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Cincinnati, OH — In just his first MLB series, Elly De La Cruz, the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect and #4 overall prospect (according to MLB Pipeline), has made the headlines and sparked attention from fans across the nation. The Reds’ switch hitter has gotten off to a hot start in the Majors with a .364/.462/.909 slash line with 1 home run (HR), 1 stolen base (SB), and 2 runs batted in (RBIs). So how did this future MLB superstar become such a freak of nature?
Elly De La Cruz signed with the Cincinnati Reds on July 2, 2018, as an international free agent for a reported $65,000 from the Dominican Republic. De La Cruz started off his professional career with the Dominican Summer League Reds in 2019. De La Cruz did not play baseball the following season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. De La Cruz started turning heads in Double-A in 2022 where he racked up 28 HRs and stole 47 bases in 121 games played. De La Cruz started the 2023 season in Triple-A with the Louisville Bats before being called up for his Major League debut on June 6, 2023.
In his first Major League game, De La Cruz ripped a double into right-center field with a tracked exit velocity of 112 MPH for his first Major League hit. To put that number into context, the average exit velocity is around 88 MPH. De La Cruz also earned 2 walks on the night.
De La Cruz became even more popular after his second Major League game, where he crushed his first career home run. De La Cruz smacked a 458 ft. HR with an exit velocity of 114.8 MPH off opposing Dodgers’ pitcher, Noah Syndergaard. To cap off a huge night at the plate, De La Cruz hit a triple into the gap, where he showed off his electrifying speed.
After the game, De La Cruz secured his first career home run from the fan who caught it on the receiving end. Alex French, a high school student from Archbishop Moeller High School in Ohio, was the lucky fan who caught De La Cruz’s first home run and said, “I just want to do the right thing. I want him to have it.” In exchange for the baseball, Alex French and his friends got to meet Elly De La Cruz and take a photo with him.
In the final game of his Major League debut series against the Dodgers, De La Cruz recorded a single and his first career stolen base. While De La Cruz struck out 3 times, he also showcased his switch-hitting ability and speed as he flew around the bases.
Throughout his first Major League series against the Dodgers, the 21-year-old, switch-hitting 3rd baseman has displayed his true potential as a future superstar, showcasing his raw power and electric speed. De La Cruz has recorded the two hardest-hit balls of the year for the Reds, the longest home run for the Reds, and the fastest triple in the MLB this season. With a bright future ahead of him, De La Cruz has already impressed many Reds fans, creating a frenzy to purchase his jersey.
Matthew Suh is a staff writer and contributor for The Bell Online, Fresh Coast Sports, and The Press Box. He is passionate about the intersection of sports and culture and loves to explore the stories behind the games. Follow Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh.
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San Francisco — “HIGH DRIVE, LEFT-CENTER FIELD, OUTTA HERE” announced Giants broadcaster, Duane Kuiper, as Casey Schmitt launched a 92 MPH sinker to the outfield bleachers in just his second major league at-bat. When the Giants called up Schmitt, he was their #4 overall ranked prospect in their farm system. Schmitt, age 24, was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of San Diego State University, where he played third base and closer.
While Schmitt was expected to join the Giants’ big league roster at the beginning of the season (after he performed well in Spring Training), the Giants sent him down to Triple-A for a few weeks before calling him up. In 32 games on the Giants Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento Rivercats, Schmitt slashed .313/.352/.410 driving in 22 runs in 134 at-bats this season.
What impressed scouts and Giants staff even more than Schmitt’s hitting metrics, was his ability to field and versatility. This season, the Giants moved Schmitt around the infield after primarily playing third base in college, Single-A, and Double-A. Schmitt played 20 games at shortstop, 9 games at third base, and 3 games at second base. Schmitt’s ability to play multiple positions in the infield gives Giants manager, Gabe Kapler, some flexibility when creating starting lineups.
In his MLB debut, Schmitt made sure to provide fireworks for his friends and family that traveled up north from San Diego and some from North Carolina. Even Casey’s 84-year-old grandmother made the trip up to San Francisco to witness her grandson’s debut. Schmitt’s first big-league at-bat ended in a routine groundball to Nationals shortstop, C.J. Abrams. However, in Schmitt’s second big-league at-bat, he crushed a 92 MPH sinker to the left-center field bleachers against opposing pitcher, Patrick Corbin, causing his friends and family to erupt and celebrate. On the night, Schmitt finished 2-4 with 1 RBI.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area, Casey Schmitt was the youngest San Francisco Giant to homer in his MLB debut since Will Clark on April 8, 1986. Also, Schmitt is just the 19th San Francisco Giants player to have his first MLB hit be a home run. Other Giants that have accomplished this include: Orlando Cepeda (1958), Will Clark (1986), Brandon Crawford (2011), and Adam Duvall (2014).
