On Saturday, the Atlanta Braves will continue their series with the St. Louis Cardinals in Missouri.
They lost by a score of 2-1 on Friday night.
MLB World Reacts To Atlanta Braves Drafting AJ Garcia
GettyThe Atlanta Braves select AJ Garcia ninth overall during the 2026 MLB Draft at Pennsylvania Convention Center on July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Also on Saturday, the Braves selected AJ Garcia with the 9th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.
He is coming off a season where he batted .354 in 56 games at Virginia.
Here’s what people were saying about Garcia:
Underdog MLB: “Braves select OF AJ Gracia with No. 9 overall pick. • Slashed .354/.489/.632 with 14 HR at Virginia this season • Reached base in 51 of 56 games this season; earned All-ACC honors in all 3 of his college seasons”
Mark Bowman: “AJ Garcia says Cody Bellinger is a player he has tried to emulate over the years. He knew the Braves were in the mix, but didn’t know he would be selected until about three minutes before the pick was announced. He is the first collegiate outfielder the Braves have taken in the first round since Mike Kelly in 1991.”
@gvedak: “I think AJ Gracia has the makeup to fly through our system. Tentatively, I have him right behind Eric Hartman for positional prospects. 2028 isn’t out of the realm.”
GettyThe Atlanta Braves select AJ Garcia ninth overall during the 2026 MLB Draft at Pennsylvania Convention Center on July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
@tschulmanreport: “The Atlanta Braves have selected AJ Gracia with the No. 9 pick in the 2026 MLB draft. Back-to-back ACC bats off the board here, he’ll join top outfield names such as Eric Hartman and Diego Tornes in the Braves system.”
@carsontalksball: “I like this pick. AA clearly wants to continue replenishing the farm with bats. Congrats to AJ Gracia!”
@Monty2740: “AJ Gracia to the Braves at #9 makes four Top-10 ACC draft picks! Gracia slugged 74 XBH over three college seasons, walking 152 times. The approach and zone awareness is elite.”
Braves Right Now
GettyChris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning at Busch Stadium on July 10, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
The Braves come into Saturday as the first-place team in the National League East with a 54-39 record in 93 games.
They are 5-5 over their last ten games (and 27-21 in 48 games on the road).
After the All-Star break, the Braves will return home to host the Texas Rangers.
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