Ronald Acuna does have to wait to play in the Major Leagues anymore. The Atlanta Braves are set to move the top prospect in Minor League Baseball to the 25-man roster, per reports on ESPN.com.
The Braves planned to promote the 20-year-old from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday to join them in Cincinnati.
Acuna is ranked No. 1 on ESPN Insider Keith Law’s top 100 prospects list. He also began this season as MLB.com’s No. 2 overall prospect, behind Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani.
Ronald Acuna rose from Class A to Triple-A in 2017, hitting a combined .325 with 21 home runs, 82 RBIs and 44 stolen bases. Then he was named MVP of the Arizona Fall League.
It’s a move many baseball fans were shocked did not happen in Spring Training as the rookie-to-be was sensational both at the dish and in the field. He, Dansby Swanson, Ozie Albies and the young pitchers on the staff and in the minor league system have given fans hope for the future of this franchise.
Ronald Acuna originally signed with the Atlanta Braves for $100,000 as an international free agent in July 2014. He made his professional debut in 2015 with the Gulf Coast Braves and was later promoted to the Danville Braves that season. In 55 games between the two teams he batted .269 with four home runs, 18 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.
Ronald Acuna had a .432 batting average in Spring Training with four homers, four stolen bases and a 1.247 OPS in 16 games. The move to send Ronald Acuna to the minors to start the season was purely financial. By delaying his promotion a few weeks past Opening Day, the Braves pushed back Acuna’s free-agent eligibility until after the 2024 season.
That is one more season he is under contract with the organization.