Since 2018, Acuña has made fiveMLB All-Star team appearances, won threeSilver Slugger Awards, and twice led the league instolen bases. During the 2023 season, he became the fifth MLB member of the40–40 club, set a modern-era franchise record in stolen bases, with 73, and became the first MLB player to accomplish a 40–70 season. Acuña won the 2023National League Most Valuable Player Award.
Acuña signed with theAtlanta Braves for $100,000 as an international free agent in July 2014.[1][2] He made his professional debut in 2015 with theGulf Coast Braves and was promoted to theDanville Braves that season. In 55 games between the two teams, he batted .269 with four home runs, 18 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.
After the 2017minor league regular season ended, Acuña was invited to join theArizona Fall League and was assigned to thePeoria Javelinas.[13] He played 23 games in the AFL hitting .325/.414/.639 alongside seven home runs, winning the league championship and claiming league MVP honors, becoming the AFL's youngest most valuable player.[12][14]
Baseball America ranked Acuña as the No. 1Major League Baseball prospect heading into the 2018 season.[15] MLB.com ranked him second to Japanese pitcher/hitterShohei Ohtani.[16] Acuña began the year at major leaguespring training.[17] Despite a .432 average and four home runs in spring training, Acuña was reassigned to minor league camp on March 19, 2018.[18] He reported to the Gwinnett Stripers to begin the 2018 season.[19]
On April 25, 2018, the Braves promoted Acuña to the major leagues.[20] This made him the youngest player in Major League Baseball at that time,[21] claiming the distinction from teammateOzzie Albies.[22] Though Acuña wore uniform number 24 throughout his minor league career in honor ofMiguel Cabrera,[23] he made his major league debut on April 25, 2018, wearing number 13.[24] Against theCincinnati Reds, Acuña collected his first career hit offKevin Shackelford. He finished the game 1-for-5 and scored the game-tying run in the eighth inning as the Braves won 5–4.[25] The next day, also against the Reds, Acuña hit his first MLB home run offHomer Bailey. He finished the game 3-for-4 as the Braves won 7–4.[26] On May 28, Acuña was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a mild ACL sprain and a bruise in his left knee as well as back contusion.[27] On June 21, the Braves optioned Acuña to Triple-A Gwinnett for a rehab assignment.[28]
Acuña regularly hit in theleadoff spot in the lineup after the All-Star break.[29] His performance improved markedly as he implemented an adjustment to his batting stance at the suggestion ofKevin Seitzer.[30] While playing against theMiami Marlins on August 13, 2018, Acuña became the fourth player in the history of Major League Baseball to hit a home run to lead off both games of adoubleheader.[31] Additionally, he had hit a home run in his last four games, becoming the youngest player since 1920 to accomplish the feat.[32] By hitting a home run offTrevor Richards on August 14, Acuña became the youngest major leaguer ever to hit home runs in five consecutive games, as well as the fifth batter in Atlanta Braves history to do so.[33][34] FacingAdam Conley later that same game, Acuña hit his second home run of the night, marking the first time he had ever hit more than one home run in a game.[35]
In the finale of the Braves' series against the Marlins on August 15, Acuña facedJosé Ureña, who hit him with the first pitch of the game. Ureña was ejected from the game, while Acuña was replaced in the field at the top of the second inning.[36] Acuña played the Braves' next game against theColorado Rockies on August 16.[37] When Acuña next played the Marlins on August 23, he hit another home run, and was subsequently struck by another pitch.[38] His production during the month of August won him theMajor League Baseball Rookie of the Month Award.[39] On September 2, Acuña hit his seventh leadoff home run, tying a Braves team record, set byMarquis Grissom, for such home runs in a season.[40] Three days later, Acuña broke the team's leadoff home run record in a game against theBoston Red Sox.[41] With his 25th home run on September 9, Acuña became the seventh player in MLB history to hit that many home runs while under the age of 21.[42] Later that month, it was announced that Acuña would be playing in theMLB Japan All-Star Series scheduled for November.[43] With his fifteenth stolen base on September 22, 2018, Acuña became the fourth player in MLB history to record a 25–15 season, while aged 20 or below, alongsideAlex Rodriguez,Orlando Cepeda, andMike Trout.[44] Overall with the2018 Braves, Acuña appeared in 111 MLB games, batting .293 with 26 home runs and 64 RBIs.
