Dansby Swanson's Leap in Power Makes Him More Dangerous Than Ever

Back in 2016, Dansby Swanson was part of the first wave of young talent to burst onto the scene for the rebuilding Atlanta Braves. Appearing in 38 games that year for Atlanta, the shortstop batted .302 with an .802 OPS, flashing real promise as a hitter.

Since then, Swanson has not created big headlines like he once was as a top prospect coming out of Vanderbilt. He has taken a back seat to more young Braves talent that has come up in recent memory, particularly Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies. But these days, it looks like Lieutenant Dans is starting to heat up at the plate in ways the local fans haven't seen before.

Swanson has showcased increased power numbers this year, and leads the defending NL East champs in runs batted in. The 25-year-old has 41 RBIs on the year while also hitting 12 home runs; throughout his tenure in the bigs, Swanson has never hit more than 14 homers in one year.

On Sunday against the Tigers, the 25-year-old played a key part in Atlanta's 7-4 victory. He hit a home run and drove in the Braves' first three runs of the game in front of the home fans.

The power component and clutch hitting has led to an impressive start to the season for Swanson, who had been previously known more for his defense at shortstop. He has been batting in the two-hole behind a currently struggling Acuña, and it has played perfectly for the Braves shortstop so far.

The Braves are a good young team with a boatload of talent. If Swanson can continue to hit like he is along with their other sluggers, theres no doubt that a repeat division title will be a serious possibility.