While the 2015 season is still being played, it is very clear that the Atlanta Braves are playing for the future. With the starting lineup and 25-man roster changing on a nightly basis, there has not been many players that fans can count on playing every night. Many of the fan favorites of this season and season's past have been traded, so that leads to a few questions.What is there for Braves fans to look forward to? Will the Braves be competitive in 2016? Will there be eight players next season that will be in the everyday starting lineup for the Braves?

The answer to all the above is a resounding yes. There will be some new faces in 2016. Some of them fans are getting a glimpse of right now, and some will be seen in the near future. There is an abundance of raw talent on the Braves that is being cultivated and will be turned into a strong, playoff contending team in 2016. The Braves front office has a plan put into place that might have made many fans angry, but they were moves that needed to be made and will benefit the club in seasons to come.

So lets take a look at what the Braves opening lineup could look like in 2016...

Starting Pitcher- Shelby Miller

Shelby Miller looks to be the top candidate for the Opening Day starter when the 2016 season roles around. Although his talent might not show up in the win column, he has definitely pitched like a number one starter all season long with a 2.50 ERA. His Achilles heal has been the second lowest amount of run support of any pitcher in MLB this season, which has resulted in his 5-10 record.

Catcher- Christian Bethancourt

This is a position where things can get interesting. A.J. Pierzynski has done a good job in 2015 mentoring younger Braves, but because of his age he is not a good long term solution. The Braves have been waiting for Christian Bethancourt to be the catcher of the future, and he has been swinging an extremely hot bat in Triple-A Gwinnett this season. His downside has been his defense and game preparation, something that was supposed to be a strength of his coming through the minors. Expect to see him as the Opening Day starter unless the Braves make a trade for Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, someone the Braves have been rumored to be interested in.

First Base- Freddie Freeman

As the franchise player and team leader, Braves fans can take delight in knowing that their beloved hugger will be back for 2016.

Second Base- Jace Peterson

Jace has been a pleasant surprise this year and a fan favorite.  He has played well up the middle with Simmons and has shown signs of maturity in his approach at the plate. There is a slim chance that he could loose his position to another player in Spring Training next season, but that does not look likely. When the Braves traded top prospect Jose Peraza to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline, that seemingly gave Peterson a vote of confidence.

Third Base- Hector Olivera

The Braves recently made a huge trade with the Dodgers to acquire this 30-year-old Cuban slugger. The front office has high expectations for him, which he should live up to as long has he stays healthy.

Shortstop- Andrelton Simmons

Although Simba still swings at too many first pitches and is inconsistent at the plate, his defense more than makes up for it. More walks and extended at-bats would be nice to see though.

Left Field- Mallex Smith

This is another one of those positions where the front office might make some trades or signings during the off-season. The Braves have veterans Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher under contract next year, but they have not looked like everyday starters in the short period of time they've been here. There is a chance that the Braves could sign a big free agent to play left field, but Mallex Smith would be a great fit.  After a slow start in Triple-A Gwinnett this year, he has really turned it on this month. He is batting near .370 for the month and around .280 for the season. With his great speed on the bases and in the field, the Braves have high hopes for him in the future as their potential lead-off hitter of the future.

Center Field- Cameron Maybin

There is still a chance that the Braves could trade him this off season. If that is the case, then Mallex Smith would likely move over to center and the Braves would sign a player to play in left. The 2015 season has been a breakout year for Maybin. After being traded from the San Diego Padres, Maybin has really fit in and has had a breakout season. He's never really lived up to the lofty expectations, but as an Atlanta Brave he has been a bright spot in what has been a down season for the team.

Right Field- Nick Markakis

With the Braves having Markakis under contract for a few more years, it looks like he will be in Atlanta for a while. That looks to be fine by most fans. While the power has not been there, he has been one of the Braves most consistent players in 2015.  The power should be back for Nick in 2016 with a full, injury free off-season to gain his strength back that he lost from neck surgery this past off season.

Although the 2016 lineup could look nothing like this for the Braves, there is a good chance the majority of these players will be there.

Feel free to comment and post on what you think the lineup could look like.