The Braves gave McBride a $1.34 million signing bonus and assigned him to the Gulf Coast Braves, their Rookie-level minor league affiliate. McBride worked primarily as a starter in the Gulf Coast League, going 4–4 with a 3.76 ERA and averaging nearly 11 strikeouts per nine innings. In 2002, Atlanta promoted McBride to the Single-A Macon Braves, where went 12–8 and led the South Atlantic League with a 2.12 ERA. Promoted again in 2003 to the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, McBride went 9–8 with a 2.95 ERA.