Atlanta Braves 2023 season review: Statcast Edition

The Braves were Statcast darlings in 2022 but somehow were even more impressive in 2023. The team hit the ball harder than any other team (spoiler: by a long shot). Ronald Acuña Jr. had enough mind-breaking stats to get his own dedicated section.

And of course, while some moments were very memorable, some Statcast stats may surprise you, like a pitcher with a top-five pitch in the game or who the team's third-best defender was.

Let's get into it.

Braves Statcast standouts - Ronald Acuña Jr.

121.2 MPH BOMB!

A different Braves player had the hardest-hit homer in baseball in 2023, months before this homer (more on that later), but Ronnie decided to up that by nearly three miles an hour.

Not only was this the hardest-hit ball in 2023 (of any result), it was the sixth hardest-hit ball in Statcast history and the third hardest-hit home run in Statcast history.

What's even crazier is that the ball traveled 454 feet despite having just a 19º launch angle. There have only been six homers hit at that angle since 2015 that went further.

Incredible.

Here's the video again (this one includes Mookie's reaction).

310 batted balls over 95 MPH

The 2023 NL MVP had 310 batted balls over 95 MPH, the most in baseball.

This number is a lot, considering it was the best in baseball. However, some might not realize just how absurd this number is.

Rafael Devers is also a very talented baseball player. This season, he finished second to Ronald Acuña Jr. in balls hit over 95 MPH.

"How much did Ronnie beat out Devers by in this category?" you may ask. 5? 10? Maybe even 15?

Try 58! The gap between Acuña and Devers is the same gap between Devers and Ozzie Albies, who finished 41st in MLB with 194 batted balls above 95 MPH.

104.1 MPH throw

Bluntly put, Statcast wasn't a fan of Ronald Acuña's defense when it didn't come to throwing. You can believe what you want to believe about his defense, but one thing is indisputable: he has an absolute canon.

This throw on a sac fly that shouldn't have even been close-clocked in at 104.1 MPH. At the time, it was the hardest throw since 2017 (although Brenton Doyle one-upped Acuña a few months later).

Also, as a bonus, check out this throw to nab Tyler O'Neill at the plate. It was *only* 92.7 MPH, but it caused quite the controversy in the Cardinals dugout.

Braves Statcast standouts – Hitting (everyone else)

I could probably have a 3000-word article just on Ronald Acuña Jr, but there's plenty more to talk about when it comes to hitters.

Matt Olson's 118.6 MPH bomb

On April 11, Matt Olson unleashed on this 118.6 MPH homer. At the time, it easily took the cake for the hardest-hit ball of the year and would stay that way until Ronald Acuña Jr. decided it was time to unleash a 121.2 MPH homer.

On the season, this Olson bomb was tied for the third-hardest hit ball the entire season.

474-foot d'Addy bomb

On April 3, Austin Riley hit this 473-foot blast against the Cardinals. For months, it was the furthest-hit homer by a Braves player. It was the ninth-furthest hit baseball in MLB this season.

At 113.3 MPH off the bat, this had some serious heat on it.

But this didn't end up as the longest homer by a Brave this season. Despite having mashers like Ronald Acuña Jr, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Marcell Ozuna on the team, the longest homer by a Brave belongs to a player who only hit 11 long balls all season.

That of course is none other than Travis d'Arnaud.

In the middle of the Braves' four-game series against the Rockies in which the Bravos outscored the Rockies 40-12, d'Arnaud went off against Dinelson Lamet, with this 474-foot homer being just the first of two bombs against the righty.

46% hard-hit rate

As a team, the Braves had a 46% hard-hit rate. No other team came within four percentage points.

The second-place Yankees finished with a 41.8% hard-hit rate and the gap between them and the Braves was greater than the gap between the Yankees and the White Sox, who had the 25th-best hard-hit rate.

The Braves parlayed their hard-hit rate into the highest xBA, xSLG, xwOBA, and xwOBACON, all by large gaps as well.

Matt Olson will destroy your fastball

When you lead the majors in homers and break the franchise home run record for one of the oldest franchises in baseball, you're doing a lot of damage on plenty of pitches.

But Matt Olson was especially exceptional against the fastball. According to Baseball Savant, his 23 Run Value off of the heater was the best by a hitter against any pitch.

Braves Statcast standouts- Fielding

Admittedly, the Braves' weakest link this season was their defense. But just because it was the weakest link doesn't mean there aren't things to highlight.

14 Run Value catcher

When the Braves decided to send William Contreras to the Brewers, they knew they were upgrading defensively.

And while he was snubbed from being a Gold Glove finalist, Sean Murphy was everything the Braves hoped for defensively.

His 14 Run Value was the seventh-best in baseball and was the third-best among catchers.

In addition to an incredible arm, Murphy was also a great pitch framer. His 7 Framing Runs tied him for fifth with (ironically) William Contreras.

Murphy was also the best blocking catcher in baseball. At 16 Blocks Above Average, the Braves' backstop was far and away the king of keeping the ball in front of him.

Money Mike and 4-Star catches

Another snub for Gold Glove Finalist, Michael Harris II was excellent on defense again in 2023. The CF had six 4-Star catches and one 5-Star catch this past season, including this catch that had just a 25% Catch Probability.

On the season, Money Mike had the 18th-best OAA in MLB at 7 OAA.

EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE

Believe it or not, Eddie Rosario was above average defensively this season. His 3 OAA put him in the 80th percentile, and he had the best catch of the year by a Brave by Catch Probability.

With just a 15% Catch Probability, Super Rosario was able to run this down before it got to the gap.

Rosario also had four 4-Star catches and 12 3-Star catches. He was well deserving of finishing in the top three in Gold Glove voting.

As you can see, the Braves were the best offensive team in baseball for a reason. I'm sure that was easy to see but even the analytics back it up. Is there any way they could be even better in 2023?

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