A top Braves prospect undergoes Tommy John surgery

The first week of Braves Spring Training is in the books, and as far as the major-league squad is concerned, everything appears to be trending in the right direction health-wise. On the farm, however, some bad news was recently reported by Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

Braves prospect David McCabe, who played in the Arizona Fall League in 2023, underwent Tommy John surgery in early February, according to a person familiar with the situation. He’s now rehabbing,” Toscano writes.

This is pretty devastating news for McCabe and the Braves farm system as a whole. There aren’t many position players in the minor leagues worth talking about, but McCabe is one of them. His power made him an intriguing prospect coming out of college, and it was on display in his first professional season last year, as he smacked 41 extra-base hits, including 17 homers over 123 games.

David McCabe ended the season in Rome, and 2024 was poised to be a pivotal season in his development. He likely would have begun the season in AA, and as an older prospect set to turn 24, another big year would have put him very close to the major league level.

Tommy John surgery isn’t nearly as devastating for a position player as it is for a pitcher, but it’s doubtful David McCabe will do much defensively this year. He could potentially, however, get a couple of months of at-bats in as a designated hitter in 2024.

Bryce Harper tore his UCL most recently and was back in about six months. The Braves don’t need to rush McCabe back that fast, but it’s not unreasonable to believe he will play at some point in 2024.