/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46280712/usa-today-8544747.0.jpg)
As promised, I'm going to be writing about various stats as they stabilize this season. I'm only going to be covering a few of the hitters included, but the whole list will be posted every week. The first installment will be strikeout rate for hitters. The good men at Baseball Prospectus found that hitters strike out rates are stable after only 60 short at bats. That said, hitters career K rates are generally what hitters are going to hover around, but if a hitter made a real change to approach in the offseason, that data will be good to go already as many hitters are already over 100 PA. I set my minimum at 60PA and came away with a list of 239 hitters. Check them out below.
Rank |
Player |
K% |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
1 |
Michael Brantley |
4.10% |
0.338 |
0.384 |
0.485 |
2 |
A.J. Pierzynski |
5.00% |
0.377 |
0.4 |
0.604 |
3 |
Andrelton Simmons |
5.10% |
0.264 |
0.323 |
0.385 |
4 |
Ender Inciarte |
5.60% |
0.321 |
0.36 |
0.417 |
5 |
Freddy Galvis |
6.80% |
0.341 |
0.379 |
0.415 |
6 |
Nolan Arenado |
6.90% |
0.296 |
0.333 |
0.543 |
7 |
Josh Reddick |
6.90% |
0.385 |
0.444 |
0.615 |
8 |
Ichiro Suzuki |
7.10% |
0.266 |
0.314 |
0.344 |
9 |
Daniel Murphy |
7.20% |
0.213 |
0.268 |
0.36 |
10 |
Melky Cabrera |
7.70% |
0.286 |
0.322 |
0.31 |
11 |
Jose Altuve |
7.80% |
0.371 |
0.412 |
0.524 |
12 |
Adrian Beltre |
8.10% |
0.228 |
0.283 |
0.348 |
13 |
Yangervis Solarte |
8.50% |
0.323 |
0.38 |
0.477 |
14 |
Mike Moustakas |
9.10% |
0.337 |
0.398 |
0.49 |
15 |
Alcides Escobar |
9.10% |
0.291 |
0.329 |
0.367 |
16 |
Jean Segura |
9.10% |
0.298 |
0.327 |
0.394 |
17 |
Yunel Escobar |
9.20% |
0.275 |
0.333 |
0.388 |
18 |
Jose Iglesias |
9.40% |
0.351 |
0.398 |
0.494 |
19 |
Justin Morneau |
9.40% |
0.272 |
0.306 |
0.395 |
20 |
Eric Campbell |
9.70% |
0.2 |
0.323 |
0.32 |
21 |
DJ LeMahieu |
9.80% |
0.4 |
0.444 |
0.52 |
22 |
Alberto Callaspo |
9.90% |
0.238 |
0.31 |
0.317 |
23 |
Brandon Phillips |
10.00% |
0.295 |
0.311 |
0.341 |
24 |
Jon Jay |
10.20% |
0.266 |
0.341 |
0.291 |
25 |
Victor Martinez |
10.30% |
0.208 |
0.322 |
0.222 |
26 |
Kyle Seager |
10.60% |
0.244 |
0.298 |
0.372 |
27 |
Nori Aoki |
10.80% |
0.306 |
0.387 |
0.378 |
28 |
Prince Fielder |
11.00% |
0.348 |
0.4 |
0.478 |
29 |
Buster Posey |
11.20% |
0.273 |
0.337 |
0.432 |
30 |
Salvador Perez |
11.50% |
0.333 |
0.344 |
0.484 |
31 |
Ian Kinsler |
11.80% |
0.286 |
0.355 |
0.357 |
32 |
Dee Gordon |
11.90% |
0.44 |
0.463 |
0.51 |
33 |
Dustin Pedroia |
12.00% |
0.29 |
0.374 |
0.495 |
34 |
Stephen Vogt |
12.00% |
0.343 |
0.434 |
0.586 |
35 |
Brett Gardner |
12.20% |
0.319 |
0.405 |
0.42 |
36 |
Kolten Wong |
12.20% |
0.272 |
0.322 |
0.383 |
37 |
Anthony Rizzo |
12.20% |
0.324 |
0.48 |
0.5 |
38 |
Matt Carpenter |
12.30% |
0.366 |
0.434 |
0.634 |
39 |
Eric Sogard |
12.30% |
0.246 |
0.268 |
0.319 |
40 |
Joe Panik |
12.40% |
0.282 |
0.341 |
0.372 |
41 |
Desmond Jennings |
12.50% |
0.222 |
0.306 |
0.238 |
42 |
Logan Morrison |
12.50% |
0.214 |
0.25 |
0.357 |
43 |
