Cristian Pache, Atlanta Braves. (Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
The Atlanta Braves can improve their roster even more once the September call-ups happen.
And just like that, the Atlanta Braves are still very much alive to win their fourth straight NL East crown in a row.
Atlanta had gotten off to a miserable start to begin the year. It was not until the first half of August before the Braves achieved a winning record on the season. They entered play on Thursday afternoon tied for first place with the Philadelphia Phillies. Obviously, there is a lot of baseball left to be played, but this divisional race projects as one that should go down to the wire.
If Atlanta calls up any of their top prospects in September, these two better be among them.
Atlanta Braves: 2 prospects that have to be called up in September
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Cristian Pache
OF Atlanta Braves
The Braves need to figure out what exactly they have in Cristian Pache
Though he is the top prospect in the Braves organization, this has not been a great year for outfielder Cristian Pache. The 22-year-old Dominican centerfielder debuted for the big-league club last season. While he had his moments down the stretch and in the postseason for Atlanta, he struggled mightily at the plate to start the season. He has been down in Triple-A ever since.
What makes this potential September call-up so important is the Braves need to know if he is the real deal or not. This is a team that will need to claw and scratch for every victory it can get the rest of the way. While the Braves are not winning the World Series this year, they are too talented to miss out on the postseason, regardless of how truly awful of a start they had gotten off to.
This is all about understanding if Pache will live up to the hype in Atlanta uniform. It was his job to lose right out of the gate in centerfield, but it has been a lot of Guillermo Heredia this season. Admittedly, it is going to be awfully hard for Pache to retain his top-prospect status entering 2022 spring training if he does not make much of an impact after being called up in September 2021.
Let’s just say Braves Country is nowhere near excited about him being called up as it was last year.