a look (way) ahead

Here’s a way-too-early forecast – some six months before the first game — of what the 2017 Mississippi Braves might look like: One of the “star attractions” could be power-hitting second baseman Travis Demeritte, rated Atlanta’s No. 9 prospect. Demeritte was acquired by the Braves in a trade with Texas in mid-summer. A Ron Gant-type, he hit .266 with 28 homers and 70 RBIs on the year, which he finished at high-A Carolina (the team that will be in Florida next year). With Ozzie Albies ahead of him in the pipeline, Demeritte might be shifted to third base. Outfielder Braxton Davidson didn’t have a great year at Carolina — .224, 10 homers, 63 RBIs, lots of strikeouts – but the No. 24 prospect is still a logical candidate for a job in Pearl. Might as well challenge him in Double-A. It wouldn’t be a big surprise to see Jacob Schrader back at first base, Carlos Franco at third and Connor Lien, Joey Meneses and injury-plagued Sean Godfrey in the outfield. Infielder Johan Camargo played well enough (.267, six triples, 43 RBIs, 46 runs) to rate a promotion, but he’d be a nice fit as the regular shortstop in 2017 after bouncing around the infield this past year. At catcher, pencil in Kade Scivicque, the ex-Southwest Mississippi Community College star, and Joseph Odom. Both came up late in 2016, Scivicque after being picked up in a trade. Other candidates for promotion from the high-A club include infielders Luis Valenzuela and Ryan Gebhardt and outfielder Keith Curcio, who got some ABs with the M-Braves in the playoffs. The pitching staff could be manned by familiar faces like Max Povse, Patrick Weigel and A.J. Minter and Double-A rookies such as Touki Toussaint and Max Fried, all top 30 prospects from the Braves’ abundant stable of quality young arms. The M-Braves, who reached the Southern League Championship Series this season, will take up the next chase for that elusive second pennant on April 6. But take heed, fans: The 2017 season will be Year 13 for the team at Trustmark Park. P.S. Disappointing to see that Roger McDowell, the ex-Jackson Mets standout, won’t be back as Atlanta’s pitching coach in 2017. From all indications, he had done a good job over his 11 seasons in that role. The Braves have lot of questions about their pitching staff heading into next year. Apparently they want someone new to search for the answers.