Braves Curious MLB Draft Leaves More Questions Than Answers
The Atlanta Braves were set up to add two high-end prospects to their system during the 2026 MLB Draft this weekend.
Atlanta had the ninth and 26th overall picks in the first round, but the Braves made two surprising picks. With the ninth overall pick, Atlanta could have taken an elite prospect who could very well be a top-100 prospect in a year or two.
However, the Braves ended up selecting AJ Gracia, an outfielder from Virginia. Gracia was ranked 19th by MLB Pipeline heading into the draft, while at 26th, Atlanta selected Carter Beck, an outfielder from Indiana State. Beck, who's from Canada, was ranked as the 193rd prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
Although the MLB Draft is different than other pro sports due to each team having a different amount of money to spend, and teams can spread that money around through the draft, the Braves took a surprising swing.
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Gracia is expected to sign below the slot value of the pick, and Beck will go well below. However, using both first-round picks on two below-slot picks is a major surprise and risk. Atlanta had a chance to select two top prospects who could help them win in a couple of years, or who could be traded next year or in the coming years for impact MLB players.
Instead, Atlanta decided to save money by selecting Gracia and Beck to try to sign other players they selected later on in the draft.
Gracia hit .354 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs at Virginia last season. Beck, meanwhile, hit .346 with 16 home runs and 59 RBIs. Yet, there are questions on how Beck will do against high-level pitching, as Indiana State didn't play the best competition, so using a first-round pick on him was a surprise.
Most MLB teams draft senior college baseball players to save money in rounds 2-10, the Braves' use of both of their first-round picks on money savers is a major risk.
Perhaps Gracia and Beck will develop into solid MLB players, but the Braves' draft leaves more questions than answers.
Why Did The Braves Take Beck & Gracia?
Although Gracia was picked around 10+ picks early, Beck was the major shock of the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft, as he was even surprised to get picked.
However, Braves analyst Mark Bowman of MLB.com revealed the key reason why Atlanta selected the Canadian outfielder.
"Beck wasn't projected as a first-round pick -- and not necessarily a second- or third-rounder, either. But because he will sign for less than the $3.58 million slot value attached to the 26th pick, the Braves can use the money saved to sign the two highly regarded high school pitchers, Kaiden McCarthy (No. 48) and Jensen Hirschkorn (No. 84), they took with their third and fourth picks, respectively, on Saturday," Bowman wrote.
If the Braves can sign McCarthy and Hirschkorn out of their college commitments, then perhaps the 2026 MLB Draft will be a promising one for Atlanta.
In rounds 5-10, Atlanta also selected two senior players to further save money in hopes of signing the high school players. But, for right now, the Braves' draft is a weak one, despite having plenty of money and two top-30 picks.
Related: The Best Trades In Braves History, Ranked
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 12:45 PM.