After the game, Schmitt met up with the fan who was on the receiving end of his first big-league home run. Eli Simon, age 10, from Bernal Heights in San Francisco, snagged Schmitt’s first career MLB home run ball and gave it to Schmitt in exchange for a signed ball and a bat.
Casey Schmitt is a promising young talent who has a bright future in the MLB. Both his offensive and defensive skills have impressed many within the Giants organization, making him a valuable asset. After his exciting MLB debut, Schmitt has already made a name for himself and it will be exciting to see what the future holds for this young and exciting rookie.
Matthew Suh is a staff writer and contributor for The Bell Online, Fresh Coast Sports, and The Press Box. He is passionate about the intersection of sports and culture and loves to explore the stories behind the games. Follow Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh.
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The story of how an underrated RB out of University of Louisiana at Lafayette was discovered by a data analytics department in San Francisco.
SANTA CLARA, CA — 37%. This is the percentage of players who are considered “useless” after being drafted by an NFL team. “Useless” means they either didn’t play much while on the team or were outright cut from the team after being drafted. So how did the 49ers find a diamond in the rough in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL Draft? The answer lies in data analytics.
Demitrius Washington, now VP of Football Operations for the Minnesota Vikings, used to be the Manager of Football Research and Development for the 49ers. One day, after utilizing his metrics and researching players to take in the upcoming NFL Draft, Washington landed on Elijah Mitchell, whose numbers and metrics told Washington that he was the best outside zone running back. Because Washington didn’t want to approach 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan with just a bunch of numbers on a piece of paper, he asked Ran Carthon, former 49ers Director of Player Personnel, to review Elijah Mitchell’s college tape to confirm that the data was “telling the truth.” Ran Carthon reviewed the tape and confirmed that the data aligned with the tape.
In addition, first-year defensive coordinator Demeco Ryans was set on drafting a LB (linebacker) in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL Draft before walking into the 49ers’ draft room and seeing Elijah Mitchell’s tape. After watching some of Elijah Mitchell’s tape, Demeco Ryans called up the 49ers linebackers coach, Johnny Holland, to let him know that the 49ers had changed their mind and were gonna draft RB Elijah Mitchell instead of the LB (linebacker) they were planning to take.
After being drafted by the 49ers, Elijah Mitchell exploded in his rookie year, rushing for 963 yards on 207 rush attempts with 5 rushing TDs. Mitchell averaged 87.5 yards per game and 4.7 yards per attempt in just his first year. Additionally, Mitchell racked up 19 receptions on 20 targets with 1 receiving TD, helping lead the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship Game in 2021.
On January 2, 2022 Elijah Mitchell broke the San Francisco 49ers single-season rookie rushing record with 878 rushing yards in 10 games, surpassing Vic Washington’s record of 811 yards in 14 games in 1971.
Drafting players in the NFL has always been a daunting task, but with the help of data analytics, it has allowed NFL teams to identify potential sleepers and undervalued players such as Elijah Mitchell. Demetrius Washington and the whole San Francisco 49ers data analytics department should be proud of their accomplishment.
Matthew Suh is a staff writer and contributor for Fresh Coast Sports, Talking Points Sports, and The Press Box. While Matthew covers football, basketball, and baseball, he tends to focus on writing about the MLB and baseball. Questions about the MLB or baseball? Follow Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh for inquiries.
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Notes:
- League-average WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is around 1.24; anything LOWER is good anything HIGHER is not good
- League-average ERA (earned run average) is around 3.77; anything below is GREAT anything above is NOT great
- Slash line is a colloquial term used to represent a player’s batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage (in that order).
