Two Braves Stars Crack Top 20 in MLB Network Players Rankings

Two members of the 2025 Atlanta Braves have cracked the top 20 in MLB Network’s top 100 players for 2025. Starting pitcher Chris Sale came in at No. 20 while Ronald Acuña Jr. ranked No. 16.

These two find themselves at their current rankings after being in the most opposite possible situations the year before. Acuña came into 2024 as the No. 1 player on the list and Sale was unranked. One rose from the ashes and the other simply took a dip due to injury and a slow start leading up to it.

Sale enters the 2025 season as the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. It was his first career award and his seventh time overall receiving votes. Naturally, he won the award after his career was just about over and he pulled off the ultimate comeback at age 35.

FanGraphs has Chris Sale finishing with a 14-8 record, a 3.07 ERA, a 4.6 WAR, a 1.07 WHIP and 230 strikeouts in 187 innings pitched over 31 starts.

Acuña was the National League MVP after hitting 40 home runs and stealing 70 bases in 2023. His title-defending season lasted 49 games. Acuña tore his ACL, taking him out for the rest of the season. He will miss Opening Day this season too as the Braves want to make sure he’s good and ready to come back.

However, the expectation is since he’s only coming back when he’s good and healthy, he’s going to be the Acuña we expect him to be.

FanGraphs projects Acuña to play in 131 games and slash .291/.379/.509 with 26 home runs and 102 RBIs.

Acuña and Sale join teammates Marcell Ozuna, Michael Harris II and Jurickson Profar as members of the Top 100.

After being ranked No. 83 heading into 2024, Ozuna heads into 2025 ranked No. 47. Harris came in at No. 67 this season, a decrease from his ranking at 50th in 2024. Profar is ranked No. 84 and was unranked the previous season.