Ronald Acuna Jr. 2025 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Carrying Elite Upside At Reasonable Discount
1 month agoAtlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) was the consensus top pick in all drafts last season after capturing the 2023 NL MVP by posting a stellar .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. However, an encore performance in 2024 was cut short by a torn ACL he suffered in late May. In fact, Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos noted that the superstar outfielder could potentially miss a period of the start of the 2025 campaign. Before his injury, Acuna held stellar metrics and was on track to have another dominant season. In a limited 49-game sample size, Acuna boasted a .350 xwOBA and 48.2% hard-hit rate, among the sport's highest marks. While this was a drop from his incredible 2023 production, these marks were still elite and suggest Acuna can still be a top outfielder in all fantasy formats. Given the potential to miss time early on, a nice injury discount is already being baked into his ADP. Currently, on the NFBC, he is being selected just outside the first round with an 24.70 ADP. Given his ability to contribute to all five standard categories in an elite capacity, Acuna should have an excellent opportunity to rebound to his fantasy stardom with a nice discount, even if he misses some time early on.