Luis Angel Acuña (22, New York Mets), the brother of Ronald Acuña Jr. (27, Atlanta), who achieved the "40 (homer)-70 (stealing)" milestone for the first time in major league history in 2023 and was selected as the National League MVP (best player), is showing off his skills as much as his brother.메이저놀이터
"New York Mets infielder Luis Angel Acuña, who plays in Venezuela's Winter League, is included in the final three candidates for the Rookie of the Year award," the New York Post said on the 6th (Korea time). "Since his debut in the Major League in 2024, he has played in 31 games in the Winter League with a batting average of 0.337, three homers, 17 RBIs and 18 steals. OPS (On-base plus slugging) is also outstanding with 0.914.
The media also added, "If Acuña can continue its current performance to the end of the season, it is worth seeking not only the Rookie of the Year but also the MVP."
Acuña, a native of Venezuela, signed a contract with Atlanta, his brother's team, in 2017. However, he signed with Texas on the condition of receiving a down payment of 425,000 dollars after being caught up in an international amateur contract scandal and the contract was invalidated.
While growing into a promising player in the Texas-affiliated minor league, he moved to his current team, the New York Mets, through a trade in July 2023. At that time, he was considered a super prospect as he was traded for Max Scherzer, who is considered the best right-handed pitcher in the big league.
Acuña, who started the season with Triple-A under the New York Mets, played 131 games with a batting average of 0.258 and seven homers and 58 OPS of 0.654. Although the performance was not remarkable, the New York Mets called up Acuña to the big leagues in September that year.
Then, Acuña appeared in a total of 14 games as if "Triple A is not all," and showed a batting average of 0.308 and three home runs, six RBIs and an OPS of 0.966. He can take a break after the season, but he is committed to preparing for the upcoming season by participating in the Winter League.
"It's too early to make a decision, but Acuña's performance so far reminds me of his performance," the media said. "Despite his small physique, he has not only power but also accuracy and patience at bat. He also stands out in defense and baserunning using fast feet."
Acuña's brother made his Major League debut with Atlanta in 2018, and played in a total of 111 games that year, posting a batting average of 0.293, 26 homers, 64 RBIs, 16 steals, and an OPS of 0.917. He also won the National League Rookie of the Year award.
Since then, Acuna Jr. has grown into a star player representing the league by recording double-digit homers and stolen bases every season. He has power and clutch heater capabilities, as he hit 41 home runs and 101 RBIs each twice in a season. However, he was out for the season last year after playing in only 49 games due to injury.
Acuna Jr., who has already become a star, is showing the growth of his younger brother Acuña, who is rising while being slowed down for a while due to injury.