Meet Didier Fuentes, Braves’ 20-year old pitching phenom on MLB Opening Day roster originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

This was far from a given, but it’s happening.

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Didier Fuentes is going to be on the Atlanta Braves‘ Opening Day roster.

The 20-year old right-handed pitcher is making the MLB club, with the news reported Saturday by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Fuentes actually debuted in the majors last season, making four short starts with Atlanta in a pinch due to pitcher injuries.

Now, he earns his spot in the majors, and Passan writes that it’s going to be a bullpen role to start for Fuentes.

Fuentes wasn’t going to win a spot in Atlanta’s rotation. Those belong to Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes and one of Bryce Elder or Jose Suarez.

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But it’ll be major league Opening Day for Fuentes, which is exciting.

MORE: Big Papi’s son has a special moment for the Red Sox

Who is Didier Fuentes?

Didier Fuentes is a 20-year old right-handed pitcher for the Atlanta Braves.

He’ll turn 21 on June 17.

He’s originally from Colombia, and he signed with the Braves in January 2022 when he was 16.

Didier Fuentes already made Braves history

When Fuentes made his MLB debut on June 20, 2025, three days after turning 20, he made Atlanta history.

He was the third-youngest starting pitcher in Braves history.

It didn’t go great for Fuentes, who had a 13.85 ERA in 13 innings, but he was still a relatively inexperienced minor league pitcher in a tough spot in the majors.

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A year later, he’s expected to be fully ready for the gig.

Didier Fuentes pitches

Didier Fuentes threw four pitch types during his time in the majors in 2025.

His fastball averaged 96 miles per hour.

He threw a sweeper about a quarter of the time, then a curveball and splitter less than that.

In an admittedly very small sample size, batters hit just .188 off of Fuentes’ sweeper but mashed his fastball (.486 average).

If he can work his fastball more effectively to pair with the sweeper, he can be solid out of the bullpen.

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