When the Braves used their 20th-round pick, number 611 overall, to select an outfielder from Holy Trinity Academy in Alberta, Canada, it barely registered a blip on most draft radars. Yet just months later, that quiet acquisition has turned into one of the more intriguing player development stories in the organization. Eric Hartman’s arrival was anything but ordinary.
A Hefty Bonus for the Braves after a Late-Round Gamble
The selection alone wasn’t shocking. The 20th round is often a dart throw, a place to draft high-upside high schoolers who are more likely to pursue college offers than sign pro deals. But Atlanta made a bold move, offering Hartman a $337,500 signing bonus, far above the slot value for a pick in that range. The investment was enough to sway the teenager from committing to the University of Michigan, a significant coup, given the late round and the uphill battle teams usually face in locking down such prospects.
Expectations for the 2025 season were muted, and reasonably so. Eric Hartman was a final-round flyer, after all, a project. A name that would be quietly stashed in the rookie league, where development is slow, raw, and often unrewarding in the short term. But the Braves’ front office doesn’t hand out above-slot bonuses without doing their homework, and Hartman has started to repay that faith.
Augusta Becomes the Turning Point
After an inauspicious six-game debut in the Florida Complex League that was marred by a minor injury, Hartman was reassigned to Low-A Augusta. It was there, facing older competition and still shaking off the rust, that he began to find his footing. Over 83 games, the 19-year-old posted a .718 OPS, with five home runs and 41 RBI. More telling than the raw numbers, though, was the quality of his approach. A 109 wRC+ and walk rate north of 10% hint at a hitter with an advanced feel for the strike zone, a trait not often found in teenage hitters.
There’s work to be done. His 23.2% strikeout rate shows he’s still getting used to pro-level breaking balls, and there are moments where the swing mechanics need tightening. But there’s a steadiness to his game that has already pushed him ahead of schedule.
2026 Will Be a Crucial Test
As the 2026 season looms, the Braves are expected to take a cautious but optimistic approach. A return to Augusta alongside fellow prospect Owen Carey seems likely to start the year, but both players could be in Rome before long if their bats stay hot. For Hartman, every step forward is a small triumph against the odds, a 20th-rounder not only surviving but thriving.
His journey is just beginning. But with fewer than 100 professional games under his belt, Hartman has already given the Braves something few expected: genuine hope from a long shot.
