Atlanta Braves: Top 10 Players Heading into 2022 Postseason
By Seth Carter
As the Atlanta Braves march toward the postseason we take a look at the top 10 players from the 2022 season.
The Atlanta Braves are on the brink of overcoming the largest deficit (10.5 games) to win a divisional title in franchise history. This turnaround has required contributions from several players. As the Braves prepare for the postseason, we take a look at the top 10 players on the roster over the course of the entire 2022 season and how they have contributed to the success of the 2022 Atlanta Braves.
Keep in mind, this article was written during the weekend of the final series with the Mets. Some of the stats will be off from end-of-season totals.
10. Ronald Acuña, Jr.
.269 avg, 15 HR, 70 R, 49 RBI, 28 SB, 116 OPS+
Easily and always in contention for the top spot when the question is asked, “Who is the Atlanta Braves’ best player?”, you should hear Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s name.
However, lingering effects from his torn right ACL last July have hampered his performance and ability to stay on the field in 2022. Despite his production not being up to typical Acuna levels, they have still been above average.
This season, Acuña has only been able to play in 115 games. He has the lowest OBP (.349) and SLG (.417) of his career. Despite playing in just 115 games, he has been caught stealing more than any other season in his career. In fact, he leads the league with 11 failed stolen base attempts.
His defense has suffered this season, as well. Previously, Acuña had never posted a negative number in Outs Above Average (OAA) in rightfield. This season he’s at -5 OAA.
Prior to this season, Acuña’s career OPS was .925, good for a 138 OPS+. This year he’s seen that dip all the way to down to .766 (113 OPS+). Granted, that’s still 13% better than the league average.
While he hasn’t been the Acuña we’ve all grown accustomed to, he’s still been an excellent player in 2022. He ranks 10th on the team in total fWAR despite missing significant time to rest his repaired right knee.
On the bright side, Acuña’s bat appears to have regained some pop over the past couple of weeks. Since September 16, he has blasted four homers, three doubles, and driven in 10 runs in 10 games started. His slugging percentage is .586 over that time.
Hopefully, the extra time off Snitker gave him over the season has put him in a prime position to be healthy and productive as the Braves prepare for their World Series Title defense.