Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is an explosive power-speed talent for the Atlanta Braves who became the first member of the 40 HR-70 SB club in 2023.

Ronald José Acuña Blanco Jr. was born on December 18, 1997, in La Guaira, Venezuela, into a family deeply immersed in the sport. His father, Ronald Acuña Sr., spent eight years playing in the minor league systems of the Mets, Blue Jays, and Brewers without ever reaching the majors himself, and represented Venezuela at the 2011 Pan American Games; his maternal grandfather, Romualdo Blanco, pitched in the Astros and Padres farm systems in the 1970s. Acuña grew up playing baseball constantly with his three younger brothers and a wide network of baseball-playing cousins, several of whom — including Alcides Escobar and Kelvim Escobar — went on to reach the majors themselves. The Atlanta Braves signed Acuña as a 16-year-old international free agent in 2014, and he tore through their minor league system with a combination of speed, power, and flair that made him one of the most hyped prospects in a generation. He debuted in April 2018 and won the National League Rookie of the Year award, quickly announcing himself as a special talent — that August, he became the youngest player ever to homer in five consecutive games. Acuña's signature achievement came in 2023, when he became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit at least 40 home runs and steal at least 70 bases in the same season, a combination of power and speed with no precedent in the sport's history. The feat earned him a unanimous National League MVP award. Though limited by injury during the Braves' 2021 World Series championship run, he remains a rostered champion from that title team, and continues to rank among the most electrifying and complete players in the game, combining rare athleticism with an infectious joy for the sport that has made him one of baseball's most popular young stars.

Explosive athlete with elite speed, power, and defensive ability

Generational talent who revolutionized leadoff hitting

• NL MVP (2023)
• 5x All-Star
• NL Rookie of the Year (2018)
• Silver Slugger
• World Series champion (2021)