It was the first day of October 2017. The Atlanta Braves defeated the Miami Marlins by a score of 8-5 to end a disappointing season with a record of 72-90.

There were few high points in Atlanta during the 2017 season as all-star first baseman Freddie Freeman struggled with injuries and former number one overall pick Dansby Swanson continued to struggle, with a batting average of just .232 (via baseball-reference.com).

During the offseason, the only thing fans seemed to look forward to in Atlanta was the youth movement that flooded the Braves with young players with high potential. This stockpile of prospects was headlined by Ronald Acuña, Jr., one of Major League Baseball’s most exciting and highly-touted prospects in recent memory. While Acuña’s arrival may have been the most exciting, the Braves had a plethora of promising young players looking to help the team make a splash. This list of Braves prospects includes Ozzie Albies, a second baseman who made his anticipated debut in August 2017, was the MLB’s number 19 overall prospect (according to MLB.com), as well as pitchers Sean Newcomb and Mike Soroka.

As the 2018 season loomed, the Braves sat low on most MLB analysts’ preseason rankings, as their ceiling was assumed to be fighting for second place in the National League East. While the expectations were low, that didn’t seem to bother them, as they began the 2018 season on fire. The Braves now find themselves with a respectable lead of the NL East, being 7.5 games ahead of the second place Phillies and with a record of 83-64 as of Sept. 15.

Many people are wondering how one of the laughing stocks of baseball in recent memory seemingly changed themselves into contenders overnight. A good place to start would be the lineup. According to ESPN, the Braves rank in the top-ten in most major offensive categories, including runs, hits, team batting average and team slugging percentage.

Atlanta’s explosive offense is complemented by a pitching staff that, according to ESPN, ranks top-ten in earned run average (ERA) and third overall in opponent batting average against.

Individually, there have been standouts as well, both on the mound and at the plate. Mike Foltynewicz currently owns a 2.66 ERA along with 186 strikeouts while also making the All-Star Game while solidifying his role as the Braves’ ace. Freeman has looked stellar, boasting a .306 BA, 21 home runs and 5.7 wins above replacement (WAR) to an all-star appearance as well as working his way to becoming an MVP candidate.

Albies has played extremely well in his first full MLB season, as he used a .274 BA, 22 HR and a 3.7 WAR to propel him to his first all-star appearance. Acuña, Jr., has seemed to be able to live up to the hype he was surrounded with by having a batting average of .297, 25 HR and a 4.5 WAR in just 96 games during a 2018 run that has him in the Rookie of the Year conversation.

While there were many hard times in the Braves recent past the light at the end of their tunnel not only came a lot earlier than most expected, but it is also shining a lot brighter.