Atlanta Braves

Braves pitching prospect Kolby Allard set to make major-league debut

Published Jul. 30, 2018 6:06 p.m. ET

Zach Dillard

Following in the footsteps of Mike Soroka and Ronald Acuña Jr., left-handed pitching prospect Kolby Allard is the next highly anticipated rookie the Atlanta Braves will debut in 2018. The 20-year-old is expected to start Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins.

The franchise's 2015 first-round pick has lived up to his billing in the minor leagues.

Allard, a 6-foot-1 southpaw out of San Clemente, Calif., owns a career 2.96 ERA in 353 career innings as a professional, striking out 323 batters with 103 walks. He's a three-pitch pitcher with great command of a fastball that typically sits in the low-90s while mixing in a plus changeup and curveball. Allard responded to an aggressive push up through the farm system by posting a 3.27 FIP at Double-A Mississippi last year then nearly matching the mark for Triple-A Gwinnett in 2018.

In 18 starts for the Stripers, Allard claims a 2.80 ERA with 87 strikeouts and 33 walks.

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Allard, who turns 21 next month, is considered a consensus top-100 prospect and ranked as Atlanta's sixth-best in our 2018 preseason prospect composite.

Though this may be a spot start opportunity for the young lefty, he steps in for a roster desperately needing of quality outings from its rotation. With Soroka and Brandon McCarthy on the 60-day disabled list and veteran Julio Teheran's two-year run of struggles, the Braves are relying on fellow rookie left-hander Max Fried and surprise pickup Aníbal Sanchez to help support All-Star Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb.

Now Allard gets his first chance.