We continue our look at the Braves draft picks, with the 8th through the 15th-round picks. The Braves are still drafting lots of infielders and college players, but they begin to add some good underrated high school picks.
Kurt Fleming (8th round, 254 overall), OF - Only the second high-school player the Braves have taken so far in this draft, the other being the Braves first pick. He is rated the 22nd-best prospect in Virginia and is considered the best athlete in the state, with speed to burn. The Braves should have the inside track on signing him as his dad is the Braves East Coast crosschecker, though Kurt is committed to Army.
David Rohm (9th round, 284 overall), 1B - Also plays third base, but he's a poor defender and will likely wind up at first. He is a pure hitter who uses the whole field with decent power and good speed. He will need to learn to use his power more, but once he does he could be a good prospect.
Matthew Lewis (10th round, 314 overall), RHP - The second straight draftee from a California Junior College, Lewis is out of UC Davis. He's ranked as the 69th-best prospect in California, ahead of the guy he was drafted behind, Rohm (143).
Chasen Shreve (11th round, 344 overall), LHP - From one of the Braves favorite hunting grounds of recent drafts, CC of Southern Nevada, where he was a teammate of Bryce Harper. Shreve has battled arm injuries which have affected his velocity, but he has pitched well lately.
Barrett Kleinknecht (12th round, 374 overall), SS - Another tongue-twisting name on the Braves draft board. He's a Senior shortstop at FMU, and has some of the best plate discipline in the collegiate ranks. He struck out only 14 times in 248 plate appearances. He's got good power and speed to go with that great presence at the plate, all of which should translate well to the pro game.
Brandon Drury (13th round, 404 overall), SS - A nice pick for the Braves here. They nab a high school shortstop who is described as being a "baseball rat." That mentality to want to play may make him a quick sign. He profiles as a decent hitter with good projection. In the field he will likely end up at third base due to a lack of range for the pro game.
Richie Tate (14th round, 434 overall), RHP - The Braves make another nice pick with the 6'6" high school right-hander from Arkansas. He's extremely raw, but already throws hard, though he needs to work on control (he's raw). He's a late bloomer who may be a hidden gem, as not many teams got a look at him. This is a bit of an under-draft, so he may be a tough sign for the Braves.
Corey Brownsten (15th round, 464 overall), C - A Senior catcher from the University of Pittsburgh, and the first catcher taken by Atlanta in the draft. He's a plus defender behind the plate, and while he showed good ability to hit in college, there is some question if that will translate to the wooden bat.