, then showed maturation from first half to second half. He cut his strikeout rate from 26.8% before the All-Star break to 23.9% afterward, a significant move that helped him produce an MVP contender-level .303/.361/.576 line after the break
. The profile that made him the consensus No. 1 prospect, one of the most hyped in years, remains. He hits for average, barely strikes out, and plays a good shortstop. As he progresses into … his slightly less early-20s … Franco could quickly evolve into3. Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta BravesAcuña is the most accomplished player on the list. Prior to his knee injury in 2021, his stat line looked … a lot like Rodriguez, though he has been pushed to right field.
, then Tatis has the highest ceiling of any young player in baseball. It's hard to bank on that, though. At his best, the man dubbed Quadzilla looks like a shorter, bulked up, mustachioed version of Jacob deGrom. The devastating fastball-slider combo is unimpeachable. His 2022 strikeout rate — 38.3% — was third-best all-time by a pitcher who threw at least 120 innings, behind only 2019 Gerrit Cole and 2018 Chris Sale.The Braves’ other Rookie of the Year candidate — who may well win — is a dynamic center fielder.
At the ripe old age of 25, Albies signed, alongside Acuña, in a previous generation of early Braves extensions. He’s locked in through at least 2025 — and almost certainly 2027 — on a ludicrously team-friendly deal. A superlative defensive third baseman, Hayes will be trying to achieve his offensive breakout in 2023. Steamer projects 14 homers, more than he has hit in the past two seasons combined, and it isn’t an unreasonable projection.