ICYMI: Atlanta Braves top prospect Vaughn Grissom's MLB debut wins over Twitter
The Atlanta Braves had a really quiet trade deadline, but that hasn’t stopped them from pulling another rabbit out of the hat.
Having lost four times against the NL East-leading New York Mets in a crucial five-game series, the Braves find themselves seven games behind in second-place
With Adam Duvall and Ozzie Albies out injured, Atlanta turned to its farm system. The Braves announced on Wednesday that they have called up Grissom from Double-A Mississippi ahead of their second game against the Boston Red Sox.
As far as MLB debuts go, Grissom couldn’t have scripted his first chapter any better. He blasted a gigantic homer during the seventh inning that sailed over The Monster and out of Fenway Park, helping Atlanta win the game 7-4.
Vaughn Grissom's major-league career could go any which way and he'll still have this. Wow, what a moment. https://t.co/NWeKwGOUr8
“Vaughn Grissom's major-league career could go any which way and he'll still have this. Wow, what a moment.” - Justin Toscano
Speaking on the first homer of his major league career, Grissom said:
“I didn’t feel a thing. I didn’t feel one thing. Literally, I hit it and blacked out until I saw my first-base coach and just started laughing.”
Grissom was an 11th-round draft pick by the Braves in 2019. He has skyrocketed through the minors, compiling a .363/.408/.516 slashline in 98 plate appearances in Double-A. His High-A record reads .312/.404/.487 across 344 plate appearances.
He is second in the Minors in hits (126) and has reached base in 58 of his past 59 games. Grissom made it to the big leagues after just 22 games at Double-A.
Atlanta Braves' continued trust in top prospects paying off
Grissom’s arrival also evokes a sense of déjà vu, as he is not the only top prospect to have been promoted aggressively by the Atlanta Braves this year.
Back in May, the Braves made another Double A call-up when they promoted center fielder Michael Harris II.
Since then, Harris has hit .288 with 10 homers to his name and 34 RBIs. His tremendous success has paved the way for the Braves to bank on another top prospect.
Michael Harris II is 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts.
He's one of two rookies with 10+ stolen bases and an .800+ OPS. The other is Julio Rodríguez in Seattle. https://t.co/glGsokmomt
Not all clubs have farm systems operating on the same level. There have been several instances where top-level prospects at other clubs haven’t been given a chance due to their young age.
The Atlanta Braves' continued trust in their prospects is indeed commendable, and other clubs could do well by taking a page out of their playbook.