Atlanta Braves MLB Draft Rumors: 'Frequent Connection' with High School RHP

The Atlanta Braves' target in the 2024 MLB Draft may be growing clear.

The Atlanta Braves have been oft linked to high school pitcher Braylon Doughty. / Valley News/Action Captures Media Group

The 2024 MLB Draft begins Sunday night at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, and buzz is building around the Atlanta Braves and one of the top right-handed pitchers in the high school class.

Oklahoma State commitment Braylon Doughty, who attended Chaparral High School in Temecula, California, has become a popular name for Atlanta at No. 24 overall in recent days.

Of note, The Athletic's Keith Law wrote in his latest mock draft he's heard the Braves "with the cluster of high school pitchers ... and particularly Braylon Doughty."

To note, Law had Atlanta selecting prep shortstop Carter Johnson and bypassing Doughty, who went unselected in the opening frame.

Connections between Doughty and the Braves continued Saturday, when Bleacher Report fanned the flames in its final mock draft by pairing the two at No. 24.

"A frequent connection that has emerged in recent weeks is Doughty to the Braves, and it's unlikely he will still be on the board when they pick again at No. 62 overall," writes Bleacher Report. "So, if they want him, they might have to grab him now."

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Doughty is currently committed to Oklahoma State University. He's rated as MLB.Com's No. 36 overall prospect and fifth-best prep pitcher, trailing lefties Cam Caminiti and Kash Mayfield and righties William Schmidt and Ryan Sloan.

Here's the MLB.Com scouting report on the 18-year-old Doughty ...

"While Doughty isn’t all that big at 6-foot-1, he is compact, strong and extremely athletic on the mound," writes MLB.Com. "He has a quick arm that fires fastballs up to 96-97 mph with life and solid command. He misses bats with it and even more so with his power low-80s curve, that tops 3,000 rpm and features tight break.

"He has an 83-85 mph slider with two-plane late lateral movement, and some think both breaking pitches could be plus in time. He has some feel for a changeup, but he doesn’t throw it much."

Since taking over as Braves general manager in Nov. 2017, Alex Anthopoulos has selected three prep righties - Carter Stewart (2018), Owen Murphy (2022) and JR Ritchie (2022, supplemental).

Is Doughty the next to be added to the list? The answer comes Sunday night, with the draft set to start at 7 p.m. EST. The event will be televised on MLB Network and ESPN.