Ritchie could be latest Braves' pitching prospect to burst into bigs

ATLANTA -- A little less than a full decade ago, JR Ritchie was a 5-foot-4 seventh grader who had aspirations to become the NFL’s next Brett Favre. The 6-foot-2 hurler now has legit aspirations to become the Braves’ next impressive young starting pitcher.

Ritchie, whom MLB Pipeline ranks as Atlanta's No. 2 prospect and No. 86 overall, brightened his career and the Braves’ future as he shot through the team’s farm system this year. The 22-year-old hurler posted a 2.64 ERA while making a combined 26 starts over three levels. He is expected to be invited to big league Spring Training for the first time in 2026.

Ritchie’s rise over the past year significantly strengthened the Braves’ starting-pitching depth. The club will enter this season knowing that Ritchie could prove to be ready for the Majors at some point in the coming season.

A recent trend of Atlanta's bodes well for the young right-hander.

Spencer Strider became one of the game’s top strikeout artists during his 2022 rookie season, while Bryce Elder came out of nowhere to gain an All-Star selection in 2023. Spencer Schwellenbach became an instant star in 2024, and Hurston Waldrep flashed his bright future at the end of this past season.

Though Ritchie will most likely begin 2026 at the Triple-A level, he could be a strong midseason addition like Schwellenbach and Waldrep were the past two years.

Ritchie was taken by the Braves with the 35th overall pick in the 2022 Draft, but he has had just one full unrestricted season at the pro level. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, pitched with innings restrictions in 2024 and then thrived once the training wheels were removed this past season.

After dominating the High-A level and proving himself in Double-A, Ritchie showed both his durability and talent at the Minor League’s highest level. He finished 2025 by posting a 3.02 ERA over 11 starts for Triple-A Gwinnett. The 11.1% walk rate Ritchie produced at the top level may have been a product of fatigue, or just an indication he still needs more seasoning.

Ritchie stood just 5-foot-4 as a seventh grader, but he grew seven inches that year and eventually measured at 6-foot-1, 150 pounds as a high school freshman. He was throwing a fastball that touched 91 mph and a 78 mph curveball. It was evident he might have a good future. Former Braves farmhand Kevin Gunderson took notice and began training the blossoming hurler.

Ritchie’s sophomore season was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he excelled during his final two seasons at Bainbridge High School (Wash.) and received a $2.4 million signing bonus from the Braves. His early childhood love for football led to “Brett Favre” being two of the earliest words he ever uttered.

But he’s now closer to following in the footsteps of one of his teenage idols, former Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson.

“I started growing my hair out when I was about 15 years old because of Dansby,” Ritchie said. “Really, I wanted Dansby’s hair. I didn’t get it. My hair was too curly. It was worth a shot.”

This may be the year when the Braves decide it’s worth a shot to see if Ritchie is indeed ready.