Atlanta Braves: Let's compare Ronald Acuna to Mike Trout

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The Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna is one of the most exciting prospects in baseball entering the 2018 season and is more like Mike Trout than you might think.

Mike Trout is the best baseball player on the planet. It’s really not even that close. Since 2012, Trout’s first full season in the big leagues, he leads the majors in WAR by nearly 20 wins over second place Josh Donaldson. During that time-span, no one has come close to matching Trout’s production. Mike Trout is rarely even compared to modern players because in today’s game he has no equal. That being said, there is a minor leaguer knocking at the door of the major leagues that many hope will one day be in the same conversation as Trout. That player is none other than Atlanta Braves wunderkind, Ronald Acuna.

Mike Trout is Ronald Acuna’s second most comparable player according to Pecota. That sets some lofty expectations for a player that has yet to take a single major league at-bat. However, Acuna is coming off of an incredible minor league season in which he went from high A to Double-A to Triple-A while improving at each level.

In fact, Acuna’s Atlanta Braves minor league numbers match up pretty well with Trout’s. Using wRC+, we can compare their minor league seasons in the context of their respective leagues and ballparks. I could not find wRC+ for the Arizona Fall League, so I simply used OPS.

Player	Rookie Ball wRC+	A ball wRC+	High A wRC+	AA wRC+	AAA wRC+	AFL OPS
Mike Trout	151	172	117	156	179	0.600
Ronald Acuna	145	139	135	159	162	1.053

Trout had better numbers in the low minors, but Acuna fared better in the upper levels of the Atlanta Braves system. In fact, the only level where Trout was superior in the high minors was in 93 AAA plate appearances.

Another example of Acuna’s dominance was in the Arizona Fall League. Acuna took his performance to yet another level and won the league MVP, while Trout struggled in his time there. Most believe that Trout was just worn down at the end of that season, which makes sense but Acuna had every reason to be just as tired.

Acuna must prove himself to the Atlanta Braves

Ronald Acuna will have to perform with the Atlanta Braves in the big leagues before we can begin to consider him on the same level as Mike Trout, but according to the minor league track record, it at least appears possible.

Acuna is at the same age and stage of his career that Trout was before his amazing 2012 rookie campaign. Both players were 20 years old to begin their rookie seasons, and like Trout, Acuna will enter his rookie season as one of the most heralded prospects in the game. Trout was the number one prospect in baseball heading into the 2012 season according to MLB Pipeline. Acuna will enter the 2018 season as the number 2 prospect only behind a two-way star, Shohei Ohtani. Even Trout’s prospect scouting report evokes the same image as Acuna’s. This is from Mike Trout‘s MLB Pipeline scouting report before the 2012 season:

Trout has pretty much every tool in the box. It starts with his plus, plus speed, which allowed him to swipe 56 bases in his first full season and to play an outstanding center field. His pure hitting ability is a plus as well, wise beyond his years in terms of plate discipline and pitch recognition. While he hit just 10 homers in 2010, he did slug .490 for the year and should add more power as he matures. He has a solid, albeit unspectacular throwing arm, though he’s always on the money. His makeup and work ethic are off the charts.

And this is Ronald Acuna‘s report from MLB Pipeline this offseason:

It’s hard to find a flaw in Acuna’s game. He has a buggy whip of a swing and ultra-fast hands that allow him to make hard contact to all fields. His power started showing up, and then some, in 2017, and seeing his 21 homers be a low mark in his career does not sound outlandish. While he did strike out a bit, his K rate did go down each time he moved up the Braves’ ladder, with an advanced approach especially given his age. He can flat-out fly, allowing him to make 40-plus steals an annual projection, especially as he gets better at reading pitchers and cutting down his caught stealing rate. That speed works for him in the outfield as well, where he has the range for center and the arm for right field.

Both of these reports sound very similar. They both describe an uber-athletic center field prospect with tons of speed, power and hitting ability. Trout may have had a tick more speed at the same age, while Acuna seems to have more raw power. The most significant differences seem to be that Trout had a more advanced approach at the plate while Acuna has a much stronger throwing arm allowing him to play right field if needed.

A spitting image

They each have similar swing mechanics as well. They both start with their hands high and utilize a leg kick while remaining short and quick to the ball. Also, neither player has any trouble lifting the ball.

Ronald Acuna’s elite bat speed is immediately evident in this shot. This coupled with his excellent use of his lower half are what provide his raw power. Acuna is more than just a slugger though as his quiet, short to the ball bat path will allow him to hit for a high average in the big leagues as well.

Trout’s swing looks as though it’s a refined version of Acuna’s. They both use their lower half so well and are short and quick to the ball. Trout has a broader base and seems to be quieter before and after contact. Acuna’s swing looks more violent and raw than Trout’s, which it should be when compared to the game’s greatest player. The amazing thing is just how close the swings are at this stage in Ronald Acuna’s career.

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It remains to be seen what kind of player Ronald Acuna will be in the major leagues and how much success he will have against the world’s best competition. However, the physical tools and minor league track record are all there for him to be one of the greats. It’s never fair to compare a rookie to one of the greatest players ever, but it is exciting to think about.

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