Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. has made a career out of excelling as a right-handed hitter, but he showed another trick in his toolbox on Friday. 

The 28-year-old launched a ball out of the stadium from the left-hand side of home plate during batting practice, and it went viral on social media. MLB's repost of the clip on X has 835,00 views and 1.5 million views on Instagram as of this writing. He originally posted the clip on his Instagram story, which he captioned in Spanish "when your body is prepared, your mind has no limits."

Fans in the comments were beside themselves, marveling at the skill it takes to hit a ball out of sight from a hitter's weak side. 

Ronald Acuña Jr. launched this baseball LEFT-HANDED 😳

(via ronaldacunajr13/IG) pic.twitter.com/3rqJij0XnR

— MLB (@MLB) January 23, 2026

Will Ronald Acuna Jr. Stay Healthy in 2026?

Before Acuna shocks the world and hits homers as a lefty in actual games, he has to focus on avoiding injury. The native Venezuelan played just 49 games in 2024 due to a torn ACL in his left knee and returned in May 2025. He played 95 games this past campaign partially due to back and calf strains. 

Acuna was still productive in 2025, slashing .290/.417/.518 with 21 homers and 42 RBIs. The veteran won NL Comeback Player of the Year honors at the end of the season and was named an All-Star over the summer. He also participated in the Home Run Derby.

Acuna is only two years removed from being named NL MVP after slashing .337/.416/.596 with 41 homers and 106 RBIs over 159 contests. However, he slashed just .143/.294/.214 over four playoff games, and the Braves lost the NL Division Series to the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Acuna tore his right ACL in July 2021, and Atlanta won the World Series later that year. The five-time All-Star is one of the best Braves in franchise history, but he'll need better injury luck to become the greatest.

The other roadblock for Acuna's Atlanta future is his contract. He has club options in 2027 and 2028 after the 2026 campaign, and he'll hit free agency after the 2028 season if he doesn't re-sign before then.

However, the Braves will have to at least triple his current average annual salary if he keeps up his regular production until then, as fellow star outfielder Kyle Tucker inked a four-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason. Meanwhile, Acuna's is scheduled to earn $17 million next season, and his club options are worth the same amount. 

Additionally, MLB's current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Dec. 1, which adds another layer of mystery to Acuna's future and the sport at large. For now, the power-hitting outfielder must focus on staying healthy and helping Atlanta return to the playoffs after a disappointing 2025 season.