San Diego — Throughout sports, it has often been said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in all sports. However, Manny Machado, the current 3B for the San Diego Padres, has made hitting a baseball look like the easiest thing to do this season. The former 1st round pick in 2010 has been mashing baseballs and looks to be unstoppable at the plate. Through the first quarter of the 2022 MLB season, Manny Machado is the favorite to win this year’s NL MVP Award. Here’s why…
On the season, Machado is hitting .361/.437/.590 with 8 HRs, 27 RBIs, and a 1.027 OPS. Also, Machado leads the league in total hits, OBP (on-base percentage), is 3rd in the league for OPS, and 2nd in the league for BA (batting average). These numbers are extremely good considering that the MLB league average slash line is .237/.309/.382, and .691 is the league average OPS. Machado has been even hotter as of late. In the past 7 days, Machado is slashing .400/.455/.700 while scoring 7 runs off of 12 hits (5 of which were extra-base hits). Making contact with a baseball, let alone getting a hit, is difficult, but Machado has been making it look all too easy this season.
While Machado’s barrel %, hard-hit %, and exit velocity have all gone down from last season, his first pitch swing%, BB%, and WOBA have all gone up this season. Machado’s first-pitch swing % is most notable (up 5.5% from last season), which has greatly contributed to Machado’s hits and BA. Machado has always been known as a pull-hitter, meaning that most of his hits are pulled to the left side of the field. However, this season, Machado is notably driving the ball more to the right side of the field (particularly towards first base). Below are two charts illustrating the percentage of where Machado’s hits have been. The chart to the left displays Machado’s spray chart for the 2022 season, and the one to the right displays Machado’s spray chart for his whole career.
One important offensive statistic in baseball is WOBA. WOBA stands for weighted on-base average. WOBA is a statistic based on linear weights designed to measure a player’s overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. This season, Manny Machado has a career-high WOBA of .440, which puts him in the top 1% of the league. Below is a graph of Machado’s WOBA throughout his career, and you can see a huge peak for the 2022 season. Also included in the graph is the league average WOBA, and it can be seen that Macahdo’s WOBA is significantly higher than the league average. This is a huge statistical category that explains Machado’s surge towards the NL MVP.
In terms of projections for the rest of the season, Machado has an xBA of .306, which is in the top 10% of the league and has an xWOBA of .383. Currently, Manny is on pace to hit around 32 home runs this season as well. Manny’s elite hitting skills at the plate should keep him in the NL MVP conversation for a long time, and if he keeps raking, he should undoubtedly earn the NL MVP trophy. While hitting a baseball is super difficult, Manny Machado has been doing it with ease all season long and shows no signs of slowing down.
Matthew Suh is a staff writer and contributor for Talking Points Sports. While Matthew covers football, basketball, and baseball, he tends to focus on writing about the MLB and baseball Questions about the MLB or baseball? Follow or DM Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh for inquiries. Be sure to follow @TalkingPointsSports on Twitter for the latest sports content!
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Note:
- League-average WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is around 1.24; anything LOWER is good anything HIGHER is not good
- League-average ERA (earned run average) is around 3.77; anything below is GREAT anything above is NOT great
New York — At the beginning of the MLB season, many sports media companies and sites had the New York Yankees ranked 11th in terms of power rankings. Now, in mid-May, the Yankees find themselves ranked 1st in current power rankings and hold the best record in baseball. Many people will ask themselves, “How did the New York Yankees get so good this season?” While many people think of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton as the reason why, I want to focus on Nestor Cortes Jr., a very underrated starting pitcher for the Yankees who has greatly contributed to their success thus far.
First, we need to break down Nestor’s numbers this season. On the season, Cortes owns a 1.35 ERA and a microscopic 0.85 WHIP, with 49 strikeouts and 11 walks in 49 innings pitched. Cortes sports a 32.5 K% (top 9% of the league and 5% higher than last season), and batters are hitting a measly .164/.225/.279 – that’s impressive coming from a pitcher whose fastest pitch only travels 88.1 MPH. While limiting base-runners and hits, Cortes has also done a great job at limiting home runs (only gave up 3 home runs so far) which is partially due to the pitches that he throws.
Another reason why Cortes is excelling as a pitcher is because of his use of the cutter. Back in 2020, the cutter was not a pitch that Cortes threw as part of his repertoire. However, this season he throws the cutter about 40.5% of the time, which limits hits and induces weaker contact. Opposing batters have hit just .141/.203/.266 against Nestor’s cutter, which further contributes to his success as a pitcher. Below is a heat map of Nestor’s cutter and where it is generally thrown. The cutter will run inside against right-handed batters – which often jams them. Against left-handed batters, the cutter runs to the outside part of the zone, making it hard to square up and causing them to “chase” it outside of the zone.
