Two of the Atlanta Braves’ top pitching prospects have been moved up to higher levels in the minor leagues. A roster update from Double-A Columbus revealed that right-handed pitcher JR Ritchie is being promoted from High-A Rome to Double-A, while right-hander Jhancarlos Lara is moving up from Double-A to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Ritchie has been dominating with High-A Rome to start the 2025 season. In seven starts, he’s posted an impressive 1.30 ERA. His most recent outing, which likely earned him the promotion to Double-A Columbus, was a complete-game, one-hit shutout where he struck out nine and walked one batter. Remarkably, he only needed 95 pitches to finish the game, giving him a Maddux (a complete game in under 100 pitches) to cap off his time in High-A.
Ritchie is currently ranked as the Braves’ No. 6 prospect, according to MLB.com. This marks his first healthy season since recovering from Tommy John surgery, which he completed last year. Before being promoted, he posted a 1.95 ERA in seven appearances with Single-A Augusta and then moved up to High-A Rome toward the end of 2024.
On the other hand, Lara’s season has been less successful, even though he’s been promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett. In six appearances (five starts), he’s struggled with an 11.21 ERA over 17 2/3 innings in 2025. After spending his first five starts in the rotation, he was used out of the bullpen in his latest appearance. In that outing, Birmingham batters managed three hits, including a home run, and a walk, which led to three runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Home runs have been an ongoing issue for him, as he’s allowed one in five of his six outings this season.
To improve, Lara needs to focus on keeping the ball in the park, as limiting home runs would be a significant step forward. His scouting report highlights his slider as his best pitch, graded at 60 on the 20-80 scale, indicating it’s a “plus” offering. His fastball is also rated 55, which is above average.
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