2021 Braves MiLB prospect review: Justyn-Henry Malloy

With their sixth round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft the Braves went local to take Georgia Tech’s Justyn-Henry Malloy, a player who started off his college career at Vanderbilt before coming to Atlanta for this past spring. Malloy was highly touted out of high school but never quite found regular playing time at Vanderbilt, which led to him playing multiple positions along the way- something that has increased his value through versatility. However his real value is with the bat, as Malloy is a quality hitter with solid pop in his bat.

Midseason Ranking: Honorable mention

2021 Stats:

Low: A: 147 PA, .270/.388/.434, 5 2B, 5 HR, 4-6 SB, 24 BB, 30 K

What we saw in 2021

Malloy was left off the list at midseason due to the fact he was yet to make his pro debut at the time, though he made a strong case immediately following the list being released posting an .822 OPS over 37 games in Low-A. Malloy showed exactly what you’d hope, drawing nearly as many walks as strikeouts while showing flashes of power. He didn’t get to showcase his versatility, as he played all but three innings at third base- the position he is going to get the first look at to settle into.

What the future holds

Malloy is ticketed for starting 2022 in High-A, but with his ACC and SEC experience it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he earned a midseason promotion to Double-A. His future defensive home is a bit of a question, but he will get a long look at third base before any conclusions are drawn defensively due to the fact he didn’t see regular playing time at one spot for much of his college career.