While the Dodgers and Mets spend gobs of cash, the Braves have remained rather inactive during the early going of the winter. However, it’s important to remember there’s a lot of offseason left, and Atlanta is still one of the most talented clubs in baseball.
Need proof? FanGraphs just projected the top 100 players for 2025, and the Braves had six players featured, second to only the Dodgers and Astros, who had seven. What’s most surprising is who the site believes will be Atlanta’s most impactful player next season — Michael Harris II.
projecting the top 100 players in baseball for 2025
(via fangraphs) pic.twitter.com/coyCtT4idd
— BrooksGate (@Brooks_Gate) December 16, 2024
FanGraphs projects MHII to put together a 5.2 fWAR campaign, which would be his best season as a pro. FanGraphs streamer projects him to slash .287/.334/.484 with career highs in home runs (26), RBIs (81) runs scored (94) and stolen bases (21). If you’re counting at home, that would be a 20-20 season and a much-needed bounce back campaign.
The next highest projection is Ronald Acuna Jr., who FanGraphs projects to accumulate 5.0 fWAR, followed by Chris Sale (4.5 fWAR), Austin Riley (3.9 fWAR), Ozzie Albies (3.5 fWAR), and then Matt Olson (3.0 fWAR).
Acuna is still projected to account for 5.0 fWAR even though he’s expected to miss six weeks, which is astonishing. The 2023 MVP is projected to slash .292/.380/.511 with 21 homers and 46 stolen bases.
Sale is projected to follow up his Cy Young season with a 3.08 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 231 strikeouts in 187 innings pitched. Even if that’s a bit lower than his 2.38 ERA last season, that’s still a figure Braves fans should be thrilled with.
Austin Riley had a bit of a slow start last season and suffered a season-ending injury right as he was heating back up. A 3.9 fWAR season is a career year for some, but not Atlanta’s third baseman. I would be shocked if he didn’t eclipse that figure. FanGraphs projects Riley to slash .267/.336/.487, mash 32 home runs, and drive in 99 runs.
Albies had multiple stints on the IL, but FanGraphs is projecting him to be healthy for 150 games, slashing .266/.322/.447 with 24 long balls, 82 RBIs and 92 runs.
Olson followed up his record-setting 2023 campaign with a somewhat disappointing season last year. FanGraphs projects him to slash .251/.345/.482 and hit 33 home runs. That’s probably not what Braves fans want to hear after watching him belt a franchise-record 54 home runs in 2023.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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