2024 Preview: Ronald Acuña Jr.
Have we seen the best he can be or does he have a few more tricks to unveil?
RF, Age-26 season
$17,000,000
Signed through 2026 with two club options that follow
Other Previews: Ian Anderson | Ben Bowden | Aaron Bummer | Dylan Dodd | Tommy Doyle
In 2023, Acuña rewrote record books and became the MVP so many envisioned he could be when he turned into one of the game's premier prospects. The numbers are gaudy. 149 runs scored. 41 homers. 73 steals. 106 ribbies. A triple slash of .337/.416/.596. In terms of offensive rWAR, it was tied for the fourth-best season by a Braves player ever behind Rogers Hornsby, two Hank Aaron seasons, and tied with Eddie Mathews. That’s some pretty impressive company.
He broke a 20-year record for the most plate appearances in a single season by a Brave, a testament of both his remarkable health and the offense's propensity to turn over the lineup. The only other player to score more than 130 runs in a single season since 1900 for the organization was Dale Murphy. Only Aaron had more total bases (400 to 383) in a season for the Braves. And only King Kelly (84) and Billy Hamilton (83) had more steals in a season for the Braves and they accomplished that in the dead ball era.
But maybe his most impressive stat was that he struck out just 84 times. This is a guy who also holds the single-season franchise record for strikeouts when he K'd 188 times back in 2019. He was the only Braves regular to finish with fewer than 98 strikeouts last year.
All of those numbers are ridiculous stats, but what he meant to the Braves offense can't be overstated. To borrow a phrase from another brilliant outfielder, Acuña was the straw that stirred the drink. He never went more than two games without a hit and failed to reach base safely in two consecutive games only once. Because he never struggled, he made life easier for the guys that followed. And with him being such a terror on the basepaths, pitchers struggled to deal with him threatening to advance a base while also trying to pitch to another of the Braves' All-Star hitters.
And yes, of course, the rules changes helped Acuña, among others, swipe bases at an increased rate. But nobody did it quite as well as Ronnie. And oh, he still smashed over 40 dingers and 80 extra-base hits while being the league's best base thief.
So, what can he possibly have left as an encore?
Well, remember that strikeout total? He nearly walked more than he struck out in 2023. That could be a new milestone for this season. First player to 50/50? It's definitely possible. But if there was a weak point, and hypercritical people often pointed to it when talking about the MVP last year before Acuña ran away with the vote anyway, it was his defense. Formerly a decent, though not spectacular defender, Acuña's defensive grades have slid considerably since his ACL injury. In 2022, he finished with a -7 Outs Above Average. In 2023, it slipped to -8. In terms of run value, both seasons were graded as -3. Now, he makes up for those deficiencies at times with a special arm and his route running is elite. For Ronnie, it comes down to his jump. He's never had a particular quick reaction according to Statcast, but prior to 2022, he made up for it with a burst and his jump. Both grades are poor now.
In 2024, maybe we see some improvements on that front. But even if his defense never gets back to its pre-2023 levels, everything else he brings to the game more than makes up for any possible shortcomings people can attempt to point to.
All of that said, Acuña will likely see some regression in 2024. I mean, every season can't be exceptional. And continued health is needed for him to reach his pretty lofty standards now. But at just 26, Acuña is truly one of the most dynamic superstars any of us are lucky enough to watch and he will continue to torture the opposition in a variety of ways moving forward.
And come on...he's just so damn cool, too.
Walk-Off Walk 2024 fWAR prediction
6.9 fWAR
Other Previews: Ian Anderson | Ben Bowden | Aaron Bummer | Dylan Dodd | Tommy Doyle