Atlanta Braves pitcher Darius Vines had an incredible MLB debut, as he threw six innings of two-run ball against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Vines, who was called up to take over the Braves fifth rotation slot, is 25 years old.
Vines is a top-10 prospect in Atlanta's system and had pitched very well at Triple-A Gwinnett. However, his outing against the Rockies in the best hitter's park MLB has to offer came as a surprise to Atlanta fans everywhere.
Admittedly, I was wrong about Vines. In a column earlier this week I wrote that Vines could make the September roster, but arguably did not deserve to do so over the likes of Michael Soroka, who is in a bit of a service time cruch. However, if Vines proves capable enough to earn a few quality starts in Atlanta's rotation, it gives the Braves plenty of time to rest 20-game winner Kyle Wright ahead of the postseason.
Braves: Darius Vines mother gets emotional after big-league debut
Vines had a long wait to make the major leagues. He overcame injuries and, frankly, was overlooked in Atlanta's farm system until they literally had few other options. The 25-year-old is the Braves No. 10 prospect, and was selected in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
MLB Pipeline gives Vines credit for his secondary pitches, which in many ways help overcome a subpar fastball.
"While Vines is never going to wow with electric stuff, his feel for pitching has enabled him to get outs at the upper levels of the system. His secondary stuff is better than his fastball, starting with a plus changeup, thrown around 81-82 mph with deception and depth. He'll throw it at any point and commands it well, getting swings-and-misses in and out of the zone."
If Vines continues to pitch at this level, he'll earn at least another two or three times through the Braves rotation. It's great to see him receive an opportunity, especially for the best team in baseball.
