Braves promoting top outfield prospect Acuna from Gwinnett

CINCINNATI (AP) — Top outfield prospect Ronald Acuna is set to join the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves planned to promote the 20-year-old from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday to join them in Cincinnati.

Acuna rose from Class A to Triple-A in 2017, hitting a combined .325 with 21 home runs, 82 RBIs and 44 stolen bases. Then he was selected MVP of the Arizona Fall League. He began this season as MLB.com's No. 2 overall prospect behind Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani.

Acuna teased Braves fans with a monster spring training, batting .432 with four homers, four stolen bases and a 1.247 OPS in 16 games.

At Triple-A this month, Acuna was off to a slow start, hitting .232 with one homer and two RBIs in 69 at-bats.

By delaying his promotion a few weeks past opening day, the Braves pushed back Acuna's free-agent eligibility until after the 2024 season.

Acuna and 21-year-old second baseman Ozzie Albies will give Atlanta the two youngest players in the majors.

In this Friday, March 2, 2018, file photo, Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna watches after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball spring exhibition game against the New York Yankees, in Tampa, Fla. Top outfield prospect Acuna is set to join the Atlanta Braves, who said they planned to promote the 20-year-old from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, to join them in Cincinnati.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/4/663388/braves-promoting-top-outfield-prospect-acuna-from-gwinnett