The Atlanta Braves are experiencing a disappointing season. As the 2021 World Series champions and a team that has reached the postseason for seven consecutive years, they now face the real possibility of that streak coming to an end. Approaching the midway point of the season, the 2025 Braves find themselves in third place in the National League East, trailing the Philadelphia Phillies by 10 1/2 games.
The issues in Atlanta are multifaceted, but one key area that desperately needs improvement is the bullpen. Manager Brian Snitker has been relying on 35-year-old Raisel Iglesias, whose performance has been inconsistent. Although Iglesias saved 34 games last year and 33 the year before, with only four blown saves each season, the current year has been a different story.
Iglesias has managed just nine saves this season and has already blown four. The Braves are set to part ways with him after this season when his four-year, $ 58 million contract concludes.
Big Upgrade in Closer Role for Atlanta
A trade suggested by Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report on Sunday could address Atlanta’s high-leverage relief issues not just for the remainder of this season, but potentially for the next three years as well.
The trade described by Miller would represent a major upgrade, especially since it would introduce the hardest thrower in baseball, based on Statcast data. This pitcher has accumulated 15 saves for a team that, with a record of 34-52 before Monday’s games, has won four fewer times than Atlanta.
The player in question is Mason Miller, a 26-year-old closer for the team previously known as the Oakland Athletics. After starting his career as a starter in 2023, Miller was moved to the bullpen last season and quickly established himself as one of the league’s most dominant and formidable closers.
According to Statcast, Miller leads all Major League pitchers with an average velocity of 100.8 miles per hour on his four-seam fastball. His fastest pitch recorded in the majors reached an impressive 103.6 mph during last year’s All-Star game.
In contrast, Iglesias ranks 160th in average velocity for his four-seamer, clocking in at 94.5 mph.
Athletics Would be Investing in Future Arms
The B/R writer acknowledges that the trade idea may seem “outrageous,” but defends the potential deal by noting that “even with Miller throwing hard in save situations, the Athletics’ pitching staff is doing its best to keep up with the Rockies for the most runs allowed this season.”
“Parting with a known talent like Miller, who has 4.5 years of team control left, might seem illogical,” wrote the B/R analyst. “However, the possibility of transforming a player who could give you 70 excellent innings into two starting pitchers and a viable closer is worth considering.”
So, who are these three pitchers? According to the B/R trade proposal, they all rank among the top 20 prospects in the Braves’ minor league system.
First up is Drue Hackenburg, the Braves’ No. 4 prospect and a third-round draft pick in 2023. At 23 years old and currently playing at the Double-A level, he has shown an intriguing mix of strikeouts and groundball outs in the minors. He throws both a four-seam and two-seam fastball, with the former reaching up to 97 mph and averaging 94.7 mph last year, while the latter averages over 93 mph, as detailed by MLB Pipeline.
Next is Lucas Braun, another right-handed pitcher at Double-A, ranked No. 9 in the Braves’ system. “Braun’s stuff becomes more effective because he can throw any pitch for strikes, evidenced by a 67-percent strike rate in 2024. It was encouraging to see him perform better after his promotion to Double-A,” the Pipeline scouting report states.
Finally, there’s Rolddy Muñoz, the No. 20 prospect for the Braves, who is currently with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. At 25 years old, Muñoz was an underrated signing from the Dominican Republic in 2018. He has struggled with command but seems to be on the path to securing a high-leverage role in the majors, boasting a four-seam fastball that averages between 97 and 98 mph and has occasionally touched 100 mph, according to MLB Pipeline.
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