On April 2, 2019, Acuña and the Braves agreed to an eight-year contract worth $100 million. The extension included team options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.[49] Aged 21, Acuña became the youngest player in baseball history to sign a contract worth at least $100 million.[50] Acuña's deal was the largest for any player with less than one year of major league service.[51][52][53] By June 2019, Acuña had drawn attention for his power production.[54] At midseason, he was named a starting outfielder for the National League in the2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game,[55] and invited to take part inthat year's Home Run Derby.[56]
On August 9, Acuña hit his thirtieth home run of the 2019 season while facing Marlins pitcherTayron Guerrero.[57] Acuña joined the30–30 club on August 24, in a game against theNew York Mets.[58] He became the second-youngest player to reach the milestone, afterMike Trout.[58] With his 40th home run on September 19, Acuña became the youngest major leaguer to enter the 40–30 club.[59] He reported a minor injury in the penultimate series of the Braves' 2019 season,[60] and was rested for the remainder of the regular season.[61]
For the year, Acuña hit .280/.365/.518/.883, with 127 runs (leading the National League), 41 home runs, and 37 stolen bases (leading the NL). Acuña missed the40–40 club by three stolen bases. He led the major leagues inpower–speed number (38.9).[62] Acuña and teammatesOzzie Albies andFreddie Freeman won the 2019 National LeagueSilver Slugger Awards for outfield, second base, and first base, respectively.[63][64]
Acuña scoring a run during a 2020 game atNationals Park.
During aseason shortened by theCOVID-19 pandemic, the Braves won the division for the third time in a row, earning a league-record 20th division title.[65] Near the end of the season, Acuña hit a 495-foot home run against the Red Sox; it was the longest MLB home run that year and the longest home run ever hit atTruist Park.[66][67] In 2020, he batted .250/.406/.581, with 14 home runs and 29 RBIs in 160 at-bats and led the league inat bats per home run.[68] He was awarded his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award and finished in twelfth place in voting for theMost Valuable Player Award.[69][70]
On May 3, Acuña was namedNational League Player of the Month for April, batting .341/.443/.705 with eight home runs, three stolen bases, 18 RBIs, and 25 runs scored in 24 games.[71] On May 19, Acuña hit his first careerwalk-off home run against theNew York Mets to give the Braves a 5–4 win.[72]
On July 10, 2021, Acuña suffered a leg injury while trying to field a fly ball and was taken off the field on a motorized stretcher. An MRI showed a complete tear in his rightanterior cruciate ligament, which prematurely ended his 2021 season.[73][74] In 82 games, Acuña hit .283/.394/.596 with 24 home runs, 52 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 2021. In 2021, he had the fastest sprint speed of all major league right fielders, at 29.4 feet/second.[75] He led the major leagues with 72 runs scored at the time of his injury.[76] Acuña was elected to start the2021 All-Star Game alongside teammatesFreddie Freeman and Ozzie Albies[77] but was unable to participate due to the injury.[78] Despite Acuña's injury, the Braves went on to win the2021 World Series.[79] Though he was not on the postseason roster, Acuña earned aWorld Series ring for his contributions.[80]
Acuña did not participate in spring training games, as rehabilitation from his leg injury continued into the 2022 season.[81] Acuña remained at the Braves' spring training facility and played in simulated games until being assigned to the Gwinnett Stripers during the third week of April.[82][83][84] He was activated from the injured list on April 27.[85] Acuña received the most votes of anyNational League player and was duly selected as a starting outfielder for the2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[86] On July 11, 2022, it was announced that Acuña would participate in the2022 Home Run Derby.[87] Acuña finished the season batting .266/.351/.413 with 15 home runs, 50 RBIs and 29 stolen bases in 119 games. He led the National League with 11 times caught stealing.[68]
Acuña was named the NL Player of the Month for April after hitting .352/.440/.546 with 13 stolen bases. He also led the league in multi-hit games in April, with 13.[88] For the second year in a row, Acuña received the most votes of any player in the National League and thus was designated a starting outfielder for the2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[89] In addition, Acuña was named the NL Player of the Month for June after slashing .356/.429/.683 with nine home runs and 14 stolen bases.[90]
