Ronald Acuña Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ronald Acuña Jr. |
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Acuña with the Atlanta Braves in 2021
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| Atlanta Braves – No. 13 | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: December 18, 1997 La Guaira, Venezuela |
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| debut | |||
| April 25, 2018, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .289 | ||
| Hits | 815 | ||
| Home runs | 165 | ||
| Runs batted in | 417 | ||
| Stolen bases | 196 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Ronald José Acuña Blanco Jr. (born December 18, 1997) is a professional baseball player from Venezuela. He plays as an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball (MLB). Acuña signed with the Braves in 2014. He made his MLB debut in 2018. That year, he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Since 2018, Acuña has been chosen for the MLB All-Star team four times. He has also won three Silver Slugger Awards. He led the league in stolen bases twice. In 2023, he became the fifth MLB player to join the 40–40 club. This means he hit 40 home runs and stole 40 bases in one season. He also set a new team record for stolen bases with 73. Acuña was the first MLB player to have a 40–70 season (40 home runs and 70 stolen bases). He won the 2023 National League Most Valuable Player Award.
Contents
Ronald Acuña Jr.'s Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Ronald Acuña Jr. started his professional baseball journey in July 2014. He signed with the Atlanta Braves for $100,000. He played his first professional games in 2015. He quickly moved up through different minor league teams.
In 2017, Acuña played in the All-Star Futures Game. This game features the best young players in baseball. He then played in the Arizona Fall League and was named its Most Valuable Player. He was the youngest player ever to win this award. Experts like Baseball America and MLB.com ranked him as one of the top young players.
Joining the Atlanta Braves
2018: Rookie Season and Big Hits
The Braves called Acuña up to the major leagues on April 25, 2018. He was the youngest player in MLB at that time. He wore number 13, different from his minor league number 24. In his first game, he got his first hit. The next day, he hit his first MLB home run.
Acuña became known for hitting leadoff home runs. He hit a home run to start both games of a doubleheader. He also hit home runs in five straight games. This was a record for the youngest player. He won the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Month Award for August. He ended the 2018 season with a .293 batting average, 26 home runs, and 64 RBIs.
In the playoffs, Acuña made history. He hit a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the youngest player ever to hit a postseason grand slam. On November 12, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year.
2019: A Star is Born
Before the 2019 season, Acuña signed a big contract with the Braves. It was for eight years and $100 million. He was the youngest player to sign such a large deal. He was chosen as a starting outfielder for the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He also took part in the 2019 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby.
Acuña joined the 30–30 club in August 2019. This means he hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases in one season. He was the second-youngest player to do this. Later, he became the youngest player to join the 40–30 club (40 home runs and 30 stolen bases). He led the National League with 127 runs scored and 37 stolen bases. He also won a Silver Slugger Award.
2020: Shortened Season, Big Hits
The 2020 season was shorter because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Acuña still hit a very long home run, 495 feet. It was the longest MLB home run that year. He won his second straight Silver Slugger Award.
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2021: Injury and World Series Win
Acuña started the 2021 season very strong. He was named National League Player of the Month for April. He hit his first career walk-off home run in May. However, on July 10, he suffered a serious leg injury. An MRI showed a complete tear in his right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This injury ended his season early.
Even though he was injured, Acuña was chosen to start the 2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The Braves went on to win the 2021 World Series that year. Acuña received a World Series ring for his contributions to the team.
2022: Coming Back Strong
Acuña spent time recovering from his injury. He returned to play for the Braves on April 27, 2022. Fans voted him as a starting outfielder for the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He also took part in the 2022 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. He finished the season with 15 home runs and 29 stolen bases.
2023: MVP Season and 40-70 Club
Acuña had an amazing 2023 season. He was named NL Player of the Month twice, in April and June. He was again voted as a starting outfielder for the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
On July 3, 2023, Acuña made history. He was the first player ever to have 20 home runs, 40 stolen bases, and 50 RBIs before the All-Star break. On August 31, he joined the 30–30 club for the second time. He also became the first player in MLB history to have 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in one season.
On September 22, Acuña joined the 40–40 club. He was the first player in MLB history to have 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases in the same season. He also broke the Braves' modern-era record for stolen bases.
Acuña finished the 2023 season with a .337 batting average, 41 home runs, 106 RBIs, and 73 stolen bases. He led MLB in hits, runs, and total bases. He won his third Silver Slugger Award. He was also named the National League Most Valuable Player. He won this award by a unanimous vote, meaning every voter chose him. He also won the Hank Aaron Award.
2024: Another Injury
On April 22, 2024, Acuña set a new Braves franchise record for stolen bases since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. However, on May 26, he suffered another leg injury. An MRI showed a complete tear in his left ACL. This injury meant he would miss the rest of the 2024 season.
How Ronald Acuña Jr. Plays
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Batting Style
Acuña is a powerful right-handed batter. He can hit the ball well all over the field. Some experts compare his batting style to Roberto Clemente. Acuña uses his strong core to hit the ball. He can make good contact even without a big backswing.
Baserunning Skills
When Acuña runs the bases, he starts like an infielder. He stands upright or with slightly bent knees. This helps him get a fast start. This special stance also helps him hide his intentions from fielders when he tries to steal a base.
Ronald Acuña Jr.'s Family Life
Ronald Acuña Jr. comes from a baseball family. His grandfather, Romualdo Blanco, and his father, Ronald Acuña Sr., both played minor league baseball. His father also played for Venezuela at the 2011 Pan American Games.
Ronald Jr. is the oldest of four sons. His mother is Leonelis Blanco. His younger brother, Luisangel, is also a professional baseball player. He plays shortstop for the New York Mets. Several of Acuña's cousins have also played in Major League Baseball. These include Vicente Campos, Alcides Escobar, Edwin Escobar, and Kelvim Escobar.
Acuña married Maria Laborde on August 31, 2023. They had been together for four years. They have two sons.
See also
In Spanish: Ronald Acuña Jr. para niños
- Atlanta Braves award winners and league leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
