Atlanta Braves Famous Pitchers: A Local Fan’s Guide to the Legends on the Mound

From the days of the Boston Braves to the modern Truist Park era in Cumberland, the Atlanta Braves have been defined as much by their pitching as by their power hitters. If you live in Atlanta, visit often, or are planning a baseball trip to the city, knowing the Braves’ famous pitchers adds a lot of depth to every game you watch on the Battery’s big screens or from a seat behind home plate.

Below is a clear, Atlanta-focused guide to the most iconic Braves pitchers, what made them great, and how you can connect with their legacy around the city today.

How Pitching Helped Shape Braves Baseball in Atlanta

When the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, the franchise brought with it a long history—but it was the pitching staffs of the 1990s and 2000s that turned Atlanta into a national baseball powerhouse.

For Atlanta fans, famous Braves pitchers are more than stats and awards—they’re tied to:

• Memories at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field, and now Truist Park
• Playoff runs and World Series titles, especially 1995 and 2021
• Community appearances, youth clinics, and charity events around metro Atlanta

If you’re heading to a game in Cobb County or visiting the Hank Aaron Terrace or the Monument Garden inside Truist Park, understanding the names on the plaques and jerseys makes the experience much richer.

The Big Three: Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz

For many Atlantans, “Braves pitching” = the Big Three. These three Hall of Famers turned the 1990s Braves into appointment viewing across the city.

Greg Maddux

Known for:

• Pinpoint control
• Pitching “smarter” rather than overpowering
• Calm, almost unemotional presence on the mound

Why he matters to Atlanta:

• Helped anchor the team through multiple division titles
• Was a key part of the 1995 World Series champion Braves
• Became a symbol of the Braves’ focus on pitching excellence

If you’re touring Truist Park, you’ll see his number 31 honored and references to his Hall of Fame career in displays. Longtime Atlanta residents remember planning summer evenings around when Maddux was scheduled to start.

Tom Glavine

Known for:

• Changeup and ability to work the corners
• Poise in big playoff moments

Why he matters to Atlanta:

• Started and won Game 6 of the 1995 World Series, delivering Atlanta’s first major pro sports championship in decades
• Spent the bulk of his career with the Braves, becoming a fixture of the city’s sports identity

Around Atlanta, Glavine is often mentioned in the same breath as local legends like Hank Aaron and Chipper Jones when people talk about the most important athletes in city history.

John Smoltz

Known for:

• Power stuff and intensity
• Rare success as both an elite starter and dominant closer

Why he matters to Atlanta:

• Was a postseason force, with many big games that Atlanta fans still recall by heart
• Reinvented himself as a closer while staying with the Braves, showing the franchise’s flexibility and long-term commitment to its stars

Smoltz’s number 29 is retired by the team, and his highlights still show frequently on the Truist Park video board, especially during themed nights honoring the 1990s era.

All-Time Great Braves Pitchers (Across Eras)

While many Atlantans focus on the 1990s, the Braves pitching history stretches back over a century. Some of the biggest names are part of the broader franchise legacy that Atlanta has fully embraced.

Warren Spahn

Era: Boston / Milwaukee Braves (before the move to Atlanta)

Why Atlanta fans still care:

• Considered one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in baseball history
• His records and accomplishments are part of the Braves’ franchise story celebrated at Truist Park’s Monument Garden

Even though he never pitched in Atlanta, Spahn’s plaques and references at the stadium remind fans that the team’s pitching tradition started well before 1966.

Phil Niekro

Era: Mainly 1960s–1980s, including early years in Atlanta

Known for:

• The knuckleball, a pitch that baffled hitters and defined his career

Why he matters to Atlanta:

• One of the first standout pitchers of the Atlanta era of Braves baseball
• Pitched for some struggling teams, yet remained a consistent bright spot for local fans

Some longtime Atlantans who grew up going to Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium still talk about Niekro as the face of Braves pitching before the team’s 1990s resurgence.

Key Atlanta-Era Aces and Fan Favorites

Beyond the Hall of Fame names, several pitchers became highly respected in Atlanta households and local sports talk for their roles in big seasons.

Steve Avery

Why Atlanta remembers him:

• A young left-handed phenom in the early 1990s
• Crucial during the early playoff runs that turned Atlanta into a baseball town again

Even though injuries limited his long-term career, Avery is still mentioned fondly by many Atlanta fans who watched those early 90s teams on TBS or in person.

Tim Hudson

Era: 2000s Braves

Why he matters locally:

• A leader on the mound during the post–Big Three era
• Brought stability and a veteran presence to teams bridging from Turner Field to newer generations

For many Atlantans who started following the Braves in the 2000s, Hudson is the first “ace” they truly remember seeing pitch live.

Craig Kimbrel

Role: Closer

Why Atlanta fans know his name:

• One of the most dominant closers of his time
• Famous for his unique pre-pitch stance and high strikeout rates

At Turner Field, the crowd energy when Kimbrel came in to close a game became a major part of the ballpark experience, and that memory still comes up in local conversations about “best Braves relievers.”

