Let’s talk about a surprise performance that might have just put Didier Fuentes on the map in a big way. Sure, the Atlanta Braves prospects fell to the Detroit Tigers prospects, 6-2, but if you were watching the latter part of that game, you know the real story wasn’t the scoreboard—it was the absolute dominance of Fuentes on the mound.
Fuentes Steals the Show in Three Scoreless Innings
Here’s what you need to know if you’re not familiar with Fuentes. He’s the Braves No. 12 prospect, and he just turned in a lights-out performance in the final three innings of this game.
He recorded seven strikeouts, no walks, and just one hit allowed. That’s about as dominant as it gets, especially when talking about a young arm going up against fellow top-tier prospects.
And let’s break down those strikeouts because this wasn’t just about overpowering hitters with one pitch. Fuentes was mixing it up in a way that had Tigers hitters guessing all night. Four of his strikeouts came on fastballs up in the zone, two on a nasty slider, and one from what looked like his splitter.
He was getting these strikeouts all over the place. Some punchouts were up in the zone, some just off the outside half, and one down at the knees. That kind of control makes a pitcher dangerous.
Leading the Spring Breakout Circuit
According to MLB Pipeline, those seven strikeouts led the entire Spring Breakout circuit. So this wasn’t just a nice outing—this was the standout pitching performance of the game, maybe even the whole event so far.
What makes this even more exciting is the fact that Fuentes wasn’t even the biggest name taking the mound for the Braves in this one. Two of the team’s top-10 prospects pitched in this game, but Fuentes stole the show. For Braves fans who might not have been tracking his progress closely, this was a serious “take notice” kind of moment.
Promotion For the Braves Coming?
Fuentes wrapped up the 2024 season with Single-A Augusta, where he put together some pretty impressive numbers—2.74 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts in 75 2/3 innings. The only downside was he missed most of the second half of the season due to injury.
But before that, he was absolutely dealing, especially in June, when he had a 1.93 ERA over four starts. He also finished his season strong with back-to-back scoreless outings.
Had he stayed healthy, he might have already been in High-A or even Double-A. If this spring performance is any indication, he might not be in Single-A much longer. Keep an eye on this guy because if he keeps this up, Braves fans will hear a lot more about Didier Fuentes in the near future.
