▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁with ▁the ▁G CL ▁Bra ves , ▁not ▁playing ▁in ▁American ▁baseball ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁loan ed ▁by ▁the ▁Bra ves ▁to ▁the ▁Tig res ▁del ▁Mexico . ▁With ▁the ▁G CL ▁Bra ves ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁went ▁ 1 – 1 ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 . 5 9 ▁E RA . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁pitch ed ▁for ▁the ▁Dan ville ▁Bra ves ▁and ▁Ma con ▁Bra ves , ▁going ▁a ▁combined ▁ 5 – 1 ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 . 0 3 ▁E RA ▁in ▁ 1 3 ▁games ▁started . ▁In ▁ 6 2 ▁inn ings ▁of ▁work , ▁he ▁had ▁ 8 4 ▁strike outs ▁and ▁ 2 4 ▁wal ks . ▁ ▁Rank ed ▁the ▁ 4 4 th ▁best ▁prospect ▁in ▁baseball ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁by ▁Baseball ▁America , ▁River a ▁went ▁ 5 – 5 ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 . 9 8 ▁E RA ▁for ▁Ma con ▁that ▁season . ▁He ▁struck ▁out ▁ 1 1 8 ▁bat ters ▁in ▁ 9 2 ▁inn ings ▁that ▁season . ▁ ▁River a ▁was ▁ranked ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁best ▁prospect ▁in ▁baseball ▁by ▁Baseball ▁America ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁the ▁fourth ▁best ▁prospect ▁in ▁the ▁Bra ves ▁organization . ▁That ▁year ▁he ▁went ▁ 0 – 2 ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 . 1 1 ▁E RA ▁in