Once thought to be a rising star within the Braves organization, top prospect OF Drew Waters has been dealt to the Kansas City Royals as part of a trade package in exchange for the 35th pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.
A 2017 second-round pick, Waters is the headliner in the trade that also includes RHP Andrew Hoffman and 3B CJ Alexander. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the pick acquired by the Braves carries a $2.2 million slot value—moving Atlanta up from 19th to 10th in terms of bonus pool money heading into the draft.
So, how did the player currently ranked as the organization’s top overall prospect end up getting dealt for a draft pick midway through a season? After rising through the ranks with a reputation as a power hitter from both sides of the plate and as a reliable outfielder, Waters' development seemed to hit a snag in AAA where he had yet to hit above .271.
This season, after dealing with a hamstring injury early on, Waters owns a .246 average with 60 strikeouts and five home runs in 49 games with Gwinnett. Combined with the embarrassment of riches the Braves have in the outfield in Atlanta, 92.9’s Joe Patrick says the move makes sense for both the team and the player.
“He’s just not producing at the AAA level, so that means there is no clear opportunity for him to come up to the major-league level anytime soon. And, you’ve got a player like Michael Harris who jumped him in line because he’s obviously producing at the major-league level, and now, the Braves outfield is stacked with Michael Harris and Ronald Acuna Jr. occupying two spots and a bunch of veterans who can fill the other ones, so there’s just not really a place for him. I think Drew Waters will be happy about this trade," Patrick said.
Waters isn't the only former top outfield prospect that the Braves have been willing to move on from as Christian Pache was included in the Matt Olson deal prior to the 2022 season.
Related
The Braves hold the 20th pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft which gets underway on July 17th and runs through the 19th.