These are the top 10 Braves of the 2010s

These are the top 10 Braves of the 2010s

December 20th, 2019

ATLANTA -- In some ways, it feels like it was just yesterday when made his much-anticipated Major League debut. But when you consider was just 12 years old at the time, you realize just how much the landscape can change over the course of a decade.

Here is a look at where Heyward, Acuña and others rank among the top 10 Braves of the past decade.

1)
Seasons: 2010-19
There isn’t any reason to debate whether this top spot should go to Freeman, who became the franchise’s cornerstone within the past decade. The 30-year-old first baseman has garnered four All-Star selections and four top-10 National League MVP Award finishes since debuting for the Braves in the final month of the 2010 season. The 34.6 fWAR (Fangraphs’ WAR Model) he’s produced this decade is more than double that of all but two other Braves’ position players.

2)
Seasons: 2010-14
Heyward produced the Braves’ third-best fWAR (19.4) this decade. The 114 OPS+ he produced for Atlanta might have fallen short of expectations set during his stellar 2012 rookie season, in which he hit 27 homers. But he was one of the best defensive outfielders and baserunners the franchise has ever seen. Those two tools helped him gain his current eight-year, $184 million deal with the Cubs and earned him the second spot on this list.

3)
Seasons: 2010-13, 2019
McCann, who also played for Atlanta from 2005-09, would have ranked among the top Braves within either of the first two decades of this century. The beloved catcher returned to Atlanta this past season and ended his career like he started it -- by helping his hometown team win an NL East crown. He ranked second among Braves with a 22.5 fWAR this decade, and he had a team-best 21.4 fWAR from 2010-13, which ranked tied for 10th among all big leaguers in that span.

4)
Seasons: 2010-14
Kimbrel joined the Braves as a baby-faced reliever in 2010 and quickly blossomed into the game’s top closer. The hard-throwing right-hander recorded a franchise-record 184 saves and earned an All-Star selection during each of his four full seasons as Atlanta’s closer. He led all MLB relievers with a 10.6 fWAR from 2011-14. His 90.7 save percentage with Atlanta was just shy of John Smoltz’s franchise record (91.1 percent).

5)
Seasons: 2012-15
Arguably the best shortstop the Braves have ever had, Simmons led all of baseball with 113 Defensive Runs Saved from 2012-15. (Heyward ranked second with 78 DRS.) Simmons hit a career-best 17 homers while helping the Braves win the 2013 National League East title. He provided below average offensive production (85 OPS+) during his time in Atlanta, but his glove made him one of the most exciting players the franchise had this decade.

6)
Seasons: 2010-12
Jones’ 2010 season was cut short by a torn ACL, and he underwent another knee surgery just before the start of the '12 season. But the Hall of Famer, who played 20 seasons for the Braves, still ranked 11th among Braves position players with a 6.9 fWAR. During his final three seasons, he produced a 122 OPS+ and earned an All-Star selection in both 2011 and '12.

7)
Seasons: 2010-12
Despite being traded after the 2012 season, Prado still ranked eighth among Braves position players with 9.5 fWAR this decade. The versatile Venezuelan remains a fan favorite in Atlanta, and Jones has repeatedly said Prado was his favorite teammate. Prado earned his only career All-Star selection in 2010, and he again drew down-ballot MVP consideration in '12.

8)
Seasons: 2010-13
Hudson was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year in 2010, when he returned from Tommy John surgery to produce a 2.83 ERA over 34 starts. The witty right-hander, who began his career in Atlanta in '05, tallied at least 16 wins in each of this decade’s first three years and was heading toward another double-digit win total before an ugly ankle fracture forced him to miss the last two months of 2013. His 7.9 fWAR ranked third among Braves pitchers during the decade, placing him behind only Julio Teheran (13.7), who made 110 more starts than Hudson, and Kimbrel (11.0).

9)
Seasons: 2018-19
Yes, his career thus far has essentially consisted of a little more than a season and a half. But it would be remiss to exclude this superstar outfielder, whose 133 Weighted Runs Created Plus mark was bested only by Freeman (137) this decade. Acuña was named 2018 NL Rookie of the Year, and he was elected a starter for the '19 All-Star Game. He exited this past season just three steals shy of becoming just the fifth player in MLB history to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in a season.

10)
Seasons: 2011-19
Teheran's 226 starts were over 100 starts more than any other Braves pitcher during the decade, and he posted the fourth-best ERA (3.67). The only qualified pitchers with better ERAs were Kris Medlen (2.75), Alex Wood (3.10) and Tim Hudson (3.33). Teheran finished fifth in balloting for the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year Award, earned two All-Star selections (2014 and ’16) and made six consecutive Opening Day starts. It would be remiss to exclude the value he provided while making at least 30 starts each of the past seven seasons.