ATLANTA BRAVES TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. CRISTIAN PACHE, OF
AGE: 22. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-2. WT: 215. SIGNED: Dominican Republic, 2015. SIGNED BY: Matias Laureano.
TRACK RECORD: Signed by the Braves for $1.4 million when he was 16, Pache progressively tapped into more power as he climbed the minor league ladder and, after spending the 2019 season at Double-A and Triple-A, made his big league debut in 2020. Pache had a reserve role during parts of the regular season and saw just four at-bats. He was included on the Braves’ postseason roster and stepped into a starting role in the Championship Series after Adam Duvall suffered an oblique injury. Shortly thereafter he became the seventh major leaguer to hit his first home run in the playoffs—going deep against the Dodgers’ Julio Urias—while showcasing the outstanding defense in center field that has been hyped for years.
Pache’s postseason offered the Braves a glimpse of what’s to come. After adding around 30 pounds of muscle over the last three years, Pache is solidly built with enough raw power to keep pitchers honest. His strengths still lie on the defensive side of the ball. Pache has the plus-plus speed to cover enough ground in even the most expansive outfields, and his instincts and arm strength elevate him to the level of potentially one of the best center fielders in baseball. He reads the ball off the bat well, takes efficient routes and has the athleticism and natural timing to make highlight-reel diving catches and jumps at the wall. His plus-plus arm makes runners think
