When rosters expand to 40-men, will these guys get promoted to The Show?

On Thursday, MLB rosters will expand from 25 men to 40. For teams like the Atlanta Braves that are trying their best to fight off a second 100-loss season in a row, it allows the young talent to get a taste of the major league level without any pressure.

With a loaded farm system, roster expansion is one of the few times all season Braves' fans can get excited for the players on the field. In a season with journeyed veterans and mediocre talent littered throughout the lineup, starting rotation and bullpen - September 1st could give a sneak peak of the roster when the Braves move to Cobb County at SunTrust Park.

THE INFIELD:

Recent news has been made of whether or not the front office will promote 19-year-old second basemen Ozzie Albeis. Albeis, ranked #15 on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospect list, is averaging .291 at the plate with 48 RBIs and 4 HRs with a .358 OB% and .767 OPS between the Double-A & Triple-A levels. While the numbers are strong enough to transfer at the major league level, GM John Coppollela stated in a recent interview with MLB.com writer Mark Bowman that Albeis could be left off the Braves 40-man roster. Albeis will undoubtedly play a huge part in the Braves future up the middle as Swanson's double play partner, but because he's only 19-years-old, management is worried that a promotion could stunt his growth at such a young age.

When Adonis Garcia was demoted to AAA back in June to learn how to play left field, Gordon Beckham was expected to take over third base for the rest of the season. When Beckham went down with another hamstring issue, Garcia returned to the major league level and played like an entirely new third baseman. Had Garcia continued to struggle with his glove and bat, we might have seen Gwinnett's Rio Ruiz a lot sooner this season. Garcia has played well enough to keep his roster spot and possibly his first-string position at the hot corner next season. Ruiz is ranked as Atlanta's #15 prospect and has spent the entire season in Gwinnett. The left handed hitter has averaged .272 with 60 RBIs & 10 HRs - but in his last 20 games he's averaged .306. If Ruiz is added to the 40-man roster he can gain some valuable experience heading into next season with an open competition at third base.

THE STARTING ROTATION:

Folty, Wisler, and Blair were expected to hold down the back end of the rotation next season - but Blair and Wisler have wavered in their development, causing some concern for next season's rotation. Teheran has clearly been the ace on staff and Mike Foltynewicz has proven he can be a reliable 2nd or 3rd pitcher. Matt Wisler and Aaron Blair have returned to the major league rotation, but when rosters expand, the Braves could add Jed Bradley to fill Joel De La Cruz's slot in the rotation. The former first round selection out of Georgia Tech, Bradley, was acquired from the Brewers for a player to be named later and cash. Before getting traded, the lefty was 3-2 with a 6.20 ERA in AA, but shined in Mississippi with a 4-3 record and 2.35 out of the bullpen at first and transitioned to the rotation. After a promotion to Gwinnett, he's jumped out to a 2-0 record with a 1.38 ERA. The Braves rotation could desperately use a reliable left handed arm, and Bradley is the dark house candidate to make next year's rotation if Blair and Wisler fail to develop on the trajectory the Braves expect out of them.