Inbox: Do Braves have potential ace among prospects?

For all the attention given to trading for high-upside pitching prospects, I don’t see a Braves prospect who could become a true ace. Do you agree? — Tyler F., Buffalo, N.Y.

With prospects Kolby Allard, Ian Anderson, Mike Soroka, Joey Wentz and Touki Toussaint all at least a couple of years away from making it to Atlanta, there are certainly more potential future aces in the lower levels of the Braves’ system. That belief is a product of their projected ceilings and the reality that they have not yet gone through the “weeding” levels that have altered thoughts on pitchers such as Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb.

But just as it’s too early to anoint greatness upon Allard, Anderson, Soroka, Wentz and Toussaint, it’s also too early to pull the plug on Foltynewicz or Newcomb still possibly developing into true aces. Yes, it’s concerning that Newcomb produced 4.6 walks per nine innings at Double-A Mississippi this past season, but the 23-year-old southpaw also posted a 2.04 ERA while limiting opponents to a .176 batting average and producing 3.2 walks per nine innings over his final seven regular-season starts.

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Foltynewicz is just 37 starts into his big league career, and he spent this past summer battling inconsistencies influenced by inexperience and the abbreviated offseason preparations he made after his 2015 season was cut short by a blood clot. He’ll need to improve his command and find more consistency with his offspeed pitches. But at 25 years old, Foltynewicz still has time to take advantage of his his plus fastball complemented by the slider that has proven to be both a weapon …

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