Braves Minor League Recap: Hackenburg; De Granpre Pitch Well

Braves minor-league action on Tuesday featured strong outings from two pitching prospects even though the final results varied. Drue Hackenberg, pitching for Gwinnett Stripers, produced one of his best starts of the season through the first five innings, limiting Memphis Redbirds to one run and one walk while striking out seven. The performance deteriorated late: in the sixth inning his command slipped, allowing three walks and runs before he was pulled. Despite that, the article highlights his curveball as a key weapon, with 10 of 14 whiffs attributed to it and an overall 42% usage without hard contact. It also notes fatigue concerns, as the outing reached a season-high in innings pitched and involved a late fastball drop in velocity. Meanwhile, Cedric De Grandpre crossed the 100-strikeout mark with another strong showing for Columbus, continuing to build his “names to watch” profile for the second half. In the game, Gwinnett lost to Memphis 6-11.