# 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.
- Title: Braves Prospect Drue Hackenburg Has Path to Majors | Shortify
- Summary: Drue Hackenburg, Atlanta Braves' 2023 second-round pick, shows potential to reach MLB by 2027 despite injury setbacks. Drue Hackenburg, a Braves prospect…
- Keywords: drue hackenburg, atlanta braves, 2023 draft, virginia tech, triple-a, double-a, oblique injury, era, strikeouts, batting average, sports, Braves
- Source: Atlanta Braves On SI — https://si.com/mlb/braves/onsi/braves-prospect-report-drue-hackenburg-still-has-path-to-majors
- Published: 2026-10-19T17:00:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: drue hackenburg, atlanta braves, 2023 draft, virginia tech, triple-a, double-a, oblique injury, era, strikeouts, batting average, sports
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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.