Ronald Acuna says Royals once told him he was too small

April 10, 2020

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Ronald Acuna

As the Kansas City Royals embark on a lengthy rebuild, they would probably like a do-over on a prospect that they once overlooked.

During a video interview this week, Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna said the Royals once told him that he was too small to succeed in the big leagues. The 22-year-old added that the Braves were the only team to make him an offer.

Ronald said Kansas City told him he was too little and that the teams that saw him didn’t believed on him. The Braves saw him once and were the only ones that made him an offer. https://t.co/gmKg5PMbcm

— Mexican Braves Fan (@MexicanBraves) April 10, 2020

Acuna signed with the Braves as an international free agent in 2014, right around the time that the Royals were making back-to-back World Series appearances. He has since blossomed into one of the game’s best outfielders, hitting .281 last season with 41 home runs, 101 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases.

Interestingly enough, Acuna, who is now listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds, is cousins with then-Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar. Combined with the Braves locking up Acuna for the rest of his 20s, it is safe to say that Kansas City whiffed big-time on their assessment of him.