Ronald Acuna: The Next Generation

Ronald Acuna has been an unbelievable talent since he came up as a rookie in 2018. After hitting 26 homers and hitting .293/.366/.552 he was named rookie of the year, but this season was nothing compared to what came next. In 2019 Acuna set the league on fire. Out of the leadoff spot he gave the Braves a spark from the minute the game started, he led the league in plate appearances, runs scored, and stolen bases. He also hit 41 homers and drove in 101 runs. He was an Allstar, a Silver Slugger, and finished 5th in the MVP voting. The pandemic cost him another full season to wrack up the numbers but he was well on pace for similar numbers with 14 homers and 8 stoles bases in 46 games. He tremendously improved his walk rate from 10.6% to 18.8, so his OBP crept above 400. There was no all star game but he still got his second silver slugger. But so far in 2020 he has put it all together. He has dropped his strikeout rate significantly as well as improving his average by 40 points. As of June 22nd he is hitting .290/.401/.614 with 20 homers, 45 RBI’s, 58 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases, the two latter of which he leads the league. He is well on pace for over 40 home runs, and might even have a chance at a 40-40 season if he keeps the base stealing up. Acuna is one of the more exciting players in the game and if he keeps this up, it will be a pleasure to watch him enter his prime.

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