Well the Braves made their first of likely a handful of notable trades this trade deadline, trading two fringey pitching prospects for Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter from the Royals. Thomas will fit the role of a platoon outfielder and pinch hitter who can hit lefty pitching well and be a plus baserunner as needed. He should have a fairly concrete, if limited role. Falter is a more interesting case, as he has at times been a serviceable fifth starter at the major league level. What makes Falter so interesting to me is that he has what should be a really premium fastball, even sitting in the low 90s, with over 18 inches of induced vertical break and 97th percentile extension coming from the left side. The problem for him has been that he hasn’t been able to develop a remotely respectable second pitch, let alone a third or fourth pitch. That said, that fastball is one heck of a starting point and is the type of pitch that could make him an interesting option out of the bullpen very easily, especially if the Braves can work with him to find any sort of second pitch that can work at the major league level.
