JR Ritchie Impressive In Return From Injury
The Atlanta Braves spent the 35th pick on pitcher JR Ritchie back in 2022, giving him $2.4 million to sign out of high school. He's a highly-regarded right-hander, but an elbow injury has restricted him to just four games this season and 13 games over his three-year career. Prior to his injury, he threw an impressive fastball in the mid-90s, and it's possible he has even gained some velocity during his recovery. He also throws a great changeup and curveball, both of which can be lethal secondary offerings. Ritchie wasted very little time getting back to his old self as he tossed five shutout, no-hit frames last week. He walked one batter along the way while tallying seven strikeouts. It was his first game back in Single-A since 2023, and the results certainly delivered plenty of optimism to those within the Braves organization.
Jul 17
