From the moment the Atlanta Braves signed Ronald Acuna Jr. as an amateur Free Agent from Venezuela, they knew they had someone special. From a baseball family, Acuna wasted little time in making the Braves roster, receiving a call-up while still a teenager on April 25, 2018, and would win the Rookie of the Year award with 26 HR/.917 OPS year.
Acuna was an All-Star in his second season, blasting 41 Home Runs with 101 RBIs and was the league-leader in Runs (127) and Stolen Bases (138). Also winning his first Silver Slugger, Acuna was fifth in MVP voting and took his spot as one of the most exciting players in Baseball. Acuna was 12th in MVP voting in the COVID-shortened year, with a second Silver Slugger (14 HR/.985 OPS), and was an All-Star again in 2021, but tore his ACL before the mid-summer classic, ending what could have been his first MVP year, though he had some consolation when the Braves won the World Series.
Acuna returned in late April the following year and was voted into his third All-Star Game, though it was a down year for the Outfielder, who only had 19 Home Runs and an OPS of.764, but he exploded in 2023, where he was the best player in baseball. Acuna led the NL in Runs (149), Hits (217), OBP (.416), OPS (1,012), and OPS+ (168). He also took advantage of the relaxed base-stealing rules, topping the league with 73 swipes and creating the first-ever 40/70 club. Acuna won the Silver Slugger, MVP, and Major League Player of the Year, and contended for the Batting Title (.337).
Unfortunately for Acuna, he had a slow start to the 2024 season and tore his ACL in May. A year later, Acuna was back in the Majors, and he was an All-Star again and the worthy winner of the NL Comeback Player of the Year.
Still a Brave and still in his prime, Acuna has top ten potential in an already crowded field.
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