J.R. Graham Archives - All Mississippi Baseball

a step forward

Mississippi Braves right-hander J.R. Graham finally got his first win of 2014, throwing five shutout innings tonight against Chattanooga at Trustmark Park. It has been an uneven year for Graham, 24, ranked as Atlanta’s No. 3 prospect in preseason. Coming back from a shoulder injury that abruptly ended his 2013 campaign in May, Graham has been on a short leash. In only three of his 13 starts has he pitched five innings, and 5 1/3 is the deepest he has gone. He went into tonight’s start with an 0-3 record and 5.27 ERA, though the team was 7-5 in his games. It once looked like just a matter of time before Graham made the big leagues. He may have work to do now to get back on that path. He looked sharp against the Lookouts, consistently hitting the mid-90s while yielding just three hits and fanning three with no walks. He threw 48 of 74 pitches for strikes. Three relievers, including new closer James Hoyt, preserved the 1-0 victory.

a pair of aces?

J.R. Graham is back in Mississippi today because of a setback in his career. Jason Hursh arrived in Double-A a little ahead of expectations. The Mississippi Braves — and fans of the club — may be the beneficiaries of this turn of events. Graham is Atlanta’s No. 3-rated prospect (by Baseball America) and fellow right-handed starter Hursh is No. 4. They’ll anchor the rotation for a team that’s gunning to make the Southern League postseason for a second straight year. Graham, 24, a fourth-round pick in 2011 out of Santa Clara, first arrived in Pearl in 2012. After going 9-1 with a 2.63 ERA at Class A Lynchburg to start that season, he went 3-1, 3.18 in nine starts for the M-Braves. He got a long look for the big league staff in the spring of 2013, then returned to Mississippi for some more seasoning. But his season came to an abrupt halt on May 13, when he experienced shoulder pain. He didn’t pitch again. “I feel good,” Graham said at the M-Braves’ media day on Tuesday. “It’s exciting to be back in uniform.” The 5-foot-10 Graham, who blends excellent control with an upper-90s fastball, pronounced himself “100 percent.” He said he was throwing close to his old velocity (98 at times) and had all of his pitches working this spring. “We’re totally thrilled to have J.R. back,” said M-Braves manager Aaron Holbert. “It was nice to see him working on the mound again. … He’s a guy we were really counting on last year.” Hursh, 22, was Atlanta’s first-round pick last June out of Oklahoma State. The 6-foot-3 Texan, who had Tommy John surgery in 2011, has been put on a fast track by the Braves. He was sent to low Class A Rome last summer — skipping rookie and short-season A ball — and fared well: 1-1, 0.67 ERA in nine games. He was invited to Atlanta’s big league camp this spring and pitched well enough to earn a shot at Double-A, again skipping a level, which the Braves don’t often do with their prospects. “I was a little surprised,” Hursh said. “But it’s a good spot to be in. I consider it a privilege to be here, and I think I can compete.” Holbert said there might be a “learning curve” for Hursh early on. “But it’ll be fun to see his progress,” he added.