Former Eagle cracks Braves top prospects

via @haydenlharris/Instagram

Georgia Southern baseball fans are one step closer to seeing an alumnus suit up for their usually beloved Atlanta Braves.

Relief pitcher Hayden Harris — who played for the Eagles from 2018 to 2022 — was ranked as the No. 30 overall prospect in the Braves’ farm system following a trade involving infielder Sabin Ceballos.

In five seasons in Statesboro, Harris logged an earned run average of 5.30 while striking out 166 batters in 144.1 innings of work. He became a staple in the Eagles’ rotation during the program’s run to the regional round of the 2022 NCAA Baseball Tournament.

After going undrafted in 2022, the 6-foot left-hander was given a chance with the in-state Braves. After working his way up to Double-A in his first full season, Harris has become a mainstay in the Gwinnett Stripers rotation at the Triple-A level this season.

While Harris is knocking on the door of the big leagues, MLB.com projects his arrival to the Major Leagues to come during the 2025 season. If he were to log an appearance with the Braves at the big league level, he would become just the third Eagle to suit up for Atlanta and the first since Jim Morrison spent the 1998 season with the franchise.