Ronald Acuña Jr. is a bonafide superstar and one of the best players in Major League Baseball. He is in the midst of a career year as he continues his chase to his first 40 home run/40 steal season and his first MVP. In his age-25 season, the numbers are off the charts.
He's currently tied for first in offensive wins above replacement (WAR), second in the Majors in stolen bases, third in batting average and runs scored, fourth in hits and doubles, and sixth in on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
If the raw numbers aren't enough, then stick around for the raw power that he displays on his towering 400+ foot home runs or his gravity-defying defensive plays in right field.
The talent is undeniable, and the stats reinforce what our eyes see on a nightly basis, but how talented is he compared to the all-time greats that have worn a Braves uniform?
Chipper Jones was on-hand Thursday night as a member of the legendary quartet alongside Tom Glavine, Jeff Francoeur, and John Smoltz. Chipper is one of the most beloved players in the franchise's history and he was an anchor for its run of 14 consecutive division titles (which is still the record in professional sports, by the way).
During the broadcast the Hall of Famer had some very high praise for the Braves' All-Star right fielder.
Chipper's number, along with Glavine and Smoltz from that broadcast, are among the ten Braves that have been retired, so these words are meaningful and carry a lot of weight.
But even among those players, could Ronald Acuña be the most talented?
The legendary Hank Aaron is one of the best pure hitters the game of baseball has ever seen, Eddie Matthews was a slugger at third base, and Dale Murphy was the king of the 80s. Don't even start with the incredible history of pitchers with Phil Niekro, Warren Spahn, and Greg Maddux.
This is very high praise coming from Chipper, who could probably be considered for that title himself as one of the best switch-hitters in league history, but Ronald Acuña could very well be that guy one day. He's got 148 years of competition, but he might stake his claim on that mountain very soon.