Braves uber prospect Ronald Acuna is set to become the next big thing in baseball — but it has to be done the Braves way.
Despite being ranked among baseball’s top prospects, Acuna, 20, is receiving an attitude adjustment from the Braves and former outfielder Andruw Jones, who’s been acting as Acuna’s mentor this spring training.
Jones, a five-time All-Star, knows what Acuna should expect. But according to Jones and the Braves, Acuna’s attitude — or really the way he wears his hat — is a troubling sign in the young star’s development.
Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the Braves “want Acuna to wear his hat straight and maintain a professional appearance while in uniform.”
Jones thinks the Braves are right to strip Acuna of that playfulness and individuality.
“You’ve got to be cocky to play this game,” Jones said via MLB.com. “You’ve got to be confident in yourself to go out and show you belong there. You don’t want to sit in the corner and put your head down every time. You want to stand out there and show you belong in that league at that time.
“Cocky is a good thing. But respecting the game is also very important.”
Acuna posted a .344/.393/.548 slash line with nine home runs in just 54 games as a 19-year-old in Triple-A last year. As noted by NBC Sports, the Braves’ handling of Acuna could be interpreted as the organization creating a narrative about maturity to keep him in the minors to delay his arbitration and free agency.