Atlanta Braves’ Prospect Patrick Clohisy Stealing Headlines In Arizona

Patrick Clohisy is an Atlanta Braves prospect and latest youngster to run wild in the Arizona Fall League – where each year little-known players sprint to success.

The 23-year-old outfielder is 7-for-7 in five games for the Glendale Desert Dogs. That gives the Atlanta Braves prospect a whopping 86 steals in 103 attempts in 2025. So far.

“Just trusting myself – trusting the reads, trusting my speed and really not holding back,” Clohisy told Jesse Borek of MLB.com earlier this week about his approach to the game. “Always trying to be aggressive and never taking my foot off the gas.”

Despite his 83% success rate on steals this year, Clohisy is not ranked among the top 30 prospects in the Braves system by MLB Pipeline. To fully utilize his speed, the 5-foot-10 left-hander must get on base.

In 157 games in the minors the past two seasons, he has 68 walks, 131 strikeouts. A ratio closer to 50-50 would help lift his ordinary .332 career on-base percentage. And some more extra-base hits could improve a very poor .340 slugging percentage.

That’s why the Braves sent him west. They like two aspects of his game, including good fielding at all three outfield spots. This fall, more plate appearances could help his pitch selection and strike-zone judgment

Clohisy is an 11th-round draft choice who got $150,000 to sign as the 341st overall choice in 2024. He’s is trying to become only the eighth player of 60 selected at that spot to play MLB ball.

Relief pitcher Lou Trivino and first baseman Broderick Perkins have had the best careers of players chosen at No. 341.

Trevino in 2025 was with two teams that made the post-season. He had a 2-1 record, 3.76 ERA with the Los Angeles Dodgers, was released and went 0-1 with a 2,00 ERA after signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in August. In 332 games since 2018 with five teams, he’s 24-27 with 37 saves and a 3.87 ERA.

Perkins hit .271 over 516 games for the San Diego Padres (1978-82) and Cleveland Indians (1983-84)

What’s A Billiken?

Clohisy hit .345 with 17 homers and 48 steals in 51 attempts as a Billiken. That was at St. Louis University, where the athletic teams are called the Billikens. It is not easy to describe. To understand the history of the unique nickname, click here.

The school is most known as a soccer power, having won 10 NCAA men’s championships. There also have been 24 Billikens to make it to the majors, mostly unknown except for the very first big-league ballplayer from the school, Hall of Famer Charles Comiskey.

His legendary MLB career started at age 22 for the St. Louis Browns of the American Association. He became player-manager a year later. In 1887, the first baseman had a career year, batting .335 with 101 RBI and 117 stolen bases and only 11 strikeouts.

He eventually bought a minor-league team, moved it to Chicago and in 1901 the White Sox played in the first American League game.

Arizona Roadrunners

Clohisy’s swift start is reminiscent of recent AFL stars who are now sprinting in MLB. Last year, Caleb Durbin went 29-for-30 in the AFL. Now, he’s in the National League Championship Series with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Durbin also led the AFL in 2023 with 21 steals, followed by outfielder Victor Scott II (18) who went 34-for-38 this year for the St. Louis Cardinals and Jackob Marsee (16), who stole 47 at Triple-A Jacksonville and xx more after getting called up by the Miami Marlins.

Fifteen of the top 20 base-stealers in the 2022 AFL have advanced to MLB. All are still trying to find their footing in all aspects of the game to become regulars.

The list includes outfielders Lawrence Butler of the Athletics, Jasson Dominguez of the New York Yankees, Johan Rojas of the Philadelphia Phillies and Zac Veen of the Colorado Rockies along with infielders Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals, the New York Mets’ Luisangel Acuna and Minnesota Twins’ Edouard Julien.

Other MLB speedsters in AFL history:

• Elvis Andrus, 5 in 2007 AFL, 347 in MLB career
• Jacoby Ellsbury, 7 in 2006 AFL, 343 in MLB
• Michael Bourn, 3 in 2005 AFL, 341 in MLB
• Billy Hamilton, 10 in 2012 AFL, 326 in MLB
• Trea Turner, 7 in 2014 AFL, 315 in MLB

Patrick Clohisy’s Future with Atlanta Braves

It takes more than running ability to become an MLB regular. The Braves would love to see a base-stealing threat like Clohisy atop their power-laden batting order.

For that to happen, he must make consistent contact at bat, learn to draw walks and cut down strikeouts. There have been hundreds of swift players who languished in the minors for their entire careers.

Not every AFL base-stealer makes the majors. Roeman Field led the 2015 AFL with 14 steals. He totaled 229 in the minors. After six years in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system he retired at age 28 with 11 homers and 455 strikeouts in 641 games.

Clohisy’s development will be watched carefully by the Atlanta Braves and other clubs this fall. A year ago, Durbin was in the New York Yankees’ system. The Brewers got him and lefty pitcher Nestor Cortes in a trade for ace closer Devin Williams last December.