| AB | 456 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .263 |
| OBP | .31 |
| SLG | .366 |
| HR | 6 |
- Full name Luisangel Jose Acuña
- Born 03/12/2002 in Caracas, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 5'8" / Wt.: 181 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade: 50/Medium
Track Record: Acuna signed with the Rangers in 2018, the same summer that older brother Ronald Jr. was building his national League Rookie of the Year credentials with the Braves. The Acuna brothers are a study in contrasts. Ronald is a powerful outfielder, while Luisangel is a small-in-stature middle infielder. Both are now nL East rivals. Luisangel was in the midst of a Double-A breakout in 2023 when Texas dealt him to the Mets for Max Scherzer plus $35 million at the trade deadline. Acuna helped Double-A Binghamton advance to the Eastern League finals.
Scouting Report: Acuna is a plus runner and standout defender who has strong bat-to-ball skills and hand-eye coordination. He likes to swing the bat and will expand his zone early, but he fights off pitches with two strikes and takes his share of walks. Acuna is strong and twitchy, with more raw power than his 5-foot-8 frame suggests. He hits the ball hard but on the ground and the other way frequently, capping his projected home run totals as below-average. He is at least a plus runner who was successful on 57 of 67 stolen base attempts in 2023 and has swiped at least 40 bags in each full season. Acuna has strong range, solid feet, clean actions and a plus arm at both middle infield positions, but his internal clock may be a tick slow for shortstop. Most scouts prefer him at second base, and he also played center field in the Rangers system.
The Future: Acuna could develop into a standout defensive second baseman whose on-base ability and speed could lengthen a lineup. On a first-division club, he might fit best as a second tablesetter at the bottom of the order. After a full Double-A season, he’s ready for Triple-A and his MLB debut at some point in 2024.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Track Record: Acuna is the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. and signed out of Venezuela in 2018. He had a breakout season in 2021 at Low-A, where he was the ninth-ranked prospect in the Carolina League. Acuna's chance at an encore was cut short almost immediately when he strained his hamstring in his first at-bat of the season when he stepped on first base awkwardly while trying to leg out an infield hit. He recovered to overwhelm High-A before hitting a speed bump in Double-A. He made up for the early lost at-bats by playing in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Acuna's offensive impact will depend on whether he can tone down his aggression. He doesn't swing and miss at an alarming rate, but he swings roughly 46% of the time and hits the ball on the ground at a rate higher than 50%. The Rangers expected Acuna to struggle once he got to Double-A and promoted him to the Texas League to let him find the holes in his game against more experienced pitchers. Acuna makes plenty of impact on contact, with a lot of high-end exit velocities hit at optimal angles. Defensively, there's little chance Acuna sticks at shortstop because of fringy arm strength and an internal clock that doesn't befit the position. He'd be fine at second base, though, and could be an intriguing option in center field given the Rangers' current logjam in the middle infield from the majors down to the lower levels of the minors. Acuna is an above-average runner, which helped him steal 40 bases in 49 tries.
The Future: Acuna will return to Double-A in 2023, when he'll attempt to refine his approach and improve his batted ball profile. The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 55. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40 -
Track Record: Ronald Acuna Jr.’s younger brother is starting to create a name for himself. He was signed as one of the headliners of the team’s 2018 class and responded by raking in the Dominican Summer League in his first season as a pro. After starring again at instructional league, Acuna had a promising year at Low-A Down East, where he ranked as the league’s No. 9 prospect.
Scouting Report: Acuna’s excellent glovework at shortstop nabbed him the organization’s defender of the year award. He has smooth, athletic actions in the field and a plus arm to play on the left side of the diamond and the footspeed to move to the outfield. At the plate, Acuna is an aggressive hitter with a quick, whippy swing and the strong hands to drive balls out with authority. His 12 home runs led the Wood Ducks. He’s made improvements to the way he understands the strike zone, which will help hit and power tools the Rangers believe are both average or better. He’s an above-average runner whose stolen base totals were helped by the rules at Low-A designed to promote movement on the basepaths.
The Future: Acuna will move to High-A Hickory in 2022. He’ll continue to play up the middle but could see some time in the outfield because of the logjam created up the middle by the signings of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.
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Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.
TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of Braves' superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel Acuña packs a big punch into a smaller package. He lit up the Dominican Summer League in 2019, hitting .342 with more walks than strikeouts as a 17-year-old, and his bat was among the loudest during 2020 instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ask Acuña Jr., and his little brother is already hitting balls at 18 farther and harder than he did at the same age. Still, the Rangers aren’t sure what will become of the rail-thin, 5-foot-8 Luisangel. Ronald underwent a late growth spurt that the Rangers hope filters down the family tree. If not, they know Luisangel can find the barrel and has a good idea of the strike zone. He’s fearless in the box, can hit velocity and projects to reach 15-20 homers at his current size. He does need work on hitting spin. Acuña needs reps defensively, and the Rangers worked him at third base and second base in addition to shortstop, which is a crowded position in the system. He has the range and arm to play around the infield.
THE FUTURE: Aggressive as always, the Rangers are planning for Acuña to open 2021 at low Class A. He might not be as good as his older brother, but his bat and potential defensive versatility give him a chance to join him in the majors. -
TRACK RECORD: A younger brother of Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel signed with the Rangers out of Venezuela in 2018. He made the Dominican Summer League all-star team in his pro debut and has separated himself as the team's best signing from that international class.
SCOUTING REPORT: Acuña is small but packed with explosiveness and aggression. With swing mechanics patterned after his brother, Acuña goes up to the plate looking to do damage with a quick, whippy stroke. He swings so hard that at times he will drop to one knee, but he sees the ball well and makes a lot of contact. He's a disciplined hitter with good barrel awareness who walked more than he struck out in the DSL. His power is mostly to the gaps but he has enough juice to pull one out of the park occasionally. He's an athletic player with plus speed. When Acuña was an amateur, a lot of scouts figured he would move over to second base or possibly center field. That's still a possibility, but he increased his chances to stay at shortstop in 2019 with his defensive improvements. He has a plus arm.
THE FUTURE: Acuña has a chance to develop into an on-base threat who could hit at the top of a lineup and play somewhere in the middle of the diamond.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The younger brother of Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel impressed in his first season in the U.S. at 19 years old. He showcased strong defense at shortstop, with quick actions, good speed and the range to stick at the position as well as plus arm strength and the versatility to handle second or third base. The Rangers were hoping to see Acuña grow into more power, and it happened sooner than expected with 12 home runs in 111 games. Acuña’s power and hit tool stood out to Charleston manager Blake Butera. “He’s a very intriguing kid who can run and is explosive,” Butera said. “The swing is whippy, there’s a lot of juice there. He’s a good defender, but the bat will carry him.” Acuña also has plus speed and good baserunning ability. He stole 44 bags to finish third in the league. He has four average or better tools, and with added strength, his improving power could tick up to average or better as well.
Top 100 Rankings
Scouting Reports
-
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Track Record: Acuna is the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. and signed out of Venezuela in 2018. He had a breakout season in 2021 at Low-A, where he was the ninth-ranked prospect in the Carolina League. Acuna's chance at an encore was cut short almost immediately when he strained his hamstring in his first at-bat of the season when he stepped on first base awkwardly while trying to leg out an infield hit. He recovered to overwhelm High-A before hitting a speed bump in Double-A. He made up for the early lost at-bats by playing in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Acuna's offensive impact will depend on whether he can tone down his aggression. He doesn't swing and miss at an alarming rate, but he swings roughly 46% of the time and hits the ball on the ground at a rate higher than 50%. The Rangers expected Acuna to struggle once he got to Double-A and promoted him to the Texas League to let him find the holes in his game against more experienced pitchers. Acuna makes plenty of impact on contact, with a lot of high-end exit velocities hit at optimal angles. Defensively, there's little chance Acuna sticks at shortstop because of fringy arm strength and an internal clock that doesn't befit the position. He'd be fine at second base, though, and could be an intriguing option in center field given the Rangers' current logjam in the middle infield from the majors down to the lower levels of the minors. Acuna is an above-average runner, which helped him steal 40 bases in 49 tries.
The Future: Acuna will return to Double-A in 2023, when he'll attempt to refine his approach and improve his batted ball profile. The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 55. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Track Record: Acuna is the younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. and signed out of Venezuela in 2018. He had a breakout season in 2021 at Low-A, where he was the ninth-ranked prospect in the Carolina League. Acuna's chance at an encore was cut short almost immediately when he strained his hamstring in his first at-bat of the season when he stepped on first base awkwardly while trying to leg out an infield hit. He recovered to overwhelm High-A before hitting a speed bump in Double-A. He made up for the early lost at-bats by playing in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Acuna's offensive impact will depend on whether he can tone down his aggression. He doesn't swing and miss at an alarming rate, but he swings roughly 46% of the time and hits the ball on the ground at a rate higher than 50%. The Rangers expected Acuna to struggle once he got to Double-A and promoted him to the Texas League to let him find the holes in his game against more experienced pitchers. Acuna makes plenty of impact on contact, with a lot of high-end exit velocities hit at optimal angles. Defensively, there's little chance Acuna sticks at shortstop because of fringy arm strength and an internal clock that doesn't befit the position. He'd be fine at second base, though, and could be an intriguing option in center field given the Rangers' current logjam in the middle infield from the majors down to the lower levels of the minors. Acuna is an above-average runner, which helped him steal 40 bases in 49 tries.
