IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Four Top Prospects Join Stripers for Playoff Push

Published on August 5, 2019 under International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The Gwinnett Stripers, in conjunction with the Atlanta Braves, have announced the additions of outfielders Cristian Pache and Drew Waters, and pitchers Ian Anderson and Tucker Davidson from Double-A Mississippi. Pache (1), Waters (2), and Anderson (3) are the Braves' top three prospects according to MLB.com, while Davidson (13) is also ranked in the top 15. Pache (11), Waters (27), and Anderson (34) are members of the MLB.com Top 100 Prospects list.

All four players are set to make their Triple-A debuts for the Stripers (66-46), who hold a 3.5-game lead over Durham (63-50) for first place in the International League South Division with 27 regular-season games remaining.

Pache, 20, batted .278 (109-for-392) with 28 doubles, eight triples, 11 home runs, 50 runs, 53 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in 104 games with Mississippi. Through August 4, he ranked among the Southern League top 10 in total bases (2nd, 186), extra-base hits (2nd, 47), doubles (2nd), triples (T-2nd), hits (3rd), at-bats (4th), games (T-5th), slugging percentage (6th, .474), OPS (7th, .814), RBIs (T-7th), and batting (9th). He earned selection to the Southern League All-Star Game and participated in the 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Cleveland. Since signing with Atlanta as a non-drafted free agent on July 3, 2015, the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native has twice been named a Braves Organization All-Star by MiLB.com (2017, 2018). Baseball America rates him as the "Best Defensive Outfielder" in the Braves' system for 2019.

Waters, 20, batted .319 (134-for-420) with 35 doubles, nine triples, five home runs, 63 runs, 41 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases in 108 games during his Double-A debut with the M-Braves. Through August 4, the switch hitter led the Southern League in batting, hits, total bases (202), extra-base hits (49), doubles, triples, at-bats, and games, and ranked in the top 10 in runs (2nd), OPS (2nd, .847), slugging percentage (4th, .481), and on-base percentage (5th, .366). Additionally, he ranked among Minor League Baseball leaders in doubles (T-2nd), games (T-6th), and triples (T-10th). Waters was named the league's Player of the Week for June 10-16 and earned selection to the Southern League All-Star Game. The Woodstock, GA resident was Atlanta's second-round pick in 2017 and was named a Braves Organization All-Star by MiLB.com for 2018.

Anderson, 21, went 7-5 with a 2.68 ERA (33 ER in 111.0 IP), .202 BAA, and 1.16 WHIP in 21 games with Mississippi, including one complete game. Through August 4, the right-hander led the Southern League with 147 strikeouts (T-3rd in MiLB) and ranked among the league's top 10 pitchers in BAA (2nd), starts (T-3rd), ERA (4th), WHIP (6th), wins (T-7th), innings (8th), and GO/AO ratio (9th, 1.00). Anderson was selected to the Southern League All-Star Game and participated in the 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Cleveland. Atlanta's first-round pick (3rd overall) in 2016, the Rexford, NY native was named a Minor League All-Star for 2018 by Baseball America.

Davidson, 23, went 7-6 with a 2.03 ERA (25 ER in 110.2 IP), .224 BAA, and 1.20 WHIP in 21 starts during his Double-A debut with the M-Braves. Through August 4, the left-hander led the Southern League in ERA and ranked among the league's top 10 pitchers in starts (T-3rd), GO/AO ratio (4th, 1.21), strikeouts (5th, 122), BAA (6th), WHIP (7th), wins (T-7th), and innings (9th). Davidson was selected to the Southern League All-Star Game, the first major honor of his four-year career. The Amarillo, TX native was Atlanta's 19th-round pick in the 2016 draft.

With the additions of Pache, Waters, Anderson, and Davidson, the Gwinnett roster now includes nine members of the MLB.com Atlanta Braves Top 30 Prospects list. The Stripers also have pitchers Kyle Wright (4), Bryse Wilson (6), Huascar Ynoa (10), and Patrick Weigel (12), and catcher Alex Jackson (25).

The Stripers begin a six-game road trip on Tuesday night with game one of a three-game series vs. the Rochester Red Wings at Frontier Field. Gwinnett returns home to Coolray Field on Tuesday, August 13 with game one of a three-game series vs. the Columbus Clippers. Tickets for all remaining regular-season home games are on sale now at the Coolray Field Ticket Office and online at GoStripers.com/tickets.

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International League Stories from August 5, 2019


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