LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- While getting his first opportunity to see Tommy Hanson pitch on Tuesday afternoon, Braves announcer Don Sutton gained an understanding of why so much hype has surrounded the top pitching prospect.

But it wasn't until Sutton, a Hall of Famer, got a chance to talk to Hanson that he truly believed that the strong-armed 22-year-old might indeed become one of the game's top pitchers.

"When you look at a talent like him, after you talk to him for five minutes, you can throw his birth certificate out the window," Sutton said. "He has the four pitches. He's a quick learner, makes great adjustments. I just wish for him good health. I think he has a chance to be a superstar."

Blessed with a fastball that rests above 94 mph and a slider that has been likened to that of John Smoltz, Hanson has seemingly limitless potential. Baseball America has identified him as the game's No. 4 prospect.

But beyond the impressive pitching repertoire that enabled him to simply dominate both the Southern League and Arizona Fall League last year, Hanson possesses an advanced mental makeup that has been noticed immediately by Sutton, Braves manager Bobby Cox and many others.

Hanson will likely begin this season with Triple-A Gwinnett, but there's a strong chance the right-hander will reach Atlanta at some point in 2009. In fact, after Hanson allowed one unearned run in three innings against Panama on Tuesday, Cox said, "He's very close [to the Majors]."

Sutton, whose 324 career wins carried him to Cooperstown, gained the same sense after getting his first opportunity to get to know Hanson on Tuesday.

"I just think he's going to be special," Sutton said. "I don't want to sound like I'm jumping on a bandwagon that's already been filled, but this was my first chance to see him work, and I walked away from that very impressed -- impressed watching him, more impressed after talking to him."