Leadoff: Acuna ranked fourth best MLB player; who are top three?

Mike Trout. Mookie Betts. Juan Soto.

ExploreHow Ronald Acuna’s contract compares to Fernando Tatis Jr.’s new deal

Those are the only three MLB players better than Ronald Acuna, according to an annual ranking of the game’s top players by a panel of ESPN “baseball experts.”

The rankings, released Wednesday, have Angels outfielder Trout No. 1, Dodgers outfielder Betts No. 2, Nationals outfielder Soto No. 3 and Braves outfielder Acuna No. 4.

Two starting pitchers are ranked behind Acuna, No. 5 Gerrit Cole of the Yankees and No. 6 Jacob deGrom of the Mets. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is No. 7, followed by Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. at No. 8.

Six other Braves join Acuna and Freeman in ESPN’s top 100: second baseman Ozzie Albies at No. 35, outfielder Marcell Ozuna at No. 40, pitcher Max Fried at No. 62, pitcher Mike Soroka at No. 78, shortstop Dansby Swanson at No. 80 and pitcher Ian Anderson at No. 99.

The World Series champion Dodgers have five players ranked in the top 25.

About the Author

Tim Tucker

Tim Tucker, a long-time AJC sports reporter, often writes about the business side of the games. He also had stints as the AJC's Braves beat writer, UGA beat writer, sports notes columnist and executive sports editor. He was deputy managing editor of America's first all-sports newspaper, The National Sports Daily.

Editors' Picks