While Braves general manager Frank Wren continues to scour for two starting pitchers, it's becoming more clear why he refuses to trade Atlanta's top prospects, like pitcher Tommy Hanson and catcher Tyler Flowers.
Righthander Hanson has been the most dominant pitcher in the AFL. The Braves will certainly give him the chance to make the club's starting rotation in Spring Training.
Hanson has dominated in every outing this fall and this past Monday was no exception. Over five innings, he gave up just one hit, walked two and struck out 10.
Hanson is now 5-0 with a microscopic 0.64 ERA. Over 28 1/3 innings, he’s given up just 10 hits, walked seven and struck out 49.
To find the last pitcher to record more strikeouts in the AFL, you have to go all the way back to 2002 when Bobby Jenks was still a starting pitcher and struck out 54 (over 42 innings) for Scottsdale.
Hanson wasn’t the only Braves prospect making waves Monday. Catcher Tyler Flowers also had another great game. He went 3-for-4 with his 12th home run of the fall.
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Source: Baseball America online.
Tyler Flowers was in the Braves Spring Training camp last March.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt