From Atlanta Braves On SI · · 1m 40s
Braves Prospect Drue Hackenburg Has Path to Majors
Drue Hackenburg, Atlanta Braves' 2023 second-round pick, shows potential to reach MLB by 2027 despite injury setbacks.
In brief
Drue Hackenburg, Atlanta Braves' 2023 second-round pick, shows potential to reach MLB by 2027 despite injury setbacks. Drue Hackenburg, a Braves prospect with a 5.80 ERA at Virginia Tech, has a path to the majors by 2027 after overcoming 2025 injury. Originally reported by Atlanta Braves On SI.
Drue Hackenburg Drafted
Drue Hackenburg was the second-round selection of the Atlanta Braves in the 2023 Draft, one round after the team selected Hurston Waldrep.
Hackenburg's College Stats
He posted a 5.80 ERA during his final year at Virginia Tech, but his strikeouts-per-nine-innings was over 10.
Family Background
Hackenburg is the younger brother of former Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenburg and comes from a family full of professional athletes.
Pitching Style
As a pro, Hackenburg strikes out about twice as many batters as he walks, and yet he lacks a true out pitch.
2024 Success
Hackenburg's first full season of pro ball in 2024 saw him have a phenomenal year, where he led all Braves pitchers in ERA (3.07) and batting average against (.
2025 Injury
2025 saw a major step back as Hackenburg struggled with an oblique injury. He finished the year with an ERA near seven in Double-A Columbus.
2026 Recovery
He came into 2026 trying to right the ship. That included going 3-0 with a minuscule 0.96 ERA in five starts with Columbus.
2026 Performance
He dominated in 28 innings, striking out 26 batters to just five walks, with an opponents' batting average of just .144.
2026 Struggles
When he returned to Gwinnett in June of this year, he faced another reality check. He got hit hard.
In short
Drue Hackenburg, a Braves prospect with a 5.80 ERA at Virginia Tech, has a path to the majors by 2027 after overcoming 2025 injury.