Elvis Andrus |
12.60% |
0.229 |
0.257 |
0.313 |
44 |
Sam Fuld |
12.80% |
0.226 |
0.29 |
0.357 |
45 |
Rajai Davis |
12.90% |
0.283 |
0.387 |
0.396 |
46 |
Ben Revere |
12.90% |
0.218 |
0.269 |
0.31 |
47 |
Adam Jones |
13.00% |
0.373 |
0.413 |
0.651 |
48 |
Yonder Alonso |
13.30% |
0.333 |
0.411 |
0.436 |
49 |
Jason Kipnis |
13.30% |
0.245 |
0.305 |
0.34 |
50 |
Joe Mauer |
13.30% |
0.308 |
0.39 |
0.396 |
51 |
Albert Pujols |
13.30% |
0.21 |
0.289 |
0.395 |
52 |
Lonnie Chisenhall |
13.40% |
0.227 |
0.263 |
0.307 |
53 |
Chase Utley |
13.50% |
0.115 |
0.191 |
0.231 |
54 |
Adrian Gonzalez |
13.50% |
0.371 |
0.417 |
0.753 |
55 |
Danny Espinosa |
13.60% |
0.273 |
0.385 |
0.436 |
56 |
Kurt Suzuki |
13.70% |
0.234 |
0.306 |
0.328 |
57 |
Logan Forsythe |
13.80% |
0.286 |
0.368 |
0.468 |
58 |
Jake Marisnick |
13.90% |
0.391 |
0.437 |
0.656 |
59 |
Omar Infante |
13.90% |
0.246 |
0.264 |
0.333 |
60 |
Jordy Mercer |
13.90% |
0.2 |
0.269 |
0.229 |
61 |
Ike Davis |
14.00% |
0.299 |
0.36 |
0.416 |
62 |
Kevin Pillar |
14.00% |
0.289 |
0.31 |
0.433 |
63 |
Nick Markakis |
14.00% |
0.306 |
0.41 |
0.341 |
64 |
Martin Prado |
14.10% |
0.286 |
0.327 |
0.407 |
65 |
Mark Teixeira |
14.10% |
0.2 |
0.323 |
0.563 |
66 |
Carlos Santana |
14.10% |
0.225 |
0.374 |
0.363 |
67 |
Hanley Ramirez |
14.10% |
0.281 |
0.333 |
0.618 |
68 |
Jacoby Ellsbury |
14.30% |
0.323 |
0.4 |
0.376 |
69 |
A.J. Pollock |
14.30% |
0.301 |
0.352 |
0.373 |
70 |
Erick Aybar |
14.30% |
0.2 |
0.258 |
0.222 |
71 |
Robinson Cano |
14.40% |
0.263 |
0.298 |
0.384 |
72 |
Wilson Ramos |
14.50% |
0.3 |
0.313 |
0.363 |
73 |
Angel Pagan |
14.70% |
0.347 |
0.373 |
0.432 |
74 |
Yadier Molina |
14.80% |
0.233 |
0.288 |
0.288 |
75 |
Johnny Giavotella |
15.00% |
0.3 |
0.359 |
0.386 |
76 |
Howie Kendrick |
15.10% |
0.294 |
0.355 |
0.506 |
77 |
Kendrys Morales |
15.10% |
0.313 |
0.358 |
0.485 |
78 |
Jose Reyes |
15.20% |
0.25 |
0.266 |
0.3 |
79 |
Derek Norris |
15.40% |
0.337 |
0.352 |
0.494 |
80 |
Pablo Sandoval |
15.60% |
0.329 |
0.406 |
0.447 |
81 |
Mark Trumbo |
15.90% |
0.291 |
0.317 |
0.494 |
82 |
Miguel Cabrera |
15.90% |
0.348 |
0.449 |
0.584 |
83 |
Tuffy Gosewisch |
15.90% |
0.169 |
0.217 |
0.169 |
84 |
Devon Travis |
16.00% |
0.325 |
0.404 |
0.614 |
85 |
Starlin Castro |
16.00% |
0.319 |
0.34 |
0.396 |
86 |
Jose Ramirez |
16.00% |
0.176 |
0.219 |
0.235 |
87 |
Alexei Ramirez |
16.00% |
0.213 |
0.247 |
0.307 |
88 |
Dustin Ackley |
16.10% |
0.19 |
0.23 |
0.362 |
89 |
Billy Butler |
16.20% |
0.26 |
0.324 |
0.406 |
90 |
Zack Cozart |
16.30% |
0.308 |
0.34 |
0.538 |
91 |
Alexi Amarista |
16.40% |
0.196 |
0.328 |
0.304 |
92 |
Ryan Zimmerman |
16.50% |
0.22 |
0.275 |
0.38 |
93 |
Eric Hosmer |
16.70% |
0.315 |
0.402 |
0.489 |
94 |
Aramis Ramirez |
16.70% |
0.214 |
0.236 |
0.357 |
95 |
David DeJesus |
16.70% |
0.241 |
0.317 |
0.333 |
96 |
Adam Eaton |
16.90% |
0.192 |
0.241 |
0.256 |
97 |
Carlos Ruiz |
16.90% |
0.226 |
0.324 |
0.242 |
98 |
Adeiny Hechavarria |
17.00% |
0.326 |
0.351 |
0.483 |
99 |
Josh Harrison |
17.00% |
0.202 |
0.237 |
0.337 |
100 |
Xander Bogaerts |
17.00% |
0.263 |
0.33 |
0.35 |