Nasty Nestor didn’t get his nickname for no reason. A big part of Nestor’s success is the horizontal break of his slider. Instead of a more traditional slider, Nestor’s is more of a “sweeping slider,” which emphasizes more horizontal movement. Nasty Nestor uses his slider as a complementary pitch to his cutter and fastball and throws his slider about 14.7% of the time. This season, Cortes’ slider horizontally breaks 16.2 inches (1.7 inches more than last season). Through the use of his slider, Nestor gets 15% of his strikeouts from his slider and has a whiff rate of 12.9% on his slider.
The main reason for Nestor Cortes’ success on the mound so far is his improvement. In almost every statistical pitching category, Cortes has shown improvement. From the addition of his cutter to the use of his “sweeping slider,” Cortes aimed for improvement in each aspect of pitching, which allowed him to dominate batters early on. The Yankees should continue to roll with the help of Nasty Nestor and their all-star sluggers in Judge, Stanton, Rizzo, Donaldson, and many more. Nestor Cortes is a key component of the Yankees team and should continue to play an integral role in their success as a team.
Nestor Cortes Pitching Breakdowns/Analysis Videos:
Matthew Suh is the founder of Fresh Coast Sports as well as a staff writer for Fresh Coast Sports, Talking Points Sports, and The Press Box. While Matthew covers all sports including the NFL, NBA, and MLB he tends to focus on writing about the MLB. Questions about the MLB or baseball? Follow or DM Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh for inquiries!
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Joc Pederson celebrates after a home run at Nationals Park. The San Francisco Giants and Joc Pederson could not have asked for a better start to the 2022 season than this one. The Giants signed Joc to a 1 year, $6 million deal earlier in the offseason and have to be more than impressed with the way he’s been performing. The local Bay Area native, out of Palo Alto High School, has been raking as of late and shows no signs of slowing down!
On the season, Joc is slashing .362/.392/.787 (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging) with a 1.179 OPS leading to 6 home runs and 10 RBIs. Currently, Joc is tied for being the league leader in home runs and is in the top 1% of players for exit velocity, xBA (expected batting average), xSLG (expected slugging), WOBA (weighted on-base average), and hard-hit percentage %.
Joc is experiencing a season like no other. In his previous seasons, he has never maintained a BA (batting average) above .250, has never had an OBP (on-base percentage) above .352 and has always led the league in K%. Joc is putting up career-high numbers in almost every single statistical hitting category. This is partially due to his increased playing time on the SF Giants and hitting higher in the batting order.
The 30-year-old, 6’1” and 220-pound outfielder is projected to hit 20 plus home runs, which is exactly what the Giants need. The SF Giants signed Pederson due to their lack of power and left-handed-hitting outfielders in the lineup with the intention of Pederson playing as a backup outfielder. Joc has seen success from hitting both leadoff and cleanup for the Giants this season. While there’s not a big difference between where Joc hits in the lineup, there’s a large difference in his splits against righties vs. lefties. Against right-handed pitching, Joc has a strikeout percentage of 18%, while he has a strikeout percentage of 33% against left-handed pitching. This means that Joc strikes out almost twice as much against left-handed pitching, which is why he is used mainly in the platoon role and pretty much only hits against righties.
After Joc’s recent hot streak of hitting, it seems like he’ll be playing a lot more than just as the “backup” outfielder. Joc’s success at the plate and massive power should continue to help the Giants score more runs. Farhan Zaidi and San Francisco Giants’ front office should be feeling both impressed and pleased with the overall successful signing of Joc Pederson.
Matthew Suh is the founder of Fresh Coast Sports as well as a staff writer for Fresh Coast Sports, Talking Points Sports, and The Press Box. While Matthew covers all sports including the NFL, NBA, and MLB he tends to focus on writing about the MLB. Questions about the MLB or baseball? Follow or DM Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh for inquiries!
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Carlos Rodón has gotten off to a tremendous start this season.
Note:
- League-average WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is around 1.24; anything LOWER is good anything HIGHER is not good
- League-average ERA (earned run average) is around 3.77; anything below is GREAT anything above is NOT great
Former UFC Welterweight champion and professional mixed martial artist Tyron Woodley once said, “[i]f the risk is high, the reward is high… Why not roll the dice?” This same thought process certainly crossed the San Francisco Giants’ front office as they decided to “roll the dice” and sign Carlos Rodón to a 2-year, $44 million dollar contract in the offseason. While many teams were reluctant to sign Rodón over the offseason due to his past injury concerns, the Giants were eager to add the 29-year-old starting pitcher after his electrifying season in 2021.
