By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Ronald Acuna just turned 21 years of age this past December and is the current National League Rookie of the Year.

He is a five-tool player who looks to be the face of the Braves franchise and could be for the next decade or so.

Acuna missed all of April because of the business side of baseball and then a sprained knee that hampered him in June.

The young Venezuelan hit .293/.366/.552 over 111 games and 487 plate appearances, scoring 78 runs, driving in 64, and pounding out 26 doubles, 4 triples, and 26 home runs.

Did I already mention that Acuna missed roughly two months of the 2018 season? If not for that I believe this kid would have been named the National League MVP in 2018.

You probably can already tell by reading this article that I’m a huge Ronald Acuna fan. I think he is the most talented player to arrive in Atlanta since Andruw Jones. That is saying a lot.

The projected Braves lineup in 2018 looks like this:

LF: Ronald Acuna Jr. (R)

1B:  Freddie Freeman (L)

3B: Josh Donaldson (R)

C: Brian McCann (L)

RF: Nick Markakis (L)

2B: Ozzie Albies (S)

CF: Ender Inciarte (L)

SS: Dansby Swanson (R)

Before the Braves brought back Brian McCann, it was looking like Acuna would move to the clean-up spot in the batting order, but now he is back at the leadoff spot where he can lead the 2019 Braves.

With Acuna, Freeman, Donaldson, McCann, and Albies this batting order has some pop in it. Then you have Tyler Flowers, Charlie Culberson, Pedro Florimon, and John Camargo providing depth that should keep Donaldson and McCann fresh throughout the season.

I think this can be a dangerous, run producing batting order that may allow some of the younger arms in the rotation to flourish.

Back to Ronald Acuna, this kid has superstar written all over him. Acuna moved to the leadoff spot on July 20^th last year and he hit .322 with 19 homers and a 1.028 OPS over the last 68 games.

Without that line-up move the Braves do not win the NL East in 2018. Acuna was the Braves MVP in this writer’s opinion in 2018.

With Acuna, Donaldson and Freeman the Braves have three MVP caliber players in the everyday line-up. Acuna could possibly end up batting in the four-hole, but after the excitement you saw in 2018 why would you move him?

Right now, Ronald Acuna projects as the best player in the National League going into the 2019. If you don’t believe me look it up. Barring injury I’m predicting Ronald Acuna Jr. to be the 2019 National League MVP.

Excitement for Braves baseball is off the charts right now. If this rotation can hold up and a closer steps up this offense will lead the Braves back to the playoffs.

Who knows who the Braves can pick up at the trade deadline maybe a quality arm or two for a playoff run?

Ronald Acuna is the new face of the Atlanta Braves, and now the Braves must put the pieces together to ensure Acuna retires as a Brave in about 15-18 years.

Baseball is thriving again in Atlanta, Georgia. Ronald Acuna may be the face of Atlanta sports. The Falcons and Hawks are struggling at the moment.