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Braves prospect provides just a hint of why Alex Anthopoulos won't trade for Dylan Cease

Alex Anthopoulos isn't one to hoard prospects. If anything, the Atlanta Braves GM is willing to trade them early and often. Hurston Waldrep isn't most prospects.

By Mark Powell

Philadelphia Phillies v Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia Phillies v Atlanta Braves / Todd Kirkland/GettyImages
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The Atlanta Braves were just one of several teams linked to Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease this offseason. However, Alex Anthopoulos (and the rest of baseball for that matter) deemed the White Sox asking price for Cease too high for his liking, so he pivoted elsewhere.

Anthopoulos was able to acquire Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox for Vaughn Grissom. As talented as Grissom may one day prove to be with his bat, he didn't have a starting spot on this Braves team, which features arguably the best lineup in baseball. Sale, however, can start in the rotation next season and hopefully beyond, as Anthopoulos signed him to a contract extension just days after his arrival in Florida.

Sale is a risk, but he was acquired for cheap. The Red Sox will pay the vast majority of his contract, and the extension Sale signed with the Braves is under market value. If Sale can pitch like he did towards the end of last season without injury (which is the major concern here), then he was a steal.

Braves prospect shows why Anthopoulos didn't trade for Dylan Cease

Beyond Sale, however, the main reason Cease is not in Atlanta or elsewhere right now is the White Sox asking price. The Braves farm system is thin near the top. AJ Smith-Shawver looks like a frontline starter of the future, and he already has MLB experience.

Hurston Waldrep, the Braves first-round pick last season, projects to be a lockdown closer. MLB.com polled front office executives from all 30 teams. One of the questions asked was which prospect projects to be the best future closer. Waldrep finished second only to Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers.

As Jonathan Mayo notes, "Waldrep pitched his way to Triple-A during his pro debut and missed a ton of bats (12.6/9) while also walking a bunch (4.9)." He's not far from the majors and could even contribute to the Braves bullpen this season if he continues to mow down minor-league hitters at that rate.

If Smith-Shawver, and potentially Waldrep, would have to be included in a trade for Cease, it's easy to understand why the Braves would pass.

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