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In a world where pitchers are sidelined left and right due to the inescapable shoulder and elbow injuries, surgeons such as Dr. James Andrews perform countless procedures on pitchers for Tommy John. This is the case for former top MLB prospect Manny Banuelos who came into the New York Yankees organization as a prized 17-year-old phenom drawing high remarks from future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera who lauded him as the best prospect he’d ever seen. After almost two years removed from Tommy John surgery, Banuelos retook the mound last season but was eventually traded to the Atlanta Braves this past offseason to finally compete for a chance at a starting gig in the big leagues.
For those who enjoy reading about these prospects, just skim a few footnotes on what scouts raved about with Banuelos and it’s clear to see just why the Yankees, fans and analysts were craving for the chance to see this guy take on major league hitters. There are times when pitchers come back from TJ surgery and have great long-standing careers. Then there are those who never quite regain the luster they once had and merely fade away never to be heard from again.
The Braves are taking a chance at quite possibly the best pitching prospect they’ve had in years, and yes that includes Julio Teheran. As things stand now, the Braves are without a fifth starter in their rotation, and the plan is for Banuelos, along with others, to compete for that spot this spring.
The intriguing aspect about Banuelos is he is still only 23 years old. They acquired him on the cheap, and the reward of having a potential ace quality pitcher could yield a return on investment so high that the Yankees may rue the day they allowed him to escape from their organization.
Banuelos could help the Braves immensely this season. If he is stellar this spring and wins the starting job, the rotation would indeed be solidified. If he performs well and others are a better fit for the starting role, then the Braves will have a quality long reliever in their bullpen and can still monitor his innings and even use him in spot starts.
Whatever the plan is, it is one fans should be excited about. Banuelos is considered an organization changer, and for a team needing life after experiencing death, the Braves may have found something special in this stud.
Brandon Williams is an Atlanta Braves writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter, @BfreshAlum4UA, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
