The Braves are going to promote right-handed pitching prospect Didier Fuentes, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The youngster will start tomorrow’s game against the Marlins. Corresponding moves will be required to add him to both the 40-man and active rosters.
It’s an extremely aggressive promotion, as Fuentes only just celebrated his 20th birthday two days ago. A fairly unheralded international signing out of Colombia, Fuentes has raised his stock as he has climbed the minor league ladder. Last year, he tossed 75 2/3 innings at the Single-A level with a 2.74 earned run average. He struck out 32.1% of batters faced while only giving out walks at a 6.9% pace.
That got him some prospect love ahead of 2025, with Baseball America giving him the #7 spot in Atlanta’s system coming into the year. They mentioned his mid-90s fastball and slider, while noting he was still working on a splitter to neutralize lefties.
Here in 2025, he has seemingly raised his stock even farther. He has gone from High-A to Double-A and Triple-A, tossing a combined 39 1/3 innings. The 4.81 ERA might not jump off the page but he has a 28.9% strikeout rate and 7.2% walk rate. He’s been hurt by a 58.4% strand rate, which is why his 2.81 FIP suggests he has deserved better this year.
Coming into the year, FanGraphs listed Fuentes as the #11 prospect in the Atlanta system but they now list him as third in the system and #82 in the entire league. Both FanGraphs and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN use Bryan Woo of the Mariners as a comp for Fuentes.
The Atlanta rotation has taken a few hits this year. AJ Smith-Shawver required Tommy John surgery and Reynaldo López has been sidelined by arthroscopic shoulder surgery. At the moment, the starting group consists of Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes. It’s possible that Fuentes will just be making a spot start. The club just began a stretch of playing 13 games in a row, so he can give all the other starters an extra day of rest in the midst of that, while getting his first taste of the majors.
Photo courtesy of Brett Davis, Imagn Images
theres no better option for a spot start in atlanta than a 20 yr old with a 4.81 era who has made 6 starts above A ball in his life?
On the plus side it’s against the Marlins so it’s almost like facing a AAA team
It’s so they can throw Schwellenbach, Strider, Sale, and Holmes against the Mets next week.
Yeah, let’s beat the crap out of them and Phillies many more times! So much fun!
They wanted to keep the rotation on track to give Schwellenbach, Sale, and Strider the 3 starts against the Phils next week. Only way to do that was to call someone up or throw a bullpen game. Waldrep recently pitched, so he’s not available to come up for Friday’s game. Don’t knock Fuentes until you see him. Evaluating minor league pitchers—and hitters—on stats is pointless. The Braves organization routinely takes away their young pitcher’s best pitches in order for them to develop their secondaries. Minor leaguers are always working on improving their weaknesses. Don’t judge them by their stats alone.
Actually this pushing Schwellenbach back to pitch against the Mets….and it would mean Strider would not pitch against the Phillies.
Yeah you’re right. I mistakenly thought the Braves were playing the Phils on Monday not the Mets. Got the order of the two series reversed.
Throwing against the AAAA Marlins…..
Respectfully, as the article mentions, he’s been victimized by defense/luck, which is why his 2.81 FiP suggests he’s pitched better than his ERA indicates.
Holy rushing the guy Batman!
He’s more than just a warm body. He’s a top 100 prospect they’re adding to the 40 man roster at the age of 20. This is a commitment.
If they wanted a warm body they would have called up Wiles or Waldrep for a spot start.
Waldrep is getting better and could be a ‘real’ possible option for 26. He pitched two days ago so he doesn’t line up off day wise for what they need. Wiles is one of my fav’s (he also just pitched yesterday i believe) but his stuff is so low it is hard to imagine him getting regular starts. Fuentes is a guy everyone has been really excited about similar to Schell last year as far as expectations to break out. Being so young i don’t see how he could stick in the rotation even Next year , but now we will see.
Vernon T Waldrop has prospects. He’s bona fide. But the best part is he wasn’t hit by any train.
Do everyone a favor and change your stupid handle.
Geeze, who took away your lollipop?
I said the commitment is the 40 man roster spot, not the 26 man spot. They can’t remove him from the 40 man roster… So it’s the definition of a commitment.
There’s a good chance he’ll be sent down after the game, but they definitely see him as the 6th best SP in the organization right now, not just “a warm body who will probably get tagged with a loss.”
But now he’s on the 40 man roster and can’t be removed. If they thought they could win with anyone, why didn’t they just go with Peterson, Wiles or Waldrep who were already on the 40 man?
Now they’ll have to use option years on Fuentes and have one less 40 man roster spot.
Didiern it? The article seems to say so.
