Braves top prospect Ronald Acuna will begin his rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Gwinnett, the team announced.
The outfielder has been on the disabled list since May 28 after suffering a mild left-knee ACL sprain and lower back contusion while running through first base in Boston.
The Braves have taken a conservative approach through their 20-year-old's DL stint. Among the reasons: The team knows he can't go less than 100 percent, so it needed to be fully confident in his health before sending him back into game action.
Manager Brian Snitker was hopeful Acuna would begin a rehab assignment this weekend.
Acuna was rehabbing in Florida while the Braves were in Toronto this week. He amped up his agility testing last weekend.
“He’s progressing really well,” Snitker said Thursday. “I mean, we’re looking at possibly getting him out (on a rehab assignment) at the end of the week. But he’s doing good, it’s like he’s passing (tests), he’s checking all the boxes down there.
“It’s been good for him down there (Florida) because they’re doing everything – running the bases, throwing to bases, getting live at-bats. It’s been really good.”
If Acuna’s rehab goes accordingly, he should rejoin the club next week. The Braves open a three-game series with the Reds on Monday, and have an off-day Thursday before playing the Cardinals in St. Louis.
The Stripers travel to Norfolk on Monday. Acuna have will likely had four rehab games through the weekend.
Through 29 games, Acuna has slashed .265/.326/.453 with five home runs. He entered the season ranked as the team’s consensus No. 1 starter, and a unanimous top-two prospect in the game.
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