Ronald Acuna Jr. Could Be The Next Face of Nike Baseball

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. could be the next signature athlete for Nike Baseball.

It is pop quiz time for our readers. Who is the face of Nike Baseball? Better yet, can you name a Nike-sponsored baseball player? Sorry Millennials, but former Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. does not count as he has not played in 13 years (Okay, that one stung me).

Let's just say that the most recognizable brand on the planet has not done an adequate job of promoting its current crop of stars in MLB. The only active players with signature gear available on Nike's website are Mike Trout, Javier Báez, Gleyber Torres, and Blake Snell. 

That could be changing soon. On Wednesday, Nike tweeted a series of short videos promoting Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. That is a rare step for the Swoosh, as the brand has not tweeted about baseball from its main account in almost a year.

Baseball is in his blood. @ronaldacunajr24 is one of the brightest young stars in the game. ⚾💯 pic.twitter.com/shgR6R3Nm8

— Nike (@Nike) April 12, 2023

Go back to the Nike website, and visitors are greeted with a banner featuring three pictures of Acuña training in orange and grey Nike apparel. To borrow a phrase from Gen-Z, it appears that Nike is soft-launching its official relationship with the 3x MLB All-Star.

Honestly, they could do a lot worse. Sure, an ACL injury sustained in 2021 hampered Acuña for a while, but the superstar is back to producing at MVP levels again. Not to mention, the 25-year-old is easily marketable thanks to his authentic swagger, gold chains, and exciting play style.

It is not a matter of if but when Acuña gets a signature footwear and apparel deal with Nike. It is long overdue, considering Nike's competitors have surpassed the brand in signing and elevating baseball players. Look at Shohei Ohtani and Francisco Lindor with New Balance or Bryce Harper with Under Armour.

Acuña becoming the face of Nike is not only good for the two partners but the sport. This is the same brand that cranked out countless signature shoes for Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Kenny Lofton and Hideo Nomo back in the day. 

Rule changes have been made, the stars are there, and now America's pastime just needs the marketing power of Nike to get the sport back to where it belongs in the world.

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