@darkside Heard the same thing when they promoted schwellenbach after only 8 games above A ball last year. Just a spot start but that’s all it was supposed to be for swelly last year too. So we shall see…
Schwellenbach is a former college star with really good MiLB numbers who was nearly 24. Fuentes hasn’t done much above Low-A and is barely 20. It’s not really even close. Fuentes shows promise, but he should still be in High-A.
Schwellenbach was a shortstop in college and became a closer in his last season of college. Got in all of 18 games as a pitcher in college as a reliever. So no…he was not a “star” pitcher in college. As for Fuentes….you have to look at the underlying numbers. He didn’t go from an unranked prospect in the Braves system to a top 100 prospect in less than a year because he’s done nothing. He’s actually ranked higher than Schwellenbach was when he was called up. So yes…it’s definitely close.
Is he didier than Diddy?
Of course a Mets fan would say this…
No Diddy, but has that Diddy dust for sure
Dude throws racing gas.
Nickname Tito?
When they deal him to SF.
They are just Shuffling the deck in
order to give Schwellenbach, Sale and Strider
each an extra day rest for starts in both the Mets and Phillies series next week! Elder will probably be sent down and called back up later next week or after Phillies series when they will have their next off day. Besides needing a roster spot for Didier, they will need another spot for Profar in the upcoming Angels series.
No minor league assignment for Profar to get him going before joining the big league club? Just straight from the naughty list to back in action?
@Acoss: Profar started his minor league assignment last night at AAA Gwinnett. Went 2-3 w/a walk. He’s eligible to return to action w/the Braves on July 2.
Ah thank you for the information. I didn’t think the team would just re-instate him straight to the big league team. Good luck to your Braves in general!
Wait till we get this bat and the lineup we’ll be crushing teams
I don’t know about crushing, but considering how he takes a walk, along with Acuna/Ozuna/Olson…I’m hopeful there’s less K and more opps for RISP and smart ABs. Now, if Albies/Harris can catch on.
Just turned 20 two days ago.
I read his name as Didler. That would be unfortunate.
They corrected it. I was coming for the didler jokes.
Stop diddling around!
Here is to hoping he pitches better then Elder and remains the #5 starter. He does have electric stuff.
Elder is just too inconsistent. I want to see Elder do good but it needs to happen more often.
Holmes is settling in as a nice SP option. He might be good for the closer role too though.
Elder has pitched better than the Spencer brothers the last 4 games.
Elder has definitely been much better recently. Definitely a serviceable #5 but it’s almost like clock work if he gives up 3 runs in the 1st inning or the 6th because you know it’s coming. Offense needs to keep showing up and he’ll be fine rest of season.
@Smacky
I have the luxury of last night’s start by Strider, but Elder has not been better then Schwellenbach. Elder is a decent #5 start, but he is the #5 starter on this team by a long way.
Holmes WAR 0.7 era+ is 103 (better than average)
Elder WAR 0.1 era+ 92 (8% below average)
Scwellenbach WAR 1.2 era+ 125
Strider WAR 0.3 era+ 106
Elder has pitched very good at times, but Sale, Schwellenbach, Strider, and Holmes are all better options.
Elder got squeezed his last start. If he doesn’t get the corners he is out of options. Elder is doing his thing where for the most part he goes 6 and gives the team chance to win. He is a great 5th starter. By 2026 i am not sure Elder has enough upside to push out the upcoming rest of the prospects. I think Holmes goes back to the pen at that point as well. Both Holmes and Elder should get more credit for what they have done for the team. They are not flashy generally but they both pitched the games of their respective lives in the last 10 days. Maybe that will become the new norm? Elder going 8 with 12 k’s and Holmes getting 15 K’s in 6 and a third (still lost the game 10-1 somehow but not Holmes fault).
Didler should know more than starter Didley Squat.
The braves have Davis Daniel and Nathan Wiles that have more experience that could have taken the spot start instead.
Sucking isn’t experience. It’s just sucking.
Seriously? Guys are bums
Anything further, father? That can’t be right. Isn’t it anything father further?
Any relation to Clint or Tito?
Nice try, Diddy.
Diddy fits him well, like Diddy Kong.
Looking forward to see him pitch. I heard he is hard to pick the ball up on, watched a video of him pitching and his arm slot is low, it’s like he keeps his elbow low on coming over the top. Look forward to seeing him.
that is 100% the Woo comps.
Did they just bump Elder’s start for a 4.81 ERA rookie?
I hope this doesn’t end up being a terrible decision … he’s legit but this is so aggressive
One braves fan I hate is @TradeAcuna