The Atlanta Braves haven't been shy about locking up their young talent early in their careers. We've seen it with Spencer Strider, Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuña Jr, and Austin Riley. These are always massive risks, as we've seen with Strider/Acuña's injuries and Harris' rapid decline.
When Riley debuted with the Braves in 2019, it felt like Atlanta had finally found a player that could fill the absence of Chipper Jones. It took him some time to adjust to big league pitching, but he broke out in 2021. This obviously excited the front office and fans alike.
Riley has provided fans with some truly impressive moments over the years. His defense has improved significantly, and he has refined his plate approach. However, the last two seasons have been a bit of a disappointment.
Austin Riley's performance and injuries the last two seasons has extension with the Braves looking less rosy
Like much of Atlanta's lineup, Riley plateaued a bit during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Some of this was due to underperformance, but some of it was also due to injury. It's made it hard to feel good about his 10-year, $212 contract.
He was incredible from 2021 through 2023, with a line of .286/.354/.525 over 478 games. Riley achieved an impressive 18.8 WAR over that span, including 104 doubles, 108 home runs, 297 RBI, and a 135 wRC+. He received MVP votes and won two Silver Sluggers during that span.
The main blemish for Atlanta's third baseman was his strikeout rate, which sat around 24%. His walk rate has never been higher than 8%, which isn't uncommon for power hitters. But it's something you'd expect to improve. Especially when you consider he is one of the highest-paid players on the roster.
There are still seven years left on the contract at an AAV of $22 million. He also has a club option for the 2033 season. There's still plenty of time left for him to prove he was worth such a hefty investment.
Combined in 2024 and 2025, he slashed .258/.316/.445 with 46 doubles, 35 homers, 110 RBI, and a 111 wRC+. The strikeouts to walks are troubling to look at. Riley walked 64 times over 916 plate appearances with 246 strikeouts.
It's just hard to agree that it has been a worthy investment thus far, with his performance middling out and a couple of season-ending injuries. Those things aren't his fault, but it's tough not having him on the field.
Riley is one of the best hitters in baseball when he is healthy and staying disciplined at the plate. There's plenty of reason to be optimistic that he can return to form. However, he will have to work hard next season to convince fans that he will be more than an average player the remainder of his Braves career.