New Braves prospect with incredible story enjoys solid debut with Triple-A Gwinnett
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There may be only one current top prospect who was cut -- twice -- from his high school baseball team as well as once from a college club team. But that's what makes Tyler Uberstine so unique.
The 27-year-old right-handed pitcher became a Brave earlier this week when he was acquired from the Red Sox in return for outfielder Eli White. Uberstine, now Atlanta's No. 26 prospect, made his organizational debut on Thursday, tossing a scoreless inning in Triple-A Gwinnett's 2-0 win over Jacksonville at Gwinnett Field.
Uberstine made his Major League debut this past April with Boston. It was the culmination of an incredible rise for a pitcher who was cut twice from the baseball team at Chaminade Prep in Los Angeles, worked hard to gain velocity on a fastball that topped out around 90 mph in college, was a 19th-round Draft pick by the Red Sox in 2021 and then missed nearly two years of action following right elbow surgery.
Uberstine's heater now maxes out at 96 mph, and it plays up thanks to its impressive induced vertical break. He also possesses a sinker with a little less velocity, a mid-80s changeup with fade, plus a fringy slider and an upper-80s cutter. Through 20 appearances (three starts) this season for three Minor League clubs, Uberstine has struck out 48 batters in 40 innings and logged a 3.15 ERA with a .206 opponents' batting average.
He might be a member of Atlanta's bullpen soon. Regardless, he's already beaten the odds to realize his big league dreams.