In a Postseason full of upsets, the Atlanta Braves going home in the NLDS for a second straight season against the same team was the biggest shocker of all. Atlanta was historically great in the regular season but never got things going in the postseason.
The Braves should be good for many years to come with virtually their entire core under contract long-term, but GM Alex Anthopoulos could feel some added pressure to make this Braves team even more formidable as they push for a World Series title in 2024.
For the Braves to be even better, they can look to the trade market to add another star to their team. While a lot of their prospects have been moved in recent years to acquire players like Matt Olson and Sean Murphy, Atlanta still has other intriguing pieces they can dangle if they want to add another impact piece.
1) Braves can flip AJ Smith-Shawver for another star
AJ Smith-Shawver is a player who shot through the minor leagues this season, starting in A+ ball and finishing the year in the majors. Smith-Shawver made just six appearances in the regular season for the Braves, but pitched well enough to be in serious consideration to start a playoff game against the Phillies. Atlanta went with Bryce Elder, but the fact that he was even in the conversation was astonishing and speaks volumes to how highly the Braves think of him.
Smith-Shawver is Atlanta's top prospect and is ranked 53rd on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 list. The fact that he's just 20 years old and is already in the majors makes him such an intriguing trade piece to center any blockbuster around.
If the Braves hold onto Smith-Shawver he'll presumably battle for one of their final rotation spots, but they can trade him in a deal for a frontline starter if they choose. Acquiring a frontline starter with more than a year of control would give them much-needed Max Fried insurance as the Braves' ace hits free agency after the 2024 season.
It's never fun to give someone up with the potential Smith-Shawver has, but when you can land a star that can help the Braves win, you make the deal.
2) Braves can flip Hurston Waldrep for another star
The Braves selected Hurston Waldrep 24th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, and all he's done since is impress. The right-hander made just eight appearances in the minors this season but moved all the way up from Single-A to Triple-A by season's end. Just a remarkable climb from a pitcher who is just 21 years old.
In his eight professional starts Waldrep was absolutely dominant, posting a 1.73 ERA in 29.1 innings of work. This includes 4.1 scoreless innings in his lone outing for AAA Gwinnett in which he struck out five.
Waldrep's rapid ascension through the Braves minor league system has made him a top-100 prospect already, as he's currently ranked 100th on MLB Pipeline. He's Atlanta's second best prospect and can easily make an impact as soon as next season.
It can be argued that Waldrep has even better stuff than Smith-Shawver does, and Smith-Shawver is one of the premier strikeout artists among all prospects in baseball. He's armed with a fastball that can hit the upper 90's consistently and he pairs that with a nasty splitter that generates a ton of chases below the zone. Like Smith-Shawver, he has clear frontline starter potential, and he has a ton of room to grow as he gains more experience.
3) Braves can flip Bryce Elder for another star
Trading away Smith-Shawver and Waldrep obviously wouldn't be easy, but considering the fact that they have just six MLB regular season appearances for the Braves between them, it wouldn't hurt too much in the short term. A guy like Bryce Elder doesn't have the upside those two prospects have, but he played an integral role for Atlanta this past season and would in 2024 as well if he isn't moved.
Elder's numbers this past season were quite good, especially for a pitcher who probably wouldn't have even had a rotation spot if Atlanta was fully healthy. The right-hander went 12-4 with a 3.81 ERA in 31 starts and 174.2 innings pitched. You take that every day.
The problem with Elder is he was a completely different pitcher in the first half than he was as the season progressed. He made the all-star team after posting a 2.97 ERA in 18 first half starts. In the second half he was so bad to the point where he was almost bumped from the postseason rotation. He would not have made a start in the NLDS if Charlie Morton was healthy.
Elder's 5.11 ERA in 13 second half starts should absolutely be a concern for Atlanta. In all likelihood he's not an all-star caliber pitcher, but to expect him to be a 5.00 ERA guy also doesn't make much sense. He'd slot in nicely in the middle of most rotations in the game.
Elder is just 24 years old and has shown potential to be a solid innings eater for a really good team. He might not have finished the way he wanted to, but Elder doesn't even hit arbitration until after the 2025 season. He won't reach free agency until after the 2028 campaign. That's a ton of team control for a pitcher who has already shown a lot at the big league level. He can help Atlanta seriously upgrade either in the rotation or potentially at shortstop or left field.
