4. Sean Murphy
Murphy's rebound is already off to a tough start with the news that the catcher will miss the first weeks of the season. Arguably, the biggest frustration of Atlanta's offensive step back last season was Murphy. The catcher had been paid to be the future of the position, and the writing was on the wall, the team would move on from veteran Travis d'Arnaud.
Not only did the catcher miss time due to injury, but he also put up the worst offensive season of his career. The most concerning part of this was the drop in the catcher's power numbers. The bad at-bats quickly compiled, and it appeared to become a mental hurdle as much as anything.
While top prospect Drake Baldwin is expected to start the season as the starting option, the team is still relying on Sean Murphy to come back and contribute. It is impossible to believe the 2025 season can be anything but an upgrade over an awful 2024.
5. Jarred Kelenic
What can Kelenic give the Braves for the first month of the season? The answer to this question is likely going to decide the outfielder's fate in Atlanta. Acuna isn't going to be ready to start the season, leaving Jurickson Profar and Michael Harris as the only clear starters. Kelenic has the inside track to getting the chance to start until Acuna is ready to return.
Kelenic appeared to be a long-term answer for Atlanta before completely cratering offensively mid-summer. It was bad enough the team had to look back to past answers to attempt to solve their lack of offense from the outfield. Atlanta doesn't need Kelenic to be a great hitter, they need him to simply find ways to get on base and be competitive until Acuna returns.
If Kelenic can do this, his confidence will likely be rebuilt enough for the Braves to move forward with the outfielder as the primary left-handed pinch-hitting option and fourth outfielder.