By Zane Miller

With the 2026 MLB regular season just having gotten underway to close the book on the long spring training season, there were plenty of players who stood out due to their strong on-field performance in March. For me, however, the one that stood out the most was Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes.

While Fuentes made his MLB debut with the Braves in June of last season just after his 20^th birthday, he would only end up pitching 13 innings over four starts due to shoulder inflammation. None of those starts were particularly great, with his best game being in his debut against the Miami Marlins, going five innings with four earned runs allowed on six hits and a walk as the Braves lost 6-2.

Once spring training rolled around, however, Fuentes showed why he was able to reach the majors so early on his career. Making his first appearance of spring ball in relief on March 7^th facing the Baltimore Orioles, Fuentes had a strong outing with no hits allowed and four strikeouts over two innings pitched, though he did allow a baserunner on a hit-by-pitch as the teams played to a 2-2 draw.

March 13^th saw Fuentes get the start against the New York Yankees, doing even better with no hits or walks in his three innings, striking out five along the way for an eventual 7-6 Braves win. Going back to the bullpen for his March 18th appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies, Fuentes had his workload increased as he took the mound for the final four innings. This was where the team’s third-ranked prospect had his most impressive showing, as he dominated with eight strikeouts while continuing to not allow a single baserunner. By now, Fuentes had racked up 17 strikeouts in nine total innings pitched, with the hit-by-pitch of Orioles prospect Colin Yeaman being the only thing keeping him from what would amount to a perfect game had these innings been pitched continuously.

While Fuentes’ final appearance of the spring saw him finally give up a hit versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 23^rd, it was nonetheless another solid one with a lone earned run allowed on two hits and a walk over four and two-thirds innings. With that, the native Colombian was named to the opening day roster for the first time in his still young career. Of course, with the difference in intensity between spring training and the regular season it’s unlikely that his stats will reach that same level early on, but it certainly bodes well with Fuentes expected to be used out of the bullpen as a long reliever in the immediate future.

Photo Credit: Chattanooga Times Free Press