Carlos Rodón picked up right where he left off last season, pitching his way to a stellar 1.80 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while holding opposing batters to a mere .165 BA and .459 OPS. Furthermore, Rodón leads the whole league with 53 strikeouts propelling him to a strikeout percentage of 39.3%. On the season, Rodón has not surrendered a single home run in 35 innings pitched. This is partially due to the fact that he pounds the strike zone on first pitches, with a first-pitch strike % of 60%. Studies show that when a pitcher throws a first-pitch strike, there is a 92.7% that the at-bat will lead to an out after.
Breaking down Rodón’s pitch arsenal this season – he throws a 4-seam fastball (64.3% of the time), slider (29.7% of the time), and curveball (6% of the time). Compared to last season, Rodón’s fastball has risen in velocity 0.9 mph from 95.6 mph to 96.3 mph. To add on, Rodón’s out-of-zone swing % has also gone up 3.8%, from 30.5% to 34.3%. This allows Rodón to throw more pitches out of the zone, banking on the fact that the opposing hitters will “chase” the pitch. These offseason adjustments have allowed Rodón to command a stellar ERA, WHIP, and opponent batting average while leading the Giants to more wins.
Before the Giants signed Rodón, there were some legitimate concerns about his ability to stay healthy over the duration of the season. This was because, in the 2019 season, he only pitched in 7 games, and in the 2020 season, he only pitched in 4 games before stopping due to injury. However, in 2021, Rodón pitched the best season of his career, earning his first all-star appearance while on the Chicago White Sox and throwing his first career no-hitter.
One specific stat that should be focused on with Carlos Rodón is his ability to strike out batters. Not only does Rodón lead the league in total strikeouts, but he also leads the league in K/9 (strikeouts per 9 innings pitched) at 13.6. In 5 of 6 games pitched this season, Rodón has struck out at least 8+ batters in each of those appearances. Carlos Rodón is a strikeout machine and shows no signs of slowing down.
San Francisco Giants fans and the front office should be more than pleased with the successful signing of Carlos Rodón. Throughout the season, Rodón should continue to dominate batters by way of strikeouts, and hopefully, Rodón will continue to stay healthy throughout the season. The high-risk, high-reward strategy has definitely worked in favor of the Giants. Once again, another successful signing by Farhan Zaidi.
Matthew Suh is the founder of Fresh Coast Sports as well as a staff writer for Fresh Coast Sports, Talking Points Sports, and The Press Box. While Matthew covers all sports including the NFL, NBA, and MLB he tends to focus on writing about the MLB. Questions about the MLB or baseball? Follow or DM Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh for inquiries!
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What is the New PitchCom Device and How Does it Work?
After hearing about the Astros cheating scandal in 2017, Dodgers starting pitcher, Trevor Bauer, said, “I’m not going to let them forget the fact that they are hypocrites, they are cheaters, they’ve stolen from a lot of other people and the game itself.” Ever since the Astros sign-stealing scandal in 2017 and part of 2018 was exposed, the MLB has been trying to come up with a way to stop sign-stealing. Their answer, at least for now, is the PitchCom device.
According to the official PitchCom website, they claim that the PitchCom device is a “player-wearable transmitter that allows players on the field to communicate plays to each other without using physical signs or verbal communication.” Before the PitchCom device, a catcher would relay visible hand signals to the pitcher about what type of pitch to throw and where to throw it. Through the use of the PitchCom, catchers are now able to press a button on the device which relays an audio signal to the pitcher’s hat. On the pitcher’s end, they hear something like “high fastball” or “low curveball”.
Not only does this new technology allows players to effectively communicate with one another without the other team having an opportunity to steal signs, but you can also program it to speak other languages such as Spanish. This benefits many foreign players and eliminates communication issues and translators who are often needed by foreign players. The PitchCom device also allows other players on the field, such as the shortstop, to listen in on the selected pitch. Another positive benefit of the PitchCom device is that it supposedly speeds up the game. The quick audio relay from the catcher to the pitcher eliminates any confusion with hand signals.
