilson, 22, is the second-youngest living pitcher (behind Jose Suarez) with at least five MLB starts under his belt. Of course, the reason he has only made five starts is because he gave up 14 earned runs in 22.2 innings, but context is important when evaluating that performance. He relies heavily on a 95-mph fourseam fastball that he has struggled to command against big-league hitters -- he has demonstrated excellent control, but not necessarily command, in the minors. His changeup is his second-best pitch, but he really needs to improve his slider (currently a fringe-average offering) to make the whole repertoire work at the highest level. A strong, physical 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, Wilson looks the part of an innings-eating starter, but his velocity and competitiveness could only carry him this far. Now, he needs to show legitimate skills growth at Triple-A.

The Braves set Wilson loose in his third pro season, promoting the 20-year-old righty through the top three levels of the minors before rewarding him with a late-season cup of coffee in the majors. He is only 6-foot-1, but at 225 pounds, Wilson is an intimidating presence, aggressively attacking hitters with a power arsenal. His 95-mph four-seam fastball is his best offering -- it touches 97 mph and has excellent late life, generating far more whiffs than the average four-seamer. His low-80s slider and firm, upper-80s changeup are useful, due largely to the quality of his fastball, but they could use more refinement. He walked six in seven MLB innings, but typically exhibits at least average command. Wilson did not turn 21 until December and has all the ingredients to be at least a No. 3 starter. The Braves have more quality young starters than any other organization, so he may return to Triple-A initially, but has very little left to prove in the minors.

At 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, Wilson may not have prototypical size, but he absolutely looks the part of a future big-league starter. He is confident, aggressive and has that John Lackey/Max Scherzer nastiness, not in terms of stuff, but in terms of attitude. His sinking low-90s fastball allowed him to finish sixth in the Sally League with a 52.1 percent groundball rate, and he finished fourth in strikeout rate (25.5 percent) without a plus secondary pitch. His curveball is a quality offering, but not a pitch that projects to be a hammer in the majors. His changeup is still in the nascent stages. However, excellent command and pitchability allowed him to dominate in his first full season. He could be the type of pitcher who continues to outpitch the scouting report because of his intangibles, but it's not an overly appealing profile for dynasty leagues, as it's hard to envision him ever being more than a No. 3 starter. The Braves may have him skip High-A and aggressively assign him to Double-A, which would accelerate his ETA.