The Braves’ youthful roster had a number of contributors to make the postseason in 2018. But who stood out among them all? Who would be your pick for the team’s most-valuable player?
Here are your choices:
• Freddie Freeman led the team in batting average (.309), on-base percentage (.388), , hits (191) doubles (44), and RBIs (98). The All-Star first baseman was a leading league MVP contender until a late-season slump.
• Nick Markakis was among the Braves' most consistent hitters this season. The All-Star outfielder played in all 162 games hitting .297/.366/.440 with 13 homers, 43 doubles and 93 RBIs.
• Rookie Ronald Acuna had a revival as leadoff hitter following the All-Star break. His 26 homers led the team and his eight leadoff homers - which included 3-straight game streak - set a franchise record. The outfielder also led the team in slugging (.552) in just 111 games.
• Ozzie Albies was the king of April. The All-Star second baseman smacked a franchise-record 22 extra-base hits that month while hitting seven homers and a .606 slugging percentage, all among National League top performances. He finished his year with 24 homers (trailing only Acuna), scoring 105 runs and hitting 40 doubles.
• Mike Foltynewicz, 26, improved from a roller coaster 2017 season in which he went 10-13 with a 4.79 ERA in 29 games (28 starts). The right hander went 13-10 with a 2.85 ERA in 31 starts in 2018. He was an All-Star selection and started two games in the postseason. He finished with more than 200 strikeouts (202), a plateau no Brave had reached since Javier Vazquez in 2009.
• The youth. The Braves used a total of 58 players - two shy of the franchise record set in 2015 - this season. Forty of those players were under the age of 30. The average age of the team at season's end was 27. They were just the second team in 110 seasons to have four starters win their MLB debut. They had four of the five youngest players (Acuna, 20; Bryse Wilson, 20; Kolby Allard, 21; and Mike Soroka, 21) in the majors this season. And that youth helped them secure their first division title since 2013.
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