While there have been many positive benefits of PitchCom, there have also been negative reviews and benefits. For example, Atlanta Braves catcher, Travis d’Arnaud, is NOT a fan of the PitchCom device and said, “I think that it’s rushing the game, rushing the timeless game…you put your two feet in the box, look up and the pitcher is starting his windup.” Travis d’Arnaud seems to prefer the old, traditional game of baseball and does not like the addition of the PitchCom device as it speeds up the game. Another con of the PitchCom device is that in crowded and loud stadiums, pitchers often have difficulty hearing the pitch that the catcher calls due to the noise level. This can be seen as an advantage for home teams and a severe disadvantage for away teams. In deafening crowds, many pitchers place a hand over their ear just to hear the pitch that was called.
Although there are both positives and negatives to this new piece of technology, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. In the MLB, each team is given the choice to use the PitchCom or not and as of now, about half of the MLB has decided to give it a shot. As the season progresses, players and coaches should begin to slowly adapt to this modern device. The game of baseball is slowly changing and the PitchCom device just took it another step further.
Matthew Suh is the founder of Fresh Coast Sports as well as a staff writer for Fresh Coast Sports, Talking Points Sports, and The Press Box. While Matthew covers all sports including the NFL, NBA, and MLB he tends to focus on writing about the MLB. Questions about the MLB or baseball? Follow or DM Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh for inquiries!
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“The approach and frame show zero promise for game power. Despite having a hit tool that can carry him, none of the other tools are potent enough to play at the top level. He profiles best as a defensive replacement who can also get on base for you.”
– Joe Drake, a professional scout for Prospects Live who evaluated Steven Kwan in a minor league game in November 2020.Fast forward 1 year and 5 months…
In just his first season in the majors, Cleveland Guardians’ outfielder Steven Kwan from the Bay Area has made history. Kwan has now seen 115 pitches and has not swung and missed at a single pitch yet! Also, Kwan made history on Monday (4/11) as he was the only player to reach base 15 times in the first four games since 1901! He also set a record by reaching base 12 times in his first three games. The 5th-round prospect out of Oregon State continues to impress game after game and lead the headlines each day.
On the season, Kwan is slashing .625/.720/.875 recording an impressive 10 hits in just 16 at-bats! Kwan’s current OPS on the season is sitting at a high 1.392 due to his great eye at the plate and ability to create contact. In just seven games played, Steven Kwan has accrued 8 walks while not recording a single strikeout, leading him to a 0% K rate and a 29.2% BB rate. These video game numbers will surely
Like all habits, Kwan’s elite plate discipline and stellar approach at the plate started from a young age. On Sunday, Kwan told FOX sports, “I remember when I was younger, every time I struck out, I would want to cry. So I think I just told myself, ‘I don’t like to cry, so I just won’t strike out.” This experience encouraged Kwan to be even more disciplined at the plate and helped him develop his hitting skills. Throughout the minors, Kwan carried an impressive .311 batting average or higher except for one season and continued to show off his elite plate discipline.
While Kwan has elite plate discipline and contact skills, his power is what made scouts skeptical of drafting him. While evaluating Kwan at a minor league game, one professional scout wrote, “[f]ringe raw at best, but that might be a stretch. Small frame, average bat speed, and suboptimal swing path make it well below-average game power.” This statement holds true today as on the season, Kwan has a hard-hit percentage of 25% and sits in just the 10th percentile for exit velocity. Furthermore, throughout 3 minor league seasons, Kwan only totaled 15 home runs. Kwan’s ability to get on base, work the count, and average defensive ability should make up for his lack of raw power.
Steven Kwan will certainly not be putting up these ridiculous, video game-like, numbers for the rest of the season. However, his hot start at the plate, ability to generate more walks than strikeouts, and above-average speed/defense should make Cleveland Guardians’ scouts, coaches, and fans proud of his amazing accomplishments in just the first few games of the season. Kwan has an expected batting average (xBA) of .492 and while that may not be attainable, Kwan should continue racking up base hits, walks, and even stolen bases for the foreseeable future. Steven Kwan should not just be remembered for his hot start to the 2022 MLB season, but also as a blooming star for the Cleveland Guardians.
A photo and signed ball from Steven Kwan at an Oakland A’s game. Matthew Suh is the founder of Fresh Coast Sports as well as a staff writer for Fresh Coast Sports, Talking Points Sports, and The Press Box. While Matthew covers all sports including the NFL, NBA, and MLB he tends to focus on writing about the MLB. Questions about the MLB or baseball? Follow or DM Matthew on Twitter @matthewsuh for inquiries!
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