The Atlanta Braves are fresh off an NL East title and have high aspirations heading into 2023. They will need their young players to step up following the departure of Dansby Swanson. However, Atlanta also could use rebound performances from already established players. Without further ado, let's take a look at three Braves players who need bounce back seasons in 2023.

*Stats via Baseball Reference.

Charlie Morton

Charlie Morton made a legitimate Cy Young run in 2019. The right-hander was able to utilize a late-career resurgence with the Tampa Bay Rays. Morton found more success in Atlanta with the Braves during the team's 2021 World Series-winning season. 2022 was a different story for Morton in his age-38 campaign.

Morton finished the year with a forgettable 4.34 ERA through 31 games. He managed to stay healthy for the most part but never found his rhythm. It was his worst full season in the big leagues since 2015. His performance left many people wondering what Morton's career has in store.

But Morton still has impressive strikeout ability. He tallied over 200 strikeouts in 2022 despite his all-around underperformance. If he can get his ERA back to below three while recording 200-plus strikeouts, that would greatly benefit Atlanta.

Marcell Ozuna

Braves' stars such as Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Ozzie Albies draw plenty of attention, but Marcell Ozuna is one of the better power hitters in baseball. His struggles and off the field issues in previous years have fans wondering if Ozuna can find his footing in 2023. With the universal DH sticking around, he will be able to place his focus firmly on hitting.

As a result, Marcell Ozuna is a strong bounce back candidate.

Ozuna earned MVP votes after leading the NL in both home runs and RBIs during the 2020 campaign. But he's failed to replicate his success in 2021 and 2022. This past season, he hit just .226 with a .687 OPS. Ozuna was able to tally 23 home runs, but his overall production was questionable at best.

Ozuna is aiming to rebound this year. If he is able to return to his old self, the Braves will feel the impact in their lineup. His home run hitting prowess will prove to be crucial for Atlanta this year.

Ronald Acuna Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr.'s presence on this list may surprise some Braves fans. After all, he's been named to the NL All-Star team in each of the past two seasons. He's also played in only 201 games during that span. Injuries have held Ronald Acuna Jr. back from reaching his true potential over the past two years.

2019 gave us a glimpse of how dominant he can be in all facets of the game. Acuna Jr. slashed .280/.365/.518 with an .883 OPS that season. Additionally, Acuna Jr. hit 41 home runs, recorded 107 RBIs, and stole 37 bases. It was clear that Ronald Acuna Jr. was a superstar in every sense of the word.

He's been productive in limited action since 2019. However, this is an MVP-caliber player capable of posting truly impressive numbers. The Braves need Acuna Jr. to stay on the field and avoid the injury bug in 2023. That obviously isn't something he can control, so Atlanta needs to do their best to help keep him on the diamond.

If Ronald Acuna Jr. stays healthy throughout 2023, he will likely be an MVP candidate and bounce back in high-profile fashion.