Ronald Acuña Jr. is coming off a historic season, setting career highs across the board and becoming the first player ever to hit 40+ homers with 70+ steals. It’s very possible baseball fans today never see a season quite like it again, and it’s just the start of Acuña’s remarkable career.
The Braves All-Star right fielder took things to the next level in his sixth season. He was finally healthy for an entire season, just the second time in his career, but the improvements weren’t just noticeable on the back of his baseball card. His strikeout rate was cut by more than half, from 23.6% to 11.4%. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a player, who was already one of the best players in the league, experience such drastic improvement in the plate discipline department. The game is slowing down for Acuña, and it’s very possible we are witnessing the beginning of one of the greatest careers in MLB history.
I’m not just talking Hall of Fame level good. Acuña has a chance to go down as one of the top 10-20 players to ever grace a baseball diamond, perhaps even the greatest Braves player of all time.
Here’s a look at how he compares to Hank Aaron at similar points, courtesy of Braves Historian:
The numbers are eerily similar. Aaron has played in 60 more games and has accrued about 4 more WAR, but I think it’s important to consider that Acuña played all of 2022 hobbled following a torn ACL. Injuries aside, Acuña would probably be right with him in the WAR department while playing 60 fewer games. That’s incredible.
Both players have an MVP, four All-Star appearances, and a World Series under their belt. Aaron holds the edge defensively. He was also a better contact hitter, but Acuña is coming off a season where he hit .337; he also has a much better OBP.
I actually don’t think it’s debatable that Acuña is the more talented of the two players. He’s a true five-tool athlete with significantly more power than Hank Aaron. If it weren’t for injuries, he’d probably have another MVP and would be blowing him out of the water in nearly every category.
However, injuries are part of the game, and what made Hank Aaron so special was his ability to stay healthy and the longevity of his career. From 1954-1975, he never played fewer than 112 games in a season. That’s 22 seasons! Oh, and Aaron was an All-Star in 21 of those seasons. I almost can’t even process that.
Aaron’s the true home run king with 755. He also has the most total bases and RBIs in MLB history. There’s a reason he will be remembered for as long as the game of baseball is played. I’m not sure we’ll ever see his combination of talent, consistency, and longevity again. As fantastic as Acuña has been, he would have to maintain his 2023 level of play for about 15 more years to surpass Hank Aaron in WAR. I wouldn’t put anything past the Venezuelan superstar, but it makes you appreciate just how incredible Hammerin’ Hank was for the Braves over the span of two memorable decades.
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