Ronald Acuña Jr. is attempting to run away with the MVP award early in the season. He’s hitting .324 with a .960 OPS, leading the league in steals with 23, and is on pace for over 30 homers. Acuña has a real shot at becoming the fifth member of the exclusive 40/40 club–the first since Alfonso Soriano in 2006–if he picks up his pace in the power department a tad, and a Braves legend doesn’t even think that’s his full potential.
In a recent interview, Chipper Jones told 680 The Fan that 50/50 isn’t out of reach for the 25-year-old Venezuelan superstar.
“I legitimately think this kid could push 50-50 one day,” Jones said, via Jacob Foster of Sporting News. “As crazy as that sounds, I don’t think anybody in our clubhouse would be surprised if he hit 50 homers, and everybody’s convinced he could steal 50 bases. Think about what kind of realm that would put him in.”
But Jones even took it a step further, calling Acuña the most talented player to ever wear a Braves uniform.
“This is the most talented player to ever don the Braves baseball uniform,” Jones said. “I’m not saying he’s the greatest (Braves) player of all time. I’m saying he is the most talented player to ever don an Atlanta Braves uniform.”
The Braves are full of Hall of Fame players, including Chipper Jones. They are also best known for featuring Hank Aaron–arguably the best baseball player of all-time–on their club from 1954-1974. It would be outlandish to already don him the best player to ever wear the tomahawk across his chest, but most talented? There will be no arguments from me.
Acuña features traits that cannot be taught. Despite not having the biggest frame, he has effortless power, and his contact bat has only improved with experience. On the bases, he’s a pitcher’s worse nightmare, and the new rules have almost made it impossible for him to be stopped. He’s a real threat to swipe 70 bags this season, and it could be that way for a long time. In the field, he could use some work on his anticipation, but there isn’t a player with a better arm, which can be seen on a nightly basis.
Going strictly off traits, there are few–if any– that can hold a candle to Acuña, and now we are seeing him become an even better baseball player with time. He doesn’t put a limit on what kind of numbers he is capable of in any given season, and when you have that kind of talent, why should he?
“I never set goals in my mind because when you set a goal, you’re also setting a limit,” Acuña said, via Jason Foster of Sporting News “So the only thing I’m focusing on is staying healthy and playing well.”
The Braves have been blessed with a number of players that will be remembered in Atlanta as legends until baseball isn’t being played anymore. But from Hank Aaron to Chipper Jones, there might not be a more gifted player than Ronald Acuña Jr.
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Photo: Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire
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