Following two all-star seasons, Julio Rodríguez is midway through 2024 with a disappointing .635 OPS and 7 home runs. According to Stathead on Baseball Reference, that OPS puts Rodríguez at 56th out of 62 outfielders who have at least 250 PAs this season. In this post, we are going to explore what could be contributing…
Red Sox catcher Connor Wong is amidst a breakout year at the plate. Per Stathead, Wong is leading catchers with at least 100 PA with a .857 OPS. One of the biggest and most impressive changes that Wong made is that his strikeout rate is down 15% and his contact on pitches in-zone is up…
Yennier Canó has emerged as one of the most dominant relievers so far this season, with an elite 0.93 ERA, 1% walk rate, and 30% strikeout rate through 29 innings pitched. How has he been doing this? His revamped sinker is a huge part of it. If you prefer video breakdowns, check out this video:…
Former first rounder Josh Lowe’s first exposure to the Majors was underwhelming. In his debut season (2022) Lowe had a below average OPS of .627 and poor strikeout rate of 33%. He wasn’t able to transfer his above average raw power to the game, with only a 5% barrel rate. However, he’s off to a…
When I saw how well Pirates’ Jack Suwinski has been doing (.873 OPS in 112 PA) the first thing I checked was his average launch angle, which is up significantly this season so far (six degrees). This doesn’t really mean anything yet in terms of trends because of how early in the season it is,…
Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker is having the best season of his career so far, leading baseball with a 1.126 OPS through 113 PA. This success is following the Kansas City Royals decision to designate Rooker for assignment following the 2022 season. The Athletics are Rooker’s fourth team since his promotion to the big leagues in…
Oakland’s top pitching prospect Mason Miller is through three starts at the Major League level. In his most recent outing, Miller no-hit the Seattle Mariners through 7 innings before being removed from the game due to pitch count. In this post, we’ll look at how Miller has done so far, what he offers, and his…
For former first round pick Jarred Kelenic, it’s only been a matter of time before something clicked and he started producing offensively. It seems like after two rough seasons in the Majors, 2023 is the year Kelenic will produce. He is starting strong with a 1.044 OPS on the year and an xSLG of .688,…
Top prospect Oswald Peraza made his long-awaited MLB debut in 2022 and hit .306/.404/.429 in 57 plate appearances. This stat line is extra impressive because Peraza was not getting consistent playing time. Developed as a shortstop in the Yankees’ system, he will be competing for the starting role in Spring Training. There is a lot…
Tanner Houck is one of my favorite pitchers on the Red Sox this season. While he is likely to start the season in the bullpen, I believe that he has the potential to be a starter long-term. If you prefer to watch player breakdowns, check out this video: Overview and Delivery Notes: Houck has a…