Braves' Luke Waddell: Drafted by Atlanta

Atlanta has selected Waddell with the 157th pick in the 2021 first-year player draft.

The Georgia Tech shortstop stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 176 pounds. Waddell boasts average contact ability, but he sacrificed some of that this season in an effort to hit for more power. His primary calling card at the plate is a refusal to strike out; his strikeout rate was just 5.7 percent in 2021. Defensively, Waddell does everything well but nothing exceptionally enough to be a mainstay at shortstop in the long run. Age is also working against him, as he's already 23 years old.