Ronald Acuna is expected to soon become the youngest player in the major leagues, but for now he’s youngest in the Triple-A International League as one of a trio of under-21 top Braves prospects at Triple-A Gwinnett.
Acuna (20.3 years old) and Braves pitching prospects Kolby Allard (20.6 years) and Mike Soroka (20.7 years) are the three youngest on International League rosters in the opening week of the season, according to research by Baseball America.
Soroka, who some observers said looked almost as majors-ready at spring training as Acuna, also could possibly make his major league debut before turning 21 (Soroka’s birthday is Aug. 4).
Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies, who turned 21 on Jan. 7, is the youngest player on any active major league roster.
Acuna, whose birthday is Dec. 18, could make his major league debut as soon as this weekend, although the Braves haven’t given a specific date and might opt to keep him at Triple-A a little longer until he gets his offense going again. Baseball’s consensus No. 1 prospect was 0-for-11 with a walk and four strikeouts in Gwinnett’s first three games before going 2-for-4 with a double and a walk Tuesday.
Acuna hit .344 with nine homers and a .940 OPS in 54 games at Gwinnett in 2017, the last of three minor league stops during a resounding season that earned him Baseball America’s minor league Player of the Year award. Acuna then went to the Arizona Fall League and became the youngest-ever MVP of that prospect league.
At major league spring training this year, Acuna led the Grapefruit League and ranked second in the majors in average (.432), on-base percentage (.519), slugging percentage (.727) and OPS (1.247) before he was sent to minor league camp in mid-March. At the time of the reassignment he also led the Braves in home runs (four) and stolen bases (four) and was tied for the team lead in RBIs (11) and runs (eight).
The Braves said that Acuna was being sent down for more general development after being moved so quickly through three minor league levels in 2017 by the previous front-office regime. But the overwhelming view around baseball was that the Braves sent the dynamic prospect to Triple-A to begin this season for one reason: To control his service time so the team is assured of an extra season of contractual control before he could be eligible for free agency in seven rather than six years.
Saturday is the first day the Braves can bring Acuna to the majors and still be assured of an extra year of control. Acuna’s slow start in the opening week at Gwinnett, coupled with solid contributions from temporary starting left fielder Preston Tucker to the Braves’ surprising offense during the team’s 6-4 start, has led to speculation that Acuna could possibly stay with Gwinnett at least through the weekend before he’s brought to the majors.
The Braves finish a three-city, nine-game trip with a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday through Sunday, then open their second homestand Monday.
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