The Braves' top trade chips this winter

Ranking the Atlanta Braves top trade chips entering the offseason.

The Atlanta Braves have not won a playoff series since 2021.

They have won just one playoff series in the last five seasons.

That lone win came this year, when they beat the Philadelphia Phillies in a three-game Wild Card Series.

The Braves won 94 games in the regular season.

But after watching the Milwaukee Brewers dismantle the Los Angeles Dodgers — the team that knocked Atlanta out — many observers concluded this was not a club close to its ultimate goal.

The Braves won the World Series in 2021.

Since then, they have kept their core group together.

They have filled in around the margins, hoping to find the right combination to get back to the top.

It has not worked.

That raises a question: how much longer can they keep doing the same thing and hope for better results?

Eventually, the Braves must take a swing if they want to win another championship with this core.

That core will soon be broken up, one way or another.

Ozzie Albies has just one season remaining on his contract.

Ronald Acuña Jr. will be a free agent in two years.

Matt Olson is not getting any younger.

This very well could be the final season of Chris Sale’s career.

If there were ever a time to make a blockbuster trade, it is this offseason.

So what do the Braves have to offer in trade talks?

The report ranks the Braves’ top trade chips entering the offseason.

Here are the three most notable names.

NUMBER 5: JR RITCHIE

JR Ritchie is 23 years old.

He tossed over 73 innings for the major-league club this year.

His results were inconsistent.

He recorded a 4.91 ERA.

However, he would still be regarded as a top-100 prospect if he had not burned his prospect eligibility this season.

Teams around the league still value him in trade conversations.

For a real blockbuster, the Braves would have to include more than just Ritchie.

But he is a name that will come up in discussions.

NUMBER 4: CAM CAMINITI

Cam Caminiti is the top-ranked pitching prospect in the Braves system.

He has legitimate frontline potential at the major-league level.

He showed that potential over his final six starts after a promotion to Double-A Columbus.

In those six starts, he posted a 2.01 ERA.

He averaged north of a strikeout per inning during that stretch.

This is the point on the list where the Braves could start bringing in game-changing talent in a blockbuster.

Caminiti is the kind of prospect that could headline a deal for an established star.

NUMBER 3: ERIC HARTMAN

Eric Hartman is the top prospect in the Braves organization, according to most prospect outlets.

He is a true five-tool athlete.

He has power, speed, and an incredible arm.

All of those tools were on display during his memorable run in Rome this season.

In fewer than 100 games, he hit 24 home runs.

He also stole 38 bases.

He is a player the Braves would have a real tough time parting with.

But the report notes there is a scenario where the organization might want to sell high.

Hartman was not a highly regarded player coming into the system.

His value has skyrocketed after this season.

That could make him a prime trade chip if the Braves want to maximize his return.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Braves are at a crossroads.

Their championship window is still open, but it is narrowing.

The core that won in 2021 is aging and approaching free agency.