ATLANTA — Right-hander Didier Fuentes is the first to admit that, as happy as he was to make his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves as a fresh-faced 20-year-old a year ago, he didn’t make the impression he was hoping to make.Fuentes’ first shot at the majors saw him give up 12 earned runs in 12 innings over his first three starts last summer. He imploded in his fourth outing on July 8, with the Athletics hanging eight runs on him before he could get an out in the second inning. He was shortly after sent back to Triple A, where he landed on the injured list with season-ending right shoulder inflammation a month later.Rather than dwell on a lost summer, he vowed to leave his mark on the Braves in 2026, even if it meant taking a role he had never taken before: pitching out of the bullpen.Fuentes has since proved to be a reliable option in the major leagues this season, with a 1.08 ERA, 17 strikeouts and a 0.72 WHIP in relief. Heading into Tuesday’s game, Fuentes had a 29.6 percent strikeout rate, which is the fifth-highest among qualified rookies.His ability to handle bulk innings — already recording four multi-inning appearances — has been invaluable for Atlanta’s bullpen management. When Fuentes can bridge the middle innings effectively, the Braves are able to stay away from some of their higher-leverage relievers, preserving them for tighter spots later in the series.At the same time, Fuentes has also earned trust in meaningful moments himself. Rather than being limited to low-pressure situations, the Braves have shown a willingness to use him in leverage spots when they need swing-and-miss stuff to escape an inning or keep a game within reach.“He’s helping us win games,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s very versatile. You can use him for one inning and leverage moments in the game.”Fuentes, now nearly 21, has pitched as a starter most of his career, dating to his days as a Colombian amateur. However, with the Braves’ starting rotation not in shambles the way many fans expected, Fuentes has found a temporary home in the bullpen.The adjustment came after Fuentes was still processing how quickly his career had accelerated. Less than a year ago, he was 19 and flying through High A, Double A and Triple A within two months before making his major-league debut shortly after his 20th birthday. His talent was undeniable, but the reality of facing big-league hitters every night hit him hard.“I told myself that as long as you keep putting in the work and show up willing to learn, the results will come,” Fuentes said in Spanish.Said Weiss: “You wonder, when a young kid gets up here and gets beat up a little bit, if it’s going to really affect him and maybe even ruin him. He’s the opposite. He took those lessons, made some adjustments and he’s already maturing at 20 years old before our eyes.”Fuentes headed into the offseason reflecting on everything he learned in 2025, hoping for better in 2026. He made some changes to his game, including gaining confidence in his four-seam fastball by throwing it 69.4 percent of the time, compared to 57.7 percent last season.But Fuentes attributes much of his success this year to his environment.“It’s thanks to the veterans in the bullpen and rotation,” Fuentes said in Spanish. “They’ve taught me so much about preparation and sequencing, but at the same time, they’ve helped me mature as a person.”Fuentes formed a close bond with veteran pitcher Carlos Carrasco, with whom he spent time at Triple-A Gwinnett and in the big leagues. But being in the bullpen has allowed him to learn from other veteran Spanish-speaking players such as Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez and Martín Pérez.“He’s young, but I know he’s going to play for a long time,” Pérez said in Spanish. “They’re going to take it slow with him, but he understands. He listens, he does things the right way in terms of preparation and when he gets the ball, he’s ready to compete.”Fuentes’ presence in the bullpen is pivotal, but he could still see time in the rotation if there’s a need. As of now, the Braves can count on Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, Chris Sale, Grant Holmes and Pérez. They have the injured duo of Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep on the horizon.They are taking an old-school approach in developing Fuentes at the major-league level.“Developing starters in the bullpen used to be the blueprint in this game,” Weiss said. “I think you have to identify the guys that can benefit, and (Fuentes) is one of those guys.”Fuentes’ willingness to embrace the process is rooted in the journey he took to the majors in the first place.Growing up in Tolú, a small coastal town in Colombia of about 25,000 residents, Fuentes learned at a young age that the limited exposure he could get back home made his path to the majors harder than that of most international prospects. He didn’t have access to the resources that some of the best Latin American players have. He had to move to Cartagena, three hours away, to better his chances.The Braves signed Fuentes at 16 for $75,000 in 2022, a bargain compared to the bonuses they gave fellow international amateurs Diego Benítez ($2.5 million) and Douglas Glod ($1.3 million) that year. Both were among the wave of players from the class released earlier this year. Fuentes is the only member of his group of 14 signees who remains with the Braves.And he has now pitched his way into the Braves’ future plans. Though his exact role may fluctuate, the Braves believe he has the tools to be much more than a temporary solution.“I entered this organization when I was just a kid, and they’ve helped me grow so much,” Fuentes said. “Whether it’s on the mound or off the field, I just want to be able to prove to be the competitor they believed in when they first saw me play.”