Atlanta Braves: Ronald Acuña selected for 2018 Japan tour
This morning, the first 8 players and the coach of the MLB Japan All Star team were announced. Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuña Jr is among the 8.
In an article published by Chad Thornburg of MLB.com, we learned that the Atlanta Braves National League Rookie of the Year candidate Ronald Acuña Jr will be joining MLB in November to participate in the Japan All Star series.
This series is going to be a 7-game series opening on November 8th with an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants at the Toyko Dome.
6 of the 7 other players chosen are from National League teams:
Yadier Molina of the Cardinals, Eugenio Suarez of the Reds, Christian Yelich of the Brewers, Rhys Hoskins and Carlos Santana of the Phillies, Whit Merrifield of the Royals, and Chris Taylor of the Dodgers.
The Manager chosen for the MLB team will be Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly.
Acuña keeps making a splash…
After an already storybook rookie season by Ronald Acuña, it must be humbling for him to be selected to participate in an international event that includes the best players not just from his own league, but from another part of the world. With Acuña’s selection for this exhibition series, it shows that people are taking notice of the things that Acuña is doing. And with Acuña making this team, he will make even more history…
Ronald Acuña can become the youngest participant in the event’s history!
Well, why CAN he become the youngest, but he may not BE the youngest? Because Nationals rookie Juan Soto still has a chance to be entered into the event. Once the entire roster is announced, we will know for sure whether or not Acuña Jr will be the youngest ever to participate in the event.
Here’s a list of the youngest players on each MLB All Star team throughout the 11-game history of the MLB vs Japan event:
2014: José Altuve – 24 years old
2006: José Reyes – 23 years old
2004: Miguel Cabrera – 21 years old
2002: Mark Buehrle – 23 years old
2000: Ryan Dempster – 23 years old
1998: Andruw Jones – 21 years old
1996: Alex Rodriguez – 21 years old
1994: Event did not occur due to the MLB Players Strike
1992: Ken Griffey Jr – 22 years old
1990: Ken Griffey Jr – 20 years (D.O.B. November 21, 1969)
1988: Greg Maddux – 22 years old
1986: Jose Canseco – 22 years old
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In comparing the birth dates of Acuña Jr and Griffey Jr, in 2018, Acuña Jr will be younger participating in this event than Griffey Jr was in 1990 by 27 days. Ronald Acuña’s date of birth is December 18, 1998.
If Ronald Acuña needs some advice on playing in this type of atmosphere, all he has to do it hit a single and go talk to Atlanta Braves 1st base coach Eric Young Sr. In 1996, Eric Young Sr played in this series after he was selected to the MLB All Star team, won a Silver Slugger award, and swiped 53 bases in 1996.
To add onto his already historical season for the Atlanta Braves, Acuña can continue to make baseball history after the season ends!
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With the young phenom making more history than we ever thought he would, all of Atlanta Braves Country can rejoice in satisfaction at Acuña’s marvelous accomplishments, even this one that has yet to come.