Atlanta fans, it’s time to put a spotlight on a name you’re going to be hearing a lot more of: JR Ritchie. The Braves’ No. 2 prospect just capped off a dominant week in Triple-A Gwinnett, and the International League took notice.
On Monday, the 21-year-old right-hander was named Pitcher of the Week, marking the first time he has earned the honor in his young career — and making him the first Gwinnett pitcher this season to take home the award.
Ritchie’s recognition came off the back of a sparkling performance on August 27. He fired six shutout innings, struck out a career-high 11 batters, and allowed just one hit against the Norfolk Tides. That’s the kind of outing that puts you squarely on the map, even in an organization with as much pitching depth as Atlanta’s.
Through seven Triple-A starts, Ritchie is 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA, a tidy 1.04 WHIP, and opponents hitting just .174 against him. During his award-winning week, he was untouchable, boasting a 0.00 ERA, a .053 opponent average, a 0.50 WHIP, and tying for third in strikeouts across the entire International League.
Baseball America took notice, too, calling him a “bright spot” in what’s been a frustrating season for the Braves overall. They even floated the idea that he could be rotation-ready in the big leagues as soon as 2026 — maybe even earlier if this trajectory continues.
A Rising Star on the Fast Track
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Ritchie, whose career was slowed by Tommy John surgery just a couple of years ago. Fully healthy, he’s showcasing the skills that made Atlanta select him with the 35th overall pick in the 2022 draft.
Across 22 starts at three minor-league levels this season, he’s posted a 2.75 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in nearly 118 innings. That includes a jaw-dropping complete-game shutout at Double-A Columbus, where he one-hit Greenville and struck out nine.
He’s also already had a taste of the national stage. At the All-Star Futures Game, Ritchie represented Atlanta alongside Hayden Harris and even got the nod to start, tossing a scoreless inning to kick things off.
For a guy whose MLB ETA was originally pegged at 2027, Ritchie’s proving he’s ahead of schedule. With this kind of momentum, the conversation is shifting from if he’ll reach the Braves rotation to when. And after a week like this, fans are starting to dream big.