The Future: Acuna will return to Double-A in 2023, when he'll attempt to refine his approach and improve his batted ball profile. The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 55. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 40 -
BA Grade: 50/High
Track Record: Ronald Acuna Jr.'s younger brother is starting to create a name for himself. He was signed as one of the headliners of the team's 2018 class and responded by raking in the Dominican Summer League in his first season as a pro. After starring again at instructional league, Acuna had a promising year at Low-A Down East, where he ranked as the league's No. 9 prospect.
Scouting Report: Acuna's excellent glovework at shortstop nabbed him the organization's defender of the year award. He has smooth, athletic actions in the field and a plus arm to play on the left side of the diamond and the footspeed to move to the outfield. At the plate, Acuna is an aggressive hitter with a quick, whippy swing and the strong hands to drive balls out with authority. His 12 home runs led the Wood Ducks. He's made improvements to the way he understands the strike zone, which will help hit and power tools the Rangers believe are both average or better. He's an above-average runner whose stolen base totals were helped by the rules at Low-A designed to promote movement on the basepaths.
The Future: Acuna will move to High-A Hickory in 2022. He'll continue to play up the middle but could see some time in the outfield because of the logjam created up the middle by the signings of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60. -
Track Record: Ronald Acuna Jr.’s younger brother is starting to create a name for himself. He was signed as one of the headliners of the team’s 2018 class and responded by raking in the Dominican Summer League in his first season as a pro. After starring again at instructional league, Acuna had a promising year at Low-A Down East, where he ranked as the league’s No. 9 prospect.
Scouting Report: Acuna’s excellent glovework at shortstop nabbed him the organization’s defender of the year award. He has smooth, athletic actions in the field and a plus arm to play on the left side of the diamond and the footspeed to move to the outfield. At the plate, Acuna is an aggressive hitter with a quick, whippy swing and the strong hands to drive balls out with authority. His 12 home runs led the Wood Ducks. He’s made improvements to the way he understands the strike zone, which will help hit and power tools the Rangers believe are both average or better. He’s an above-average runner whose stolen base totals were helped by the rules at Low-A designed to promote movement on the basepaths.
The Future: Acuna will move to High-A Hickory in 2022. He’ll continue to play up the middle but could see some time in the outfield because of the logjam created up the middle by the signings of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.
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The younger brother of Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel impressed in his first season in the U.S. at 19 years old. He showcased strong defense at shortstop, with quick actions, good speed and the range to stick at the position as well as plus arm strength and the versatility to handle second or third base. The Rangers were hoping to see Acuña grow into more power, and it happened sooner than expected with 12 home runs in 111 games. Acuña’s power and hit tool stood out to Charleston manager Blake Butera. “He’s a very intriguing kid who can run and is explosive,” Butera said. “The swing is whippy, there’s a lot of juice there. He’s a good defender, but the bat will carry him.” Acuña also has plus speed and good baserunning ability. He stole 44 bags to finish third in the league. He has four average or better tools, and with added strength, his improving power could tick up to average or better as well. -
Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.
TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of Braves' superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel Acuña packs a big punch into a smaller package. He lit up the Dominican Summer League in 2019, hitting .342 with more walks than strikeouts as a 17-year-old, and his bat was among the loudest during 2020 instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ask Acuña Jr., and his little brother is already hitting balls at 18 farther and harder than he did at the same age. Still, the Rangers aren't sure what will become of the rail-thin, 5-foot-8 Luisangel. Ronald underwent a late growth spurt that the Rangers hope filters down the family tree. If not, they know Luisangel can find the barrel and has a good idea of the strike zone. He's fearless in the box, can hit velocity and projects to reach 15-20 homers at his current size. He does need work on hitting spin. Acuña needs reps defensively, and the Rangers worked him at third base and second base in addition to shortstop, which is a crowded position in the system. He has the range and arm to play around the infield.
THE FUTURE: Aggressive as always, the Rangers are planning for Acuña to open 2021 at low Class A. He might not be as good as his older brother, but his bat and potential defensive versatility give him a chance to join him in the majors. -
Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.
TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of Braves' superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel Acuña packs a big punch into a smaller package. He lit up the Dominican Summer League in 2019, hitting .342 with more walks than strikeouts as a 17-year-old, and his bat was among the loudest during 2020 instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ask Acuña Jr., and his little brother is already hitting balls at 18 farther and harder than he did at the same age. Still, the Rangers aren’t sure what will become of the rail-thin, 5-foot-8 Luisangel. Ronald underwent a late growth spurt that the Rangers hope filters down the family tree. If not, they know Luisangel can find the barrel and has a good idea of the strike zone. He’s fearless in the box, can hit velocity and projects to reach 15-20 homers at his current size. He does need work on hitting spin. Acuña needs reps defensively, and the Rangers worked him at third base and second base in addition to shortstop, which is a crowded position in the system. He has the range and arm to play around the infield.
THE FUTURE: Aggressive as always, the Rangers are planning for Acuña to open 2021 at low Class A. He might not be as good as his older brother, but his bat and potential defensive versatility give him a chance to join him in the majors. -
Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60.
TRACK RECORD: The younger brother of Braves' superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel Acuña packs a big punch into a smaller package. He lit up the Dominican Summer League in 2019, hitting .342 with more walks than strikeouts as a 17-year-old, and his bat was among the loudest during 2020 instructional league.
SCOUTING REPORT: Ask Acuña Jr., and his little brother is already hitting balls at 18 farther and harder than he did at the same age. Still, the Rangers aren’t sure what will become of the rail-thin, 5-foot-8 Luisangel. Ronald underwent a late growth spurt that the Rangers hope filters down the family tree. If not, they know Luisangel can find the barrel and has a good idea of the strike zone. He’s fearless in the box, can hit velocity and projects to reach 15-20 homers at his current size. He does need work on hitting spin. Acuña needs reps defensively, and the Rangers worked him at third base and second base in addition to shortstop, which is a crowded position in the system. He has the range and arm to play around the infield.
THE FUTURE: Aggressive as always, the Rangers are planning for Acuña to open 2021 at low Class A. He might not be as good as his older brother, but his bat and potential defensive versatility give him a chance to join him in the majors. -
TRACK RECORD: A younger brother of Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel signed with the Rangers out of Venezuela in 2018. He made the Dominican Summer League all-star team in his pro debut and has separated himself as the team’s best signing from that international class.
SCOUTING REPORT: Acuña is small but packed with explosiveness and aggression. With swing mechanics patterned after his brother, Acuña goes up to the plate looking to do damage with a quick, whippy stroke. He swings so hard that at times he will drop to one knee, but he sees the ball well and makes a lot of contact. He’s a disciplined hitter with good barrel awareness who walked more than he struck out in the DSL. His power is mostly to the gaps but he has enough juice to pull one out of the park occasionally. He’s an athletic player with plus speed. When Acuña was an amateur, a lot of scouts figured he would move over to second base or possibly center field. That’s still a possibility, but he increased his chances to stay at shortstop in 2019 with his defensive improvements. He has a plus arm.
THE FUTURE: Acuña has a chance to develop into an on-base threat who could hit at the top of a lineup and play somewhere in the middle of the diamond. -
TRACK RECORD: A younger brother of Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel signed with the Rangers out of Venezuela in 2018. He made the Dominican Summer League all-star team in his pro debut and has separated himself as the team's best signing from that international class.
SCOUTING REPORT: Acuña is small but packed with explosiveness and aggression. With swing mechanics patterned after his brother, Acuña goes up to the plate looking to do damage with a quick, whippy stroke. He swings so hard that at times he will drop to one knee, but he sees the ball well and makes a lot of contact. He's a disciplined hitter with good barrel awareness who walked more than he struck out in the DSL. His power is mostly to the gaps but he has enough juice to pull one out of the park occasionally. He's an athletic player with plus speed. When Acuña was an amateur, a lot of scouts figured he would move over to second base or possibly center field. That's still a possibility, but he increased his chances to stay at shortstop in 2019 with his defensive improvements. He has a plus arm.
THE FUTURE: Acuña has a chance to develop into an on-base threat who could hit at the top of a lineup and play somewhere in the middle of the diamond.
Career Transactions
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New York Mets optioned SS Luisangel Acuña to Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
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New York Mets optioned SS Luisangel Acuña to Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
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Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated SS Luisangel Acuña.
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New York Mets traded RHP Max Scherzer and cash to Texas Rangers for SS Luisangel Acuña.
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New York Mets traded RHP Max Scherzer and cash to Texas Rangers for SS Luisangel Acuña.
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Texas Rangers optioned SS Luisangel Acuña and to Frisco RoughRiders.
