haven’t we met?

Aaron Holbert may be new to the Atlanta Braves’ organization, but the Mississippi Braves’ manager already is quite familiar with a number of players he may be in charge of next April. Holbert, hired by Atlanta last month as the new skipper of the Double-A M-Braves, managed the previous four seasons in the Cleveland system. He faced Atlanta’s Class A Rome club in 2008 and 2009 in the South Atlantic League and the high-A Myrtle Beach and Lynchburg teams in 2010 and this past season in the Carolina League. He also was a coach on a Carolina League All-Star team last summer that included shortstop Andrelton Simmons, first baseman Joey Terdoslavich and outfielder Adam Milligan, all highly regarded Braves prospects who could be in Pearl in 2012. “I’ve seen a lot of the guys who might be there,” Holbert said in a recent phone interview. “I’ve seen some of the ones who were there this season — Mycal Jones, (Zeke) Spruill, (Cory) Harrilchak. … I managed against Simmons and Terdoslavich and (Braeden) Schlehuber last year. I’m familiar with them and I know what they’re capable of doing. They’re familiar with me, too. That should make it easier for me to lead them next season.” Holbert was the Carolina League manager of the year in 2011 and has been pegged as a big league managerial prospect by Baseball America. Holbert, who’ll be 39 next year, was playing in the minors as recently as 2006. The hope is he can inject some youthful energy into an M-Braves club that hasn’t made the Southern League playoffs since winning the pennant in 2008.
P.S. Terdoslavich (.321 with three homers and 14 RBIs), catcher Christian Bethancourt (.306, 5, 13) and outfielder Todd Cunningham (.250, 11 RBIs) — all candidates for the M-Braves’ roster in 2012 — will play for Surprise in Saturday’s Arizona Fall League championship game. Surprise posted a 26-10 regular season record. The Saguaros will play Salt River at 2 p.m. in a game to be televised by MLB Network. … Former Southern Miss star and Minnesota shortstop prospect Brian Dozier hit .296 with three homers and 22 RBIs in his AFL stint. Dozier will bid for a job in the majors in the spring.