FanGraphs Projects Top Atlanta Braves Players for 2025
At this point in the offseason, we’re all about looking ahead to 2025. FanGraphs put out its projections for the top 100 players next season, and the Atlanta Braves were well represented with six names on the list.
Here is the breakdown of the Braves players in the top 100. They’ll be listed in order based on their ranking and their fWAR - the version of WAR by Fangraphs used to determine the order.
Michael Harris II - fWAR 5.2 (No. 15)
The Braves centerfielder received the highest ranking on this list. This might raise some eyebrows because of Ronald Acuña Jr. being on the team. Remember, Harris is likely going to play a full season, and it's already guaranteed Acuña will not. That impacts a player's WAR.
This isn’t a knock on Harris - let me make that clear. I’m just pointing out what many people are likely thinking.
Harris is still highly ranked because he’s that good of a ballplayer. His previous best fWAR is 4.8, meaning he’s expected to have a career year at 24 years old.
The FanGraphs Streamer projects him to slash .287/.334/.484 and set career highs in home runs (26), RBIs (81) runs scored (94) and stolen bases (21). That would give him is first 20-20 season and a nice return to form following an injury-riddled 2024 season.
Even last season, we saw Harris’ breakout potential in the final stretch. In September, he slashed .316/.344/.579 and had eight home runs and 18 RBIs. That’s a 50-home-run and 112-RBI pace. He probably won’t reach those numbers, because baseball is a marathon of highs and lows. But it’s a great preview of those highs next season could be.
But that’s just talk about his bat and speed. He brings a prolific glove to the table with the capability of making plenty of SportsCenter Top 10s.
Ronald Acuña Jr. - fWAR 5.0 (No. 20)
The 2023 National League MVP has no return date yet. But Fangraphs projects him to play 131 games in 2025. If we assume he misses the first 31 games and then plays all of the remaining 131 games on the docket, that brings him back at the start of May.
This projection will likely change when he has a more concrete timetable, but we’ll roll with this for now.
Acuña is projected to slash .292/.380/.511, hit 21 home runs, bat in 75 runs, score 104 runs and steal 46 bases. This is assuming he comes back and plays as hard as he normally would. However, Acuña could be changing up his came following a second knee surgery, so 46 stolen bases and 104 runs could be a tall order. However, the home runs and RBIs track, and it would be better than what they got most of last season.
Chris Sale - fWAR 4.5 (No. 28)
The 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner will come into the season looking to prove last season wasn’t a one-off comeback year. FanGraphs expects the return to form to continue.
Sale is projected to finish 2025 with a 3.08 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 231 strikeouts in 187 innings pitched. He’s expected to be a bit healthier, make more starts and clock a few more innings. This naturally will get him a few extra strikeouts.
His ERA will take a slight step back - it was 2.25 last season. But let’s be honest, if Sale has a 3.08 ERA next season, he did great. He wouldn’t be chasing another Cy Young, but that’s a strong season.
Plus, with the Gold Glove now part of his resume, we can expect him to provide some clean defense too.
Austin Riley - 3.9 fWAR (No. 45)
The two-time All-Star had a slow start to last season and then suffered a season-ending injury just as he was heating back up.
FanGraphs projects Riley to play in 150 games, slash .267/.336/.487, belt 32 home runs, drive in 99 runs and score 89 times. The Braves third baseman likely wouldn’t see a third All-Star nod with the performance, but he’s still expected to be an important bat in the top half of the lineup.
Ozzie Albies - 3.5 fWAR (No. 67)
Like Riley, Albies missed a lot of time with a freak injury. Although he did come back at the end of the season, he wasn’t at 100% and wasn’t even able to bat left-handed.
Albies is expected to play in 150 games and slash .266/.322/.447. If that feels harsh, he’s had some down years before and likely just needs to prove the projections wrong again.
He’s expected to still have plenty of pop with 24 home runs as well as 82 RBIs and 92 runs scored.
Matt Olson - 3.0 fWAR (No. 98)
Just want to point out that FanGraphs projects Olson to play 150 games when he’s never missed a game in a Braves uniform. He would have to miss time with a moderate injury because he’s not missing a game here and there for rest.
Don’t be afraid to call out the projection here and expect him to play all 162 games again.
Regardless, he’s projected to see some modest improvements in his numbers from last season. He’s projected to slash .251/.345/.482, hit 33 home runs, tally 98 RBIs and score 89 runs. If he plays in 162 games, he could bump the counting stats up a bit further. If we do, we get 35 home runs, 105 RBIs and 96 runs scored.
Some fans might not be happy with that after his 54-homer season in 2023, but the team isn’t going to complain about that production.
On top of the offense, he's a two-time Gold Glove winner who was a finalist for the Award last season. The Braves will keep getting a lot out of this acquisition.