Modern Standouts: Pitchers Shaping Today’s Atlanta

Since moving to Truist Park in Cobb County, the Braves have continued to showcase strong pitching, especially in key playoff runs. Some recent and current pitchers have already carved out a lasting connection with Atlanta:

Max Fried

Why he stands out in Atlanta:

• A left-handed starter who has delivered in big spots, including the 2021 World Series
• Known for calm mound presence, which Atlanta fans often compare to earlier Braves greats

Fried’s big-game performances are already part of modern Atlanta sports lore, especially for fans who packed The Battery Atlanta during the 2021 playoff run.

Charlie Morton

Why local fans appreciate him:

• Veteran starter with postseason experience
• Brought stability and leadership to a young pitching staff during the Braves’ recent success

Morton’s role is often discussed on local sports radio as a key reason for the team’s deep playoff runs since moving to Truist Park.

Key Relievers and Emerging Arms

In recent seasons, Atlanta has seen strong bullpen arms and young starters come through, and Atlantans closely follow them as the next potential long-term stars. While individual names change from year to year, local fans often focus on:

• The current ace of the staff
• Who is closing games at Truist Park
• Young pitchers gaining attention in Gwinnett (Triple-A) and Rome (High-A)

For locals, tracking rising pitchers in the Braves’ minor league system has become easier thanks to the regional proximity of the farm teams. Many Atlantans make day trips to Gwinnett County to see possible future aces before they arrive in Atlanta.

Quick Reference: Some of the Most Famous Braves Pitchers

Below is a simple snapshot of key pitchers Braves fans in Atlanta often talk about:

Where to Experience Braves Pitching History in Atlanta

If you’re in Atlanta and want to connect more directly with the Braves’ famous pitchers, there are several local experiences worth planning around.

Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta

Location: 755 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta (Cobb County mailing area, often considered part of metropolitan Atlanta)

Inside Truist Park, you can:

• Walk through the Monument Garden, which highlights Braves greats, including pitchers
• Look for retired numbers, including 31 (Maddux), 47 (Glavine), and 29 (Smoltz)
• Visit team history displays that trace the franchise from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta

Around The Battery Atlanta, you’ll see murals, graphics, and fan gear celebrating Braves legends, making it easy to connect the stories you read about with what you see on site.

Truist Park Tours

The Braves typically offer ballpark tours that may include:

• Access to portions of the stadium with historical displays
• Information about famous games and players, often including the Big Three and key World Series pitchers

If you’re planning a visit from elsewhere in Atlanta or out of town, tours are a practical way to get a structured look at how the team showcases its pitching history.

Former Stadium Sites Within the City

• Turner Field / Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium (755 Hank Aaron Dr SE): While it’s now a football venue for Georgia State University, longtime Atlanta residents still associate it with pitchers like Hudson and Kimbrel.
• Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium site: Near the same area, this location is closely tied to early Atlanta-era pitchers like Phil Niekro and the early days of the franchise in the city.

These areas are meaningful for local fans who want to connect the city’s sports geography with players they grew up watching.

How Atlanta Fans Typically Engage With Braves Pitching

Living in or visiting Atlanta, you’ll see how deeply Braves pitching is woven into the city’s sports culture:

• Sports bars and restaurants around The Battery, Midtown, and Buckhead often have walls decorated with photos and jerseys of Braves legends, especially Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz.
• Local sports radio conversations frequently revolve around:
  • Who the current ace is
  • How the pitching staff compares to the 1990s teams
  • Which young arms in Gwinnett or Rome might be the next big names
• Youth baseball coaches around metro Atlanta often reference Braves pitchers when teaching mechanics or mental approach, using examples like Maddux’s control or Smoltz’s competitiveness.

For newcomers to the city, learning these names gives you a quick way to connect with longtime Atlanta residents and join in local sports conversations.

Tips for New or Visiting Fans Learning About Braves Pitchers

If you’re just starting to follow the Braves from within Atlanta, here are a few simple ways to get up to speed:

• ✅ Watch highlight reels of the Big Three (Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz) to understand why they’re mentioned so often in Atlanta.
• ✅ Check retired numbers and displays at Truist Park before or after a game—these give quick context on who the franchise considers its legends.
• ✅ Listen to pregame and postgame shows on Atlanta sports radio; they often provide historical comparisons that link current pitchers with past greats.
• ✅ If you have kids in youth baseball around metro Atlanta, use Braves pitchers’ stories to make local baseball history more relatable.

Understanding famous Atlanta Braves pitchers adds a lot of depth to the experience of living in or visiting Atlanta. Whether you’re standing in Monument Garden at Truist Park, driving past the old Turner Field area, or watching a game from a Midtown apartment, the names Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Niekro, Fried, and others are part of the city’s shared sports language.