Ronald Acuña Jr. is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on December 18, 1997, in La Guaira, Venezuela, he made his MLB debut on April 25, 2018.
Acuña has achieved significant accolades, including:
- National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2023.
- Four-time MLB All-Star (2019, 2021–2023).
- Three Silver Slugger Awards (2019, 2020, 2023).
- Two-time National League stolen base leader (2019, 2023).
In the 2023 season, Acuña made history by becoming the first MLB player to record a 40–70 season, achieving 40 home runs and 73 stolen bases.
However, Acuña’s career has been marred by injuries. In May 2024, he tore his left ACL and has since been recovering. As of February 2025, he reported that his knee was 90–95% healed. The Braves have indicated that Acuña will not participate in any Grapefruit League games during spring training, with no precise return date established.
Acuña’s younger brother, Luisangel Acuña, has also made a name for himself in MLB. Debuting with the New York Mets in 2024, Luisangel impressed with his performance, including hitting a home run in a game against the Washington Nationals. The brothers’ shared talent and similar batting styles have drawn attention, making them the tenth pair of Venezuelan brothers to play in MLB.