Ronald Acuna Jr. just wrapped up his eighth season with the Atlanta Braves, a year that marked the first time in his career the team missed the MLB postseason. As the Braves look to regroup and make a quick turnaround in 2026, Acuna will focus on preparing for what he hopes will be his first full season in three years. He appeared in just 49 games in 2024 and 95 in 2025 while dealing with injuries, most notably a second torn ACL.

Still, when Acuna was on the field this season, he remained one of the league’s most electrifying players. The 27-year-old outfielder posted a .290 batting average, .417 on-base percentage and a .935 OPS, along with 21 home runs and 42 RBIs.

Although Acuna appeared in just 95 games this season, he was still recognized by the MLB Players Association for his performance. On Wednesday, Acuna was named the National League’s Comeback Player of the Year. He was joined by teammate Drake Baldwin, who earned the Outstanding Rookie award.

Atlanta congratulated both players on X. “Comeback Player of the Year and Outstanding Rookie 👏 Congratulations to Ronald and Drake on their @MLBPA Players Choice Awards!” the team wrote. The Players Choice Awards are voted on annually by active players, making the recognition especially meaningful for Acuna and Baldwin.

While Acuna remains the face of the Braves’ franchise, he has continued to collect accolades for his outstanding play on the field. He has taken home NL Rookie of the Year, an NL MVP award, five All-Star selections and three Silver Slugger awards across eight seasons in the big leagues. Fortunately for Atlanta, he will remain with the organization for the foreseeable future. He signed an eight-year, $100 million contract in 2019, with multiple club options.

Given his MVP-level performance, Acuna’s deal is viewed as one of the most team-friendly in MLB. While Acuna has battled multiple ACL tears, he has continued to bounce back even stronger every time, making him the perfect choice for Comeback Player of the Year. With a full offseason of recovery and preparation ahead of him, Acuna will look to continue his dominance in 2026.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.