Bo Bichette is an above average hitter with a lot of potential. So far this season he is hitting .284/.332/.500. His stat line this year is still above average, but down from the past two seasons. Bichette has a very aggressive approach at the plate and has gotten good results so far. But what can Bo Bichette do to take it to the next level?
What is Bo Bichette’s Current Plate Approach?
First, we need to understand Bichette’s plate approach. Bichette is very aggressive at the plate. Looking at his overall plate discipline stats, we can see that he swings more than average, but is making contact just below average. Bichette swings first pitch 15% more than average, which is an exceptionally aggressive approach. Despite the aggressive approach, his whiff percentage (swing and miss) is about league average.
| Swing% | 1st Pitch Swing% | Contact% | Whiff% | |
| Bichette | 55 | 44 | 77 | 26 |
| League Average | 47 | 29 | 80 | 25 |
| Difference | 8 | 15 | -3 | 1 |
Breaking these stats down by zone and out of zone (chase), the results remain consistent with the aggressive approach. Bichette swings in zone and out of zone each 9% more than average. When he does chase out of zone pitches, he is making contact 5% less than average.
| Zone Swing% | Zone Contact% | Chase% | Chase Contact% | |
| Bichette | 76 | 85 | 37 | 54 |
| League Average | 67 | 82 | 28 | 59 |
| Difference | 9 | 3 | 9 | -5 |
What are the Results of His Aggressive Approach so Far?
Bichette’s maintained this aggressive approach since being called up in 2019.
This approach has worked out very well so far. His AVG, OBP, and SLG have all remained above average. He hits the ball extremely hard, with a hard hit rate in the top 10% of the majors this season.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | ISO | GB% | Hard Hit% | K% | BB% | |
| 2019 | 0.311 | 0.358 | 0.571 | 0.260 | 45 | 44 | 24 | 7 |
| 2020 | 0.301 | 0.328 | 0.512 | 0.211 | 42 | 41 | 21 | 4 |
| 2021 | 0.284 | 0.332 | 0.500 | 0.190 | 52 | 52 | 24 | 6 |
His ground ball rate is on the higher side, and there is a significant jump (10%) in ground ball rate from 2020 to 2021. Bichette missed about half of the 2020 season, but even when compared to 2019 there is a 7% jump. Bichette has a lot of power, especially to the opposite field. Ideally, he’d have a significantly lower ground ball rate. Prior to this week, his ISO (isolated power) this season was below .200 for the first time in his career. It has since jumped up above average, at .216. He also strikes out at a slightly above average rate and walks at a below average rate.
Looking at individual pitch categories, Bichette is performing the worst against fastballs this season. His SLG against fastballs is down .222 from 2020, and .209 from 2019. He is whiffing against fastballs at an above league average rate.
| Fastballs | Breaking | Offspeed | |
| SLG | 0.410 | 0.531 | 0.500 |
| Whiff | 20 | 33 | 33 |
What are the Potential Benefits of a More Patient Plate Approach?
It might be beneficial for Bichette to take on a more patient plate approach. While he is an above average player and is getting good results, his decision making can be improved. There is nothing wrong with being aggressive and it’s great that he is getting results, but he would be even better if he has a great process.
Previously, we noticed that Bichette swings at the first pitch way more than the league average hitter. Bichette is seeing first pitch fastballs 47% of the time vs left handed pitchers and 60% of the time vs right handed hitters. We also know that he is swinging and missing at fastballs more than average, and isn’t doing as much damage against them this season when compared to years past. While it is perfectly fine to be swinging first pitch, it might be worth laying off unless it’s right down the heart. As a result, we may find Bichette ending up in hitters’ counts more frequently, instead of starting an at-bat 0-1.
Another benefit comes from Bichette’s position in the line-up. Bichette bats second, and is followed by Vlad Guerrero Jr. Guerrero Jr. is a great power hitter, who is having one of the best offensive seasons in the league. Pitchers do not want to put someone on base prior to facing Guerrero Jr. As a result, they are forced to make better pitches to get ahead in the count. If Bichette holds off a couple of pitches, he could be more likely to see pitches in the zone.
Like most hitters, Bichette has an above average run value (+9 runs) in the heart of the zone (shown in purple in the image below from Baseball Savant). It can only benefit him to force pitchers to throw there more often.
One final benefit is that pitchers will soon catch on to his aggressive plate approach and will try to get him to chase. As discussed earlier, Bichette chases 9% more than average and makes contact on those pitches 5% less than average. If he’s down 0-1 from swinging at the first pitch, he put himself in a more difficult position by giving the pitcher some leeway to throw out of zone.
While it is not guaranteed, having a more patient approach at the plate can help bring Bichette from a good hitter to a great hitter. His results are good so far, but being less aggressive can lead him to a more sustainable plate approach, and ultimately take him to the next level.