The Atlanta Braves are sending two very different but equally compelling pitching prospects to the 2024 All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta—JR Ritchie and Hayden Harris. While their backgrounds couldn’t be more different, both right-handers are making noise in the Braves’ system and have earned their way into the national spotlight during All-Star weekend on July 12.
Ritchie Returns from Tommy John with Momentum
For JR Ritchie, the road back hasn’t been easy, but it’s been effective. The Braves’ No. 6 prospect was selected 35th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft—part of a competitive balance pick acquired via trade with the Royals. He showed early promise, then faced the ultimate young pitcher setback: a torn UCL and Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for over a year.
But Ritchie has picked up right where he left off. After a strong finish to 2023 between Single-A Augusta and High-A Rome, he opened 2024 with Double-A Columbus and has shown flashes of top-tier stuff in seven starts there. Braves fans got a preview of his poise during Spring Breakout when he took the mound against Detroit’s top prospects. His combination of strike-throwing and off-speed command has kept him firmly on Atlanta’s radar.
Hayden Harris: From LinkedIn to the Futures Game
Then there’s Hayden Harris—maybe the most unconventional Futures Game participant this year. Ranked as the Braves’ No. 29 prospect, Harris wasn’t drafted. Instead, he took the initiative himself, using LinkedIn to connect with scouts after a stint in the collegiate summer league with the Savannah Bananas (pre-barnstorming era). The Georgia Southern product signed with Atlanta in July 2022 and hasn’t looked back.
Invited to Spring Training this year as a non-roster arm, Harris logged a save in two brief appearances. But since joining Triple-A Gwinnett in June, he’s elevated his game to another level. Over six outings, he’s allowed just one earned run. On the season across all levels, he owns a 0.61 ERA in 29 2/3 innings. His rise is a testament to pure persistence and performance rather than pedigree.
Two Different Braves Journeys, One Shared Destination
This year’s Futures Game will highlight more than raw velocity or draft pedigree. For the Braves, it’s also a celebration of resilience. Ritchie has battled back from major surgery to remain one of the club’s premier arms-in-waiting. Harris, meanwhile, has proven that even without draft-day buzz, elite results will earn recognition.
They’ll share a dugout at Truist Park with some of baseball’s most exciting young talent—and they’ll represent the Braves’ system not just as pitchers but as symbols of what’s possible in this game when you keep showing up and getting outs.
For Atlanta, a team built on homegrown talent, the presence of Ritchie and Harris at the Futures Game is more than just a nod to the future. It’s confirmation that the next wave is already making its case.