On July 3, 2023, Acuña became the first player in MLB history to tally 40 stolen bases, 20 home runs, and 50 RBIs before theAll-Star break.[91] On July 29, Acuña stole his 50th base, becoming the first player since 2017 to reach the mark, and becoming the first player in MLB history to join the20–50 club, hitting 20 home runs and 50 stolen bases, before August.[92] On August 31, Acuña joined the30–30 club for the second time in his career (2019) by hitting agrand slam for his 30th home run of the season. With the home run, he also became the first player in MLB history to record 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in the same season.[93][94] On September 22, Acuña joined the40–40 club for the first time in his career,[95] eventually becoming the first player in MLB history to record 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases in the same season.[96] On September 30, Acuña broke the Braves' modern-era steals record set byOtis Nixon in 1991;[97] Nixon had no home runs that season.[98]
Acuña finished the regular season with a .337 batting average, 41 homers, 106 RBI, 73 steals, 217 hits, 149 runs and 383 total bases. Each of the latter four statistics led Major League Baseball.[99] Acuña received one of the 2023 National LeagueSilver Slugger Awards for outfielders, the second Silver Slugger Award of his career.[100][101] Later that offseason, Acuña was named the National LeagueMost Valuable Player.Shohei Ohtani won the American League equivalent, and, for the first time in the award's history, both AL and NL winners were selected unanimously.[102][103] Acuña and Ohtani also won that year'sHank Aaron Award, for the NL and AL respectively.[104][105] Acuña was the first Brave to win the Hank Aaron Award sinceFreddie Freeman in 2020.[106] Acuña and his teammatesAustin Riley andSpencer Strider were named to theAll-MLB First Team.[107]
On April 22, 2024, Acuña recorded his 190th career stolen base, setting a franchise record in steals since the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966.[108]
On May 26, Acuña suffered a leg injury while taking a lead from second base against thePittsburgh Pirates and, after being tended to by team trainers, was able to walk off the field. Initially believed to be knee soreness, the Braves later announced that an MRI showed a complete tear in his left anterior cruciate ligament and that he would miss the remainder of the 2024 season.[109] In 49 games, Acuña hit .250/.351/.365 with 4 home runs, 15 RBI, and 16 stolen bases in 2024.[110]
Acuña returned to action on May 23, 2025, and hit a home run on the first pitch thrown bySan Diego Padres pitcherNick Pivetta.[111] In that game, he went 2–of–4 with that first pitch home run, an RBI, and an outfield assist by gettingElías Díaz out at second base as Díaz was going for a double.[112] On June 25, Acuña announced onSportsCenter that he would participate in the2025 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby.[113] Later on that same day in a game against the New York Mets, Acuña recorded his 200th career stolen base and becoming the 8th active player to reach the milestone as the Braves defeating the Mets 7–4. Due to that milestone, he became the 370th player to reach 200 stolen bases in a career.[114] Acuña was selected as a starting outfielder for the National League in theAll-Star Game.[115][116] In 95 games, Acuña slashed .290/.417/.518 with 21 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 9 stolen bases.[117] After the season was finished, he was namedNational League Comeback Player of the Year.[118]
A powerful right-handed batter, Acuña has an all-around batting range. Former major league hitterSean Casey compared Acuña's batting style toRoberto Clemente, as his naturalcore power and rotational torque allows him to hit without a backswing, keeping the knob of the bat pointing down at home plate (normally pointing towards the catcher during the backswing), yet still making contact and maintaining control of the barrel.[119]
On the basepaths, Acuña starts like an infielder with a more upright stance, or arunning back standing with a slight bend of the knees and hands on the knees to generate greater acceleration. According toHarold Reynolds, who adopted theRickey Henderson technique for both baserunning and fielding, the stance also stops him from leaning or tipping-off fielders for base stealing.[119]
Acuña married Maria Laborde on August 31, 2023.[93][94] They had known each other for four years and announced their engagement in January 2023.[126] The couple has two sons.[94]
_(51102624580).png)
_(cropped).jpg)
_Acuna.jpg)
