BREAKING: Braves’ New Secret Weapon? Fuentes Dominates in Triple-A Debut!

Didier Fuentes has been on a remarkable run this season. After shining in the Braves’ Spring Breakout game, he hasn’t slowed down — even overcoming a blister to reach Triple-A. In his Gwinnett Stripers debut, Fuentes struck out six over 4 1⁄3 innings, showcasing why he’s one of the top pitching prospects in the organization. At just 19, he’s the youngest pitcher in Triple-A and the first teenager to pitch for the Stripers.

He immediately impressed with elite velocity and movement: a fastball touching 98.4 mph with 17 inches of vertical break, a 2700 RPM curveball, and a splitter at 90 mph. He relied heavily on his fastball — throwing it 58% of the time and generating nine whiffs — and commanded it with impressive precision, especially up in the zone. His secondary pitches still need polish, particularly the curveball’s consistency and the splitter’s separation from the fastball, but both flash MLB-caliber traits.

Even with some mechanical and developmental areas to improve, Fuentes looks like a legitimate future big leaguer. If the Braves need rotation help later this season, his name could be in the mix.