Braves rumors: Pete Alonso feud, Kyle Wright update, top prospect call-up

Braves rumors: Prospect moving swiftly up the ranks

Kyle Wright won't be the only player in Rome for Braves fans to keep a close eye on right now. Atlanta's No. 5 overall prospect is going to get the chance to shine with the Rome Braves as well.

Owen Murphy was the Braves' first-round pick in 2022 after he won the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year Award. He's on the verge of turning 20 and just got the call-up from Single-A August to High-A Rome.

With the GreenJackets, Murphy went 6-3 with a 4.71 ERA in 18 games. He maintained a WHIP of 1.27. Stepping up a level will give the righty a test to prove he's on track to win a place in the Braves lineup down the line.

MLB Pipeline projects Murphy to be ready for the bigs by 2026. They see him having "the chance to sit in the middle of a big league rotation."

The Braves system is fully stocked with pitching prospects like Murphy, who was the No. 2-ranked prospect at the end of last year. Now, AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep, Spencer Schwellenback and Cade Kuehler, all pitcher, sit in front of him. Waldrep and Kuehler were 2023 draft picks.