The Atlanta Braves have always had success when it comes to finding talent in the First Year Player Draft. With John Hart and Co. taking control of the club, and placing an emphasis on restocking the farm system, there was a lot to look forward to in this year's draft. Here are the first five picks that the Braves made, along with some analysis for each player selected and a few other players that could have been chosen instead.

Kolby Allard - LHP - San Clemente HS

With their first pick in the draft, the Braves opted for a left-handed pitcher out of the California high school ranks. Allard's fastball tops out at 96, but sits in the low to mid 90's throughout his starts. His curveball is absolutely filthy, but his change-up still needs some work. His delivery is not too taxing on his arm, which alleviates some concerns about his small stature. Allard has a tremendous amount of upside, and could eventually be a fixture in Atlanta's rotation. It is hard to argue with this pick.

Could Have Also Taken: RHP Walker Buehler, MIF Kevin Newman

Michael Soroka - RHP- Bishop Carroll HS

A tall right-hander, Soroka is the kind of high upside player that the Braves love to draft. He has a low to mid 90's fastball, with a curveball and a change-up being his secondary pitches. While he needs a lot of work, the Braves believe he could develop into a middle of the rotation starter one day. Soroka sure has a lot of potential, but it would have been nice to see them take a proven college pitcher with this pick.

Could Have Also Taken: RHP Jon Harris, RHP Kyle Funkhouser, LHP Nathan Kirby, LHP Alex Young

Austin Riley - INF/P - DeSoto Central HS

This is an Interesting pick, as Riley is a two way player, and could probably do either at the next level. That said, he looks like a Major League corner infielder, and profiles very well at third base. A shortstop in high school, he has good hands/infield actions and a strong arm, which should help him stick at third base. There is a lot of power in his swing, but he will need to make sure he can make consistent enough contact against the advanced pitching in pro ball. Riley is definitely a high-risk pick, but the Braves do need some depth at third base, and were willing to take a chance on Riley. It may have made more sense for the Braves to go with a college outfielder like Donnie Dewees or Scott Kingery.

Could Have Also Taken: OF Donnie Dewees, MIF/OF Scott Kingery

Lucas Herbert - C - San Clemente HS

Herbert, who actually caught Kolby Allard in high school, is somewhat of a surprising pick here. He is considered to be one of the best defensive catchers in the draft class, but his swing and offensive approach could use some work. The Braves have a lack of catching in their organization, which is likely the reason they took a chance with Herbert. This is not a bad pick, but there were some good college performers left on the board who would have made more sense here.

Could Have Also Taken: MIF Kevin Kramer, MIF Mikey White, OF Andrew Stevenson

A.J. Minter - LHP - Texas A&M

The Braves have not been afraid to go after pitchers who have had Tommy John surgery in the past, and this is yet another example of that. Because of his injury, Minter did not get a chance to pitch much this season, but was terrific when he was able to get on the mound. Although he spent some time in the starting rotation in college, Minter profiles as a reliever at the next level. His fastball can reach 97 miles per hour, and he also offers a cutter and a change-up. This is a risky pick because of the surgery, but could pay off in the long run.

Could Have Also Taken: RHP Michael Matuella, RHP Dakota Chalmers, MIF Blake Trahan

All in all, this was an interesting strategy for the Braves to have. They definitely drafted based on potential, even though all of these high school players will take a good amount of time to develop. It is hard not to trust John Hart's judgement, but it seems like it would have been a good idea to choose a few more advanced, collegiate players who could arrive in Atlanta sooner rather than later. Only time will tell how successful this draft strategy will turn out for the Braves.