On Wednesday, the Atlanta Braves announced their first wave of Spring Training cuts, trimming 10 players off of their Grapefruit League roster.
On Thursday, at least one new player was added to that list. According to Grant McAuley, highly-touted pitching prospect Sean Newcomb has been reassigned to minor-league camp.
#Braves reassigned LHP Sean Newcomb to minor league camp. He's headed to Gwinnett this year with a chance to build of strong finish to 2016.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) March 9, 2017
Since being acquired by the Braves in the Andrelton Simmons deal, Newcomb has seen his prospect stock fall a bit. The flamethrowing lefty hasn’t necessarily gotten worse per se, his development just seems to have stagnated.
Still, as a southpaw who can touch 98 with ease, it’s not as though Newcomb has become persona non grata; Atlanta remains intrigued by his sky-high potential.
In their most recent Spring Training game, the Braves got a glimpse of the top-shelf arm they expected when they traded for the Hartford product.
In two innings, Newcomb allowed just one hit while fanning four and walking none.
As McAuley notes, Newcomb did end the year strong and “we could see him later this summer.” Even with Atlanta’s glut of pitching, there’s a strong chance he could be near the top of Atlanta’s list when it comes time for someone to make a spot start.
At age 23, Newcomb is getting up there in prospect years. However, many have identified him as a classic late-bloomer candidate. Between playing for a small school and playing in the northeast, he didn’t have the opportunity to play against elite competition or play year round.
If he can finally learn to harness his electric stuff, Newcomb has the potential to be a big part of Atlanta’s future and a staple in the starting rotation. Even if he remains erratic, his ability to rack up strikeouts could still allow him to be an excellent reliever.
The upcoming season could determine whether his eventual role will be in the rotation or the pen.
Scott Ferris covers the Braves as a Staff Writer for Outside Pitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter @ScottHFerris
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