Five Bold Atlanta Braves Predictions for 2025

The Atlanta Braves have plenty of key players capable of having some big seasons in 2025, and these bold predictions reflect this

Here, the Braves keystone talent is projected to have some big years in 2025 / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The expectations for the Atlanta Braves took a bit of a dip after last season. But they have the names on the team already to be a contender. It’s not bold to predict these All-Stars will have strong seasons, but it can be bold to project the heights they could reach. 

Here are five bold predictions for the upcoming Braves season. These predictions feature some returns to form as well as a major breakout-season prediction. 

Ronald Acuña Jr Hits 30 Home Runs in His Return

The Braves aren’t rushing Acuña back to ensure he’s fully healthy and ready to go. We saw back in 2022 how he wasn’t quite the same after his injury in 2021. 

In 119 games in 2022, Acuña slashed .261/.351/.413 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs. Not exactly his numbers from his 40-70 MVP season the year after when he was playing at full strength. 

So, if the Braves are only sending him back out there when he’s good and ready, we can make the bold prediction that he’s more likely to hit the ground running. FanGraphs projects that he will hit 27 home runs in 131 games in 2025. This prediction calls for him to hit a few more than that. 

Ian Anderson Wins 15 Games 

A prediction related to wins? In 2025? Yes. That’s exactly what this is.

Anderson is expected to make his long-awaited return to the rotation and will make it count. 

During his most recent season in the Majors - 2022 - Anderson won 10 games in 22 starts. That scales to 15 wins across a full season, based on the typical 33 or so starts a starter will get. So, been on that pace before. 

What makes this bold is his health and his recent track record. Anderson had a 5.00 ERA in 2022 and hasn’t been healthy enough to pitch in an MLB game in over two years. So, this bold prediction hinges on whether he’s fully back to health and will be the pitcher he was showing he could be in 2020 and 2021. 

Spencer Schwellenbach Throws 200 Innings

Oh, how times have changed. This is now a bold prediction. The Braves’ rookie standout will take things a step further in his reliability next season. 

Between the Majors and Minors last season, Schwellenbach pitched 168 2/3 innings last season, in 29 total starts. Scale that to about 33 starts and this becomes approximately 191 2/3 innings. Who’s to say he can’t make that extra push and pass the now-coveted 200-inning plateau? 

Michael Harris II Racks up 180 hits AND Wins a Gold Glove

The breakout season for the young Braves center fielder is coming in 2025. We all saw that late surge from Harris once he returned from injury last season. 

After returning from the Injured List Aug. 14, Harris slashed .283/.318/.506 with 51 hits in 43 games. He was on pace for 192 over 162 games. That puts him at 177 hits across a more realistic 150 games played. Getting to 180 hits is more than doable for him. He has the ceiling to chase the 200-hit mark each ceiling, but 180 is a good starting point.

His career best is 148 hits in 138 games. He has had more hits than games played in all three seasons of his career.

This prediction also has him reaching new heights across a full season’s worth of games. This will give him the boost on the defensive side of things to not just finally enter the Gold Glove conversation but win it. 

He already has a Minor League Gold Glove - yes, that’s a thing.  Time for him to earn the Big League equivalent. 

Austin Riley Is a Finalist for the National League MVP

The two-time All-Star has received MVP votes three times in his career. He’s finished in sixth once and seventh twice. With Shohei Ohtani in the National League, we’re not even going to think about him winning the MVP. But being a finalist could happen. 

A strong bounce-back season where he is a major player in the Braves contending for a division title and a deep playoff run would get Riley into the discussion. Heading into 2024, Riley hit 33 or more home runs in the previous three years. 

To leap from Francisco Lindor, Ketel Marte and Bryce Harper is a tall task. He also has to stand out among some of his own teammates. But he’s got the production capable of landing him in the top three.