For several reasons, the Braves have blossomed into one of the biggest brands in baseball over the last 30 years. Winning has a lot to do with it, but the personalities of the players on the current team have also played a substantial role.
As Alex likes to say, Ronald Acuna Jr. is your favorite players favorite player. He’s also the most popular player on the planet. According to Major League Baseball, Acuna’s jersey was the most sold jersey of any player, just ahead of Shohei Ohtani.
The top two @MLB All-Star vote getters, Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Angels DH and pitcher Shohei Ohtani, also lead MLB with the most popular MLB player jerseys of the first half of the 2023 season. pic.twitter.com/yQ8JXcpX7i
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) July 10, 2023
You might notice another Braves player within the top 10 — Matt Olson. The Braves new first baseman leads the National League in home runs, and while some people still rue the day the team traded for him and let Freddie Freeman walk, it’s evident most fans are beginning to come around. He’s been outstanding thus far this season and was deservedly named to the NL All-Star team for the first time as a member of the Braves.
Atlanta also had two other players finish just outside the top 10 in jersey sales. Austin Riley ranks 11th, while Ozzie Albies slides in at 12th.
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani lead MLB with the most popular player jerseys of the first half of the 2023 season. 14 of the top 20 players on the list were selected for the 2023 All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/Jod2TCqhwz
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 10, 2023
No other team had more than three players inside the top 20, and it might not be long before the Braves have a couple of other guys enter the conversation. Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider are two exciting young stars, and Sean Murphy is quickly establishing himself as the best catcher in baseball.
The Braves aren’t just the class of baseball; they are the most fun team as well, and it’s not particularly close. Getting to watch this group for 162 games is a blessing that mustn’t be taken for granted.
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Photo: Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire
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