Ronald Acuna Jr. is working hard this offseason.
Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. is already a former MVP who is one of the best players in baseball when healthy. That doesn't mean he is not putting in work in the offseason, though. Acuna was recently asked what he's been working on ahead of the 2026 campaign, via the Braves.
"I'm working on everything," Acuna said. "I'm working mostly on my defense... Now, I feel amazing. I don't forget my hitting, but I'm working on everything."
Ronald Acuna Jr.'s Outfield Defense
Acuna, a right fielder, is seemingly wanting to take his defense to the next level in 2026. He has endured his share of ups and downs in the outfield.
Acuna has one of the best throwing arms in baseball. His arm strength checked in at the 98th percentile last season, while his arm value was in the 75th percentile. With that being said, Acuna's outs above average was just in the second percentile.
Acuna is more than capable of throwing runners out on the bases in the outfield. Hitters need to think twice before attempting to stretch a single into a double when Acuna fields the baseball. Runners trying to go from second to home on a single also need to be careful. Still, Acuna's defense -- aside from his throwing arm -- is a question mark.
As a result, it is not surprising to see that defense is his primary focus this offseason.
Acuna's Bat is Completely Fine
Working on everything is important. Acuna is not going to forget about hitting. However, his bat is certainly not a problem.
Despite being limited to 95 games played in 2025, Acuna still managed to finish in the 95th percentile in average exit velocity, 94th percentile in hard-hit percentage, 93rd percentile in barrel percentage and 99th percentile in walk percentage. The 2023 National League MVP ultimately finished the '25 campaign with a .290/.417/.518 slash line.
In other words, Ronald Acuna Jr. is an elite hitter. While he is still working on improving as a defensive player, Acuna's value to his team cannot be denied. He finished 2025 with a 3.0 WAR, and he was an 8.4 WAR player during his incredible 2023 MVP season.
He could challenge Shohei Ohtani and other NL superstars for the MVP award in 2026 with a healthy season. Improving on defense would only help his case for the award. More importantly for the Braves, it would give Atlanta's outfield defense a boost.