Atlanta Braves: Previewing the possible 30/30 candidates for 2023

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The 30 home run and 30 stolen base season is a rare feat in Major League Baseball. The Atlanta Braves had one of only 15 players in the last 23 years (Baseball Almanac) to record a 30/30 season in Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2019. Some believe the Braves may add to this number in the 2023 season. There are three possible candidates based on their combinations of power and speed that they bring to the park each day with a chance to join the illustrious group of players that have hit 30 and stolen 30.

Ronald Acuña Jr. could be a 30-30 player for the Atlanta Braves in 2023

Beginning with the obvious, Acuña has already accomplished this feat, so what’s to say that he can’t do it again? In 2019, which also happened to be his last full-length uninjured/unhindered season, he racked up 40 homers and 37 steals according to FanGraphs. Maybe we should be talking about a 40/40 season out of him instead! He most certainly could accomplish that as well. His 40 homers were top 10 in all of baseball that year, and he was third in MLB in stolen bases as well. It was widely publicized last season that he was bothered by his surgically repaired knee. Even though his power was down, he still managed to swipe 29 bags.

When you take a deeper dive into that 2019 season, the advanced numbers stand out as well. His isolated power (ISO), a metric using slugging percentage and batting average among other things, was at .238. An isolated power of .250 is to be considered elite, so if he didn’t reach that mark and still hit 40 home runs, it is fair to say that the power is there.

Base running data was through the charts that year as well. Acuña’s base running runs created (BSR), which measures steals, caught stealing and any other running play, was 8.1. This was good for fourth in MLB that season.

.@ronaldacunajr24 es BRAVO de verdad. 💪

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— Bravos de Atlanta (@LosBravos) March 16, 2023

Jun 10, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) hits a RBI double against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

Ozzie Albies could be a 30-30 player for the Atlanta Braves in 2023

Albies is an interesting case study to look into the possibility of a 30/30 season. His last full season was also his best season in 2021. That year, he piled up the qualifying 30 home runs which were sixth among second basemen. He also stole 20 bases that year, which is not far from the desired 30.

Advanced statistics were great for him that year as well. His isolated power was at .229, 21 points from elite status. Widely known as a great baserunner, he was third in baseball with an 8.3 BSR. These numbers would suggest that he will be a great candidate for a 30/30 season. One would also think that he will benefit on the bases from the new rules, including larger bases and the throw-over rules that pitchers have to follow.

This is all well and good, but all of this is purely dependent on if his foot and finger are fully recovered from last year’s injury, and none of his periphery numbers suffer because of something that is nagging his body. This might be a bigger concern for Albies than Acuña because he is so closely removed from last year’s injuries that kept him out for the majority of the year. He seems to be ready.

Sep 2, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) hits a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins in the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

Michael Harris II could be a 30-30 player for the Atlanta Braves in 2023

The most intriguing option has to be Michael Harris II. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year burst on the scene in all facets of the game at the end of May last season. Since the trade of Christian Pache, Harris was considered to be the best glove in the Braves’ system. When he made the jump from Double-A Rome to the Big Leagues, many thought his defense was going to stand out from the beginning. No one could have predicted the adjustability and uncanny clutch factor that he brought to the offensive side of the ball.

It is important to note that the success of Michael Harris II was over 114 games last season. Some regression could be expected, but when you look at Harris’ makeup, he has the potential to be a superstar (check out Braden Livings’ article on that here). Harris’ sweet swing has easy power. He hit 15 home runs in his shortened season along with an isolated power of .217. This type of power could line up a 30/30 season very easily.

A great defender in the center field is almost required to have speed. This is no different for Harris. In his 114 games, he stole 20 bases with a BSR of 5.9. He did not qualify to be a league leader because of the number of games he played, but Harris would have qualified for 12th in baseball. One can only imagine what that will look like for a full season.

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All three of these players, based on the profiles as it pertain to power and speed, seem to have a good opportunity to add their name (maybe for a second time) to the illustrious list of 30/30 performers for a season. It is also safe to say that the Braves are in good hands with three candidates, not to mention the other bats that are on this team like Austin Riley and Matt Olson. 30/30 seasons or not, the Braves look to be set up for yet another NL East title.

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