THE BRAVES: NOT QUITE THERE

The Braves are in a tricky spot. They appear eager to take a step forward in their first season at SunTrust Park. But their farm system, while considered exceptionally deep, was not quite mature enough for them to acquire Sale, and might not be mature enough for them to get, say, the Rays’ Chris Archer.

Such a move hardly is necessary at this stage of the Braves’ rebuilding process, and might even be premature. On the other hand, the addition of a top-of-the-rotation starter to go with Julio Teheran would make the team that much more intriguing and add to the excitement of the SunTrust opening.

A trade for Archer or another Rays pitcher still could happen — the Braves and Rays have been talking for most of the offseason, sources say. But the Braves signed a number of veteran starters to one-year deals because their young pitchers were not ready to make an impact. Some rival clubs, meanwhile, view shortstop Dansby Swanson as the only Braves youngster who could “carry” a blockbuster trade.

Braves officials dispute that assessment — infielder Ozzie Albies, who won the Southern League batting title last season at age 19, is the No. 12 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com. Club officials also are high on the upside of the Braves’ bevy of young pitchers, even though some rival executives and prospect analysts view most of those pitchers as high-risk types with ceilings as mid-rotation starters.

Time will tell; some prospects will exceed expectations, others will flame out. But a year from now, the Braves should be in better position to make firm evaluations on their youngsters — and, if enough of those players progress, better position to get any big piece they need.-foxsports.com