One September callup we want for each MLB team

Atlanta Braves: Ronald Acuna

Just 19 years old, outfielder Ronald Acuna began the 2017 season in High-A, but has been on a meteoric rise through the system. Acuna has been at Triple-A Gwinnett for six weeks and has not stopped raking. In 130 games this season across three levels, the outfielder is hitting .324/.373./527 with 20 home runs and 41 stolen bases. As he has climbed the ladder, Acuna has actually curtailed his strikeouts.

Acuna’s rise through the minor leagues has absolutely been accelerated this year, but the Braves have been smart to roll with it. He has not failed, so the smart thing to do was continue pushing the consensus top-ten prospect.

This season for Acuna is comparable to the way Andruw Jones shot up through the minor leagues in time to debut with the Braves at the end of the year and have a major impact in the World Series. The Braves, however, are in a different place than that 1996 team. There is no real need to rush Acuna up to the big leagues.

Looking at this strictly from a baseball standpoint, there is no reason for the Braves not to call up Acuna for the month of September and give him some of Nick Markakis’ at-bats in right field. His minor-league season will end soon, and there’s no need to worry about hurting his development by having him play only once or twice a week for a month. The bigger concerns come with adding him to the 40-man roster right now. That would have implications on the Rule 5 Draft this winter and the Braves have other decisions to make with lesser prospects who could still figure into their rebuilding plan. Acuna is ready to play now, but he may have to wait until the 2018 season for his MLB debut.