NORTH PORT, Fla. – Didier Fuentes’ three scoreless innings against the Yankees on Friday wasn’t just one of the most impressive performances by a Braves pitcher this spring. It was also the realization of a dream.
“My dream has always been to pitch against the Yankees, especially against [Cody] Bellinger, because he’s one of the guys I always watched on TV,” Fuentes said with Braves coach Eddie Pérez serving as an interpreter.
Fuentes’ five-strikeout performance was filled with stellar pitches. One of those was a 98.7 fastball that Bellinger swung through to end the first inning. The young righty’s four-seamer averaged 97.1 mph, up from the 96 mph average the pitch produced during his four big league starts last year.
But while Fuentes' fastball has more life, the more significant change is with his breaking ball, which has graduated to another level. When it averaged 83.7 mph last year, it was classified as a sweeper. This same pitch touched 88.6 mph and averaged 87 mph on Friday. So, it’s now a slider.
The Yankees might have other names for the pitch. They whiffed with four of the six swings they took against it.
“He has three above-average pitches,” Braves pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said. “The changeup is still coming in terms of location, but the shape is really good. He's taken to this harder slider, and the fastball is real, obviously.”
As Fuentes has collected nine strikeouts without issuing a walk or allowing a hit over five scoreless innings in two Grapefruit League appearances, he has shown why MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Braves’ No. 3 prospect. More importantly, he appears much more ready than he was when he was prematurely asked to compete against Major Leaguers last season.
Fuentes’ June 20 MLB debut occurred three days after his 20th birthday. But more importantly, when he went from Double-A Columbus to the Majors, he had thrown just 26 innings above the High-A level. His arsenal was limited to the decent fastball and the softer slider, aka the sweeper.
Considering the lack of experience and limited repertoire, it wasn’t surprising when he posted a 13.85 ERA during those four starts with Atlanta.
Will Fuentes be ready when the Braves need him this year? There’s no doubt he could benefit from a chance to continue working on his splitter (which he calls a changeup). Adding this offspeed delivery will give him a change-of-pace pitch.
Fuentes’ arsenal is now similar to the one Spencer Strider had when he burst on the scene in 2022. But Strider was 23 at the time, and his experience had included facing top ACC talent while pitching for Clemson.
“Last year was very tough because I didn’t know much,” Fuentes said. “But I feel comfortable now, especially having a Spring Training. I’m feeling good right now, and if I continue to feel like this I’m going to put up some good numbers.”
With Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep expected to be sidelined until late June and possibly into July, Fuentes might be needed during the early part of the regular season. He’s on the 40-man roster, so he could get the call ahead of JR Ritchie (Braves' No. 2 prospect).
Being on the 40-man actually makes Fuentes a candidate to possibly spend the season’s first couple weeks on Atlanta’s roster. But regardless of when he gets the call, it looks like this next big league stint will be far better than the previous one.