Ronald Acuna is the 2nd ranked prospect on MLB's 2018 watch list, just behind Shohei Ohtani and just ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. In 2017, Acuna boasted a .344/.393/.548 slashline in his 54-game stint in AAA, leading to top scouts determining that he is 'big league ready.'
But at the start of training camp the discussion around Acuna isn't on his impressive power or his stopwatch breaking speed. No, the discussion is on the way he wears his hat.
In a recent story by MLB.com's Mark Bowman, that the Braves would like Acuna to wear his hat straight so that it appears that he's more respectful of his surroundings.
The Braves want Acuna to wear his hat straight and maintain a professional appearance while in uniform. But they do not want to change much about the fun-loving, flamboyant approach that has made him one of the game’s most exciting young players. “The main thing he needs to remember is keep your head straight and respect [your surroundings],” Jones said. “Be humble, but a humble-cocky.” (MLB.com)
"Be humble, but a humble-cocky." Well, that's definitely an oxymoron.
As many people have pointed out on Twitter, the way in which Acuna wears his hat really shouldn't matter to a team, as long as his actions on and off the field are professional. It's very unlikely that fans would be put off the sport of baseball by the way in which someone chooses to wear their hat. In fact, if Ken Griffey's superstar level of popularity has proved anything, it's that a player's individual style invites far more new fans than it would ever push away.
Seems like a whole lot of nothing...
