NEW YORK – They should be accustomed to this by now, but still, they can’t take their eyes off of him.

The Braves have been asked about him every day in every city they travel, but no matter the redundancy of questioning, they still can’t stop talking about him, let alone dream of his future.

The world already knows all about that blond-haired outfielder who plays for the Angels, Mike Trout, the greatest player in all of baseball.

Well, there’s a new kid on the block who one day has a chance to be just as good.

The name is Ronald Acuña Jr.

“I believe he’s got a chance to be Mike Trout,’’ says Braves All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman. “Will he have a .460 on-base percentage and have a .700 slugging percentage like Mike Trout? I don’t know.

“Mike Trout is someone we’re going to be talking about long after we’re dead in 100 years. There’s only one that comes around. So can Ronald be 1(B)? I think so.

“I think Ronald has a real good chance to be Mike Trout of the National League.’’

Then again, maybe he already is.

Acuña became the second-youngest player in baseball history – behind only Trout – to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season.

And with five weeks left in the season, already at 36 homers and 30 steals, he could become the fifth player to join the 40-40 club.

He’ll turn 22 in December.

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“I was with Chipper Jones when he was 18,’’ Atlanta manager Brian Snitker says. “I was with Andruw Jones when he was 16. They were solid, just really talented ballplayers, with Chipper, of course, going to the Hall of Fame.

“But this kid? This kid’s talent is on a different level.’’

Is 40-40 next?

“It’s not a question he’ll do it, but it’s just a matter of when it’s going to happen,’’ Freeman said. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen this year. But it will happen in his career.’’

How about 50-50, which has never been accomplished?

“For sure, he can definitely do it,’’ says Braves outfielder Billy Hamilton, who stole at least 56 bases in four consecutive seasons. “For him to do 30-30 at 21 is just unbelievable. So what do you think he’s going to do once he starts learning things?’’

The Braves, who have won eight in a row and hold a six-game lead in the NL East, have to pinch themselves at times to remind themselves that they’re teammates with Acuña – not just fans.

They watch him lead off games with homers, score an NL-leading 106 runs, drive in 89 runs, rank second in hits, bat .292 with a .905 OPS, dare baserunners to try to take the extra base, and sometimes they feel like running up to home plate to take a selfie with him.

“It’s almost comical what he’s doing,’’ Freeman says. “This is the hardest game in the world, and he makes everything look so easy. To be 21 and doing this? Every day there’s something. It’s like, 'Whoa, he did that?’

“When you have Ronald come up, and he hits a homer on the first pitch, it fires up the whole dugout. He really seems to thrive at these moments. He comes out and punches you right in the mouth.

“It’s fun to watch. It really is. I've become almost more of a fan of him. I show up every day getting to see what he’ll do. It’s going to be fun for everybody to watch the next 15 to 19 years the numbers he’s going to put up.’’

The beauty for the Braves is that it’s guaranteed he could spend at least a decade in their uniform. They signed him to an eight-year, $100 million contract this spring with two club options that could make it worth a total of $124 million. It was the richest contract ever given to a player with less than a year of service time, but also perhaps the biggest heist, considering that Bryce Harper and Manny Machado just earned a combined $630 million when they hit free agency after seven seasons in the majors.

You try telling a kid from La Guaira, Venezuela, he potentially left $200 million on the table by signing early, and he’ll tell you there’s no guarantee of anything in life. He's elated he signed the deal that provides financial security for generations of his family.

“I’m so happy, I just feel extremely blessed,’’ Acuña tells USA TODAY Sports. “I thank God every day because I’m living a life I never imagined.’’

The Braves want to remind folks as well that they took a huge gamble with their commitment. Sure, he’s a generational player, one who could have a Hall of Fame career, but there’s no crystal ball to let the Braves know how he’ll perform over the next decade.

“We had him for six years at the time of the deal, so there was no urgency at all,’’ Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos said in a telephone interview. “It was a big step for us. But if we didn’t feel comfortable with the person, we wouldn’t have done it.

“He’s the best young player I’ve ever seen, and he had such a successful rookie season, but we wanted to see how he’d come back to spring training. He had all the accolades. Would his work ethic be the same? Would he still be that humble of a guy.

“He came back the exact same guy. Nothing changed him.’’

Well, the only thing that really changed is that he’s better. He takes better routes on the ball. His arm is more accurate. He’s a smarter baserunner. He’s more disciplined at the plate.

And he is the most mature 21-year-old ballplayer Anthopoulos and others have ever seen.

“People say he has all five tools,’’ Freeman says, “but really he has a sixth tool. He likes to play every day. He’s in the lineup every day. You walk in the clubhouse every day, and you don’t even have to look at the lineup, because he’s in it. That’s huge.

“He has every facet of the game covered at a young age, and it’s electrifying.’’

And terrifying for opponents.

You try being a pitcher or opposing manager trying to stop him.

In the 14th inning of the Braves' game against the Mets on Friday night, Atlanta had runners on first and third with one out. New York manager Mickey Callaway had a decision to make: Should he intentionally walk Hamilton to load the bases and bring up the pitcher’s spot – with Acuña up a batter later – or face Hamilton? He opted to pitch to Hamilton, who ruined the strategy with a game-winning single.

“If we walked (Hamilton) and got the pitcher out, we'd be forcing Acuña to the plate," Callaway said. "Who wants to face him with the bases loaded? He’s going to draw a walk if he doesn’t hit a homer.

“He’s that good. You could tell last year that this is a special guy because of the potential. Well, he’s even that much better this year.

“He’s got a chance to be Mike Trout.’’

Acuña subtly was reminded of his potential a week ago when he got caught admiring his fly ball to right field. He thought for sure it was a home run. Instead, it caromed off the wall, and by the time he realized it wound up with only a single.

He spent the rest of the game watching from the bench.

“I don’t think he liked it,’’ Snitker said, “but I don’t really care. It’s not something you look forward to. It’s one of those situations that happens, and you react for the welfare of your club. He took responsibility.’’

Said Freeman: “I told him you have a chance to be the best player in the league, and the best players in the league don’t do that. He thought he hit a homer. He likes to watch them. Sometimes, they don’t go out. Now, he’s going to run every time.

“Everybody is going to have a little mistake here and there. If hitting the ball off a wall and not making it to second is the worst mistake he ever makes in the game of baseball, we’ll be just fine.’’

Most impressive about the benching, the Braves’ players say, is the way Acuña handled it. He acknowledged the mistake, apologized, moved on and has run out every ball since that day.

“There would be some 21-year-olds who would sit in a corner and pout,’’ said veteran Atlanta pitcher Josh Tomlin said. “He didn’t do that. He took it in stride, apologized, and it was business as usual. That just shows me the maturity of the kid.’’

Acuña, sitting in front of his locker, smiles when you read off his accomplishments to him but seems unaffected. He certainly doesn’t bask in the glory. Really, he pays no attention. He’s just enjoying life as it comes.

“I’m having fun like I always have,’’ Acuña said. “There’s no reason to change. I’m just blessed to play this game. I thank God every day for this opportunity.’’

He’s a fabulous ballplayer, who happens to have a world of talent, but just a kid.

“You sit there and scratch your head,’’ Atlanta utilityman Charlie Culberson said. “This kid has done so much in baseball already, and he’s 21. Can you imagine what he’s going to do in the future?’’

Says Atlanta closer Mark Melancon: “Twenty-one? Can you believe it? That’s crazy. You wonder if he even realizes just how good he is.’’

Well, the rest of the baseball world sure knows, and maybe one day they’ll let Acuña in on the secret.

“Shh,’’ Melancon says, “don’t tell him just yet.’’

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