Ronald Acuna Jr.’s Contract: How Much Money Is His Salary With the Braves?

Getty Ronald Acuna Jr. has a bright future with the Atlanta Braves

Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. recently signed an eight-year, $100 million contract with Atlanta, per Spotrac. Acuna’s salary for the 2019 season is $1 million as his major money will not kick in until 2022 when he will make $15 million. Spotrac detailed Acuna’s contract including his average salary of $12.5 million.

Ronald Acuna signed a 8 year / $100,000,000 contract with the Atlanta Braves, including $100,000,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $12,500,000. In 2019, Acuna will earn a base salary of $1,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $1,000,000.

Acuna’s contract has club options for both the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The maximum Acuna can make on his current deal is $124 million. Overall, the Braves signed Acuna to a team-friendly deal given his play in just his second season.

Heading into the All-Star break, Acuna is hitting .292 with 21 homers and 53 RBI while also displaying solid fielding ability. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos described the contract as a “starting point” and emphasized the Braves hope it “isn’t the last deal” that Acuna signed with the team.

“Hopefully, this isn’t the last deal we do with him,” Anthopoulos said, per MLB.com. “Hopefully, he ends his career as a Brave and he goes in the Hall of Fame one day as a Brave. But this is a starting point.”

Acuna noted the decision to sign a long-term deal came down to staying in Atlanta. Acuna emphasized his love for his teammates and living in Atlanta.

“Really more than anything, the contract is about where I want to be,” Acuna said via an interpreter, per MLB.com. “I want to be here in Atlanta. I want to be part of the Braves organization. I love my teammates. I love the organization. I love the fans. I love Atlanta.”

Acuna’s Contract Was Called the “Biggest Bargain of a Contract Since Mike Trout”

To be clear, $100 million is a lot of money, but when it comes to signing a young MLB All-Star it is a bit of a bargain. Fan Graphs’ Craig Edwards described Acuna’s deal as the “biggest bargain of a contract since Mike Trout.”

It’s a lot of money, but it also might be the biggest bargain of a contract since Mike Trout’s six-year, $149.5-million contract signed in 2014 or Albert Pujols‘ eight-year, $100-million contract signed in 2004…

A guarantee for half that amount that ensured that Acuña hit free agency in his 20s likely would have been a better deal for Acuña and a positive deal for the Braves. This deal isn’t a steal because of the system that players and owners have set up. This is a deal that, even within that system, will likely prevent Acuña from ever being paid at a level anywhere near his true on-field value.

Acuna Was Named an All-Star in Just His Second Season

Acuna is in his second MLB season, but just his first full season after being called up early in 2018. MLB.com’s Andrew Simon noted that what is as impressive as Acuna’s production so far is the fact that he is just 21 years old.

Acuña’s performance is all the more impressive given his lack of age and experience. He remains younger than many college players who will be picked in the upcoming Draft, and at this time two years ago, he had just been promoted to Double-A for the first time.