MLB Network has rolled out its Top 100 Players for 2025, and two key members of the Atlanta Braves have cracked the top 20. Chris Sale lands at No. 20, while Ronald Acuña Jr. slides in at No. 16.
You’d probably get a few raised eyebrows if you told someone a year ago that these two would be this close in the rankings.
After all, Acuña was sitting at No. 1 heading into 2024, and Sale? He wasn’t even on the list. Talk about opposite trajectories.
Chris Sale’s Career Revival
Let’s start with Sale because his comeback is nothing short of remarkable. The man was very close to calling it a day before pulling off one of the best comebacks in recent memory.
At 35, he didn’t just prove he still had something left in the tank—he went out and won the National League Cy Young Award for the first time in his career.
It was his seventh time receiving votes, but this time, he finally got over the hump. That kind of career twist makes baseball so unpredictable and, frankly, so great.
And he didn’t just win the award—he dominated. FanGraphs projects Sale to put up a 14-8 record with a 3.07 ERA, a 4.6 WAR, a 1.07 WHIP, and 230 strikeouts across 187 innings in 31 starts this year.
If those numbers hold up, the Braves are in for another season of elite pitching at the top of the rotation.
Acuña’s Road to Recovery
Now, Acuña’s story? It’s a little different. We’re talking about a guy who was the National League MVP, coming off a ridiculous 40-homer, 70-steal campaign in 2023. But then, disaster struck.
An ACL tear in May cut his 2024 season short after just 49 games. It was a gut punch for Acuña and the entire Braves organization and fans everywhere.
While he’s set to miss Opening Day in 2025 as the team takes a cautious approach to his return, the expectation is clear: once he’s back, he’s going to be back.
FanGraphs sees Acuña playing 131 games this season, slashing .291/.379/.509 with 26 home runs and 102 RBIs. If he reaches those numbers, it’ll be a solid bounce-back year, even if it’s not quite on par with his MVP form.
The most important thing is that he’s healthy and back in action—because a fully operational Acuña changes everything for Atlanta.
Other Braves in the Top 100
Beyond these two headliners, the Braves have three other players in the Top 100. Marcell Ozuna jumps from No. 83 in 2024 to No. 47 in 2025, a well-earned rise after another strong offensive campaign.
Michael Harris II, however, takes a bit of a slide, dropping from No. 50 to No. 67. Meanwhile, Jurickson Profar cracks the rankings at No. 84 after not making the cut last year.
What does all of this mean for Atlanta? Despite a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw injuries take their toll, this roster is still loaded with talent.
If Acuña returns to form and Sale continues his resurgence, the Braves will be right back in the mix for another deep postseason run. 2025 is shaping up to be an interesting ride.