101 |
Didi Gregorius |
17.10% |
0.221 |
0.28 |
0.25 |
102 |
Leonys Martin |
17.10% |
0.224 |
0.26 |
0.306 |
103 |
Curtis Granderson |
17.20% |
0.232 |
0.364 |
0.329 |
104 |
Josh Donaldson |
17.30% |
0.316 |
0.382 |
0.561 |
105 |
Mookie Betts |
17.40% |
0.221 |
0.296 |
0.337 |
106 |
Torii Hunter |
17.40% |
0.25 |
0.291 |
0.388 |
107 |
Andre Ethier |
17.50% |
0.308 |
0.413 |
0.615 |
108 |
Todd Frazier |
17.50% |
0.225 |
0.32 |
0.539 |
109 |
Evan Longoria |
17.50% |
0.28 |
0.381 |
0.415 |
110 |
Luis Valbuena |
17.50% |
0.218 |
0.289 |
0.471 |
111 |
Lorenzo Cain |
17.60% |
0.333 |
0.402 |
0.5 |
112 |
Andrew McCutchen |
17.70% |
0.198 |
0.302 |
0.321 |
113 |
Seth Smith |
17.70% |
0.241 |
0.306 |
0.407 |
114 |
Rougned Odor |
17.80% |
0.156 |
0.278 |
0.26 |
115 |
Ryan Hanigan |
17.90% |
0.222 |
0.354 |
0.315 |
116 |
Jason Castro |
18.10% |
0.21 |
0.306 |
0.339 |
117 |
David Ortiz |
18.10% |
0.25 |
0.34 |
0.438 |
118 |
Caleb Joseph |
18.20% |
0.327 |
0.439 |
0.509 |
119 |
Jimmy Rollins |
18.20% |
0.186 |
0.283 |
0.326 |
120 |
Lucas Duda |
18.30% |
0.318 |
0.413 |
0.477 |
121 |
Kevin Kiermaier |
18.30% |
0.294 |
0.324 |
0.544 |
122 |
Kelly Johnson |
18.30% |
0.25 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
123 |
Brian McCann |
18.50% |
0.25 |
0.309 |
0.417 |
124 |
Odubel Herrera |
18.60% |
0.297 |
0.333 |
0.407 |
125 |
Neil Walker |
18.60% |
0.27 |
0.32 |
0.393 |
126 |
Nelson Cruz |
18.60% |
0.347 |
0.392 |
0.811 |
127 |
Matt Kemp |
18.70% |
0.327 |
0.355 |
0.465 |
128 |
Billy Hamilton |
18.80% |
0.204 |
0.26 |
0.333 |
129 |
Austin Jackson |
18.80% |
0.247 |
0.3 |
0.333 |
130 |
Jeff Francoeur |
18.80% |
0.172 |
0.232 |
0.313 |
131 |
Joey Votto |
18.90% |
0.322 |
0.425 |
0.622 |
132 |
Manny Machado |
18.90% |
0.247 |
0.322 |
0.455 |
133 |
Wil Myers |
18.90% |
0.279 |
0.324 |
0.462 |
134 |
Edwin Encarnacion |
19.00% |
0.221 |
0.276 |
0.379 |
135 |
Troy Tulowitzki |
19.10% |
0.302 |
0.315 |
0.512 |
136 |
Jose Abreu |
19.10% |
0.268 |
0.326 |
0.537 |
137 |
Nick Hundley |
19.20% |
0.328 |
0.384 |
0.463 |
138 |
Kole Calhoun |
19.30% |
0.321 |
0.391 |
0.487 |
139 |
Alex Gordon |
19.30% |
0.27 |
0.386 |
0.446 |
140 |
Matt Holliday |
19.40% |
0.342 |
0.473 |
0.438 |
141 |
Adam Lind |
19.40% |
0.317 |
0.387 |
0.549 |
142 |
Jason Heyward |
19.40% |
0.221 |
0.28 |
0.349 |
143 |
Chris Young |
19.40% |
0.317 |
0.386 |
0.698 |
144 |
Eric Young |
19.40% |
0.169 |
0.239 |
0.292 |
145 |
Jedd Gyorko |
19.70% |
0.145 |
0.23 |
0.2 |
146 |
Trevor Plouffe |
19.80% |
0.259 |
0.344 |
0.435 |
147 |
Jhonny Peralta |
20.00% |
0.302 |
0.347 |
0.442 |
148 |
Paulo Orlando |
20.00% |
0.25 |
0.3 |
0.446 |
149 |
Wilmer Flores |
20.00% |
0.24 |
0.278 |
0.387 |
150 |
Matt Adams |
20.00% |
0.307 |
0.338 |
0.48 |
151 |
Marcus Semien |
20.00% |
0.268 |
0.317 |
0.433 |
152 |
Casey McGehee |
20.00% |
0.2 |
0.257 |
0.292 |
153 |
Brian Dozier |
20.20% |
0.209 |
0.288 |
0.341 |
154 |
Dexter Fowler |
20.20% |
0.282 |
0.351 |
0.412 |
155 |
Jed Lowrie |
20.30% |
0.3 |
0.432 |
0.567 |
156 |
Mike Napoli |
20.90% |
0.16 |
0.267 |
0.253 |
157 |
Brad Miller |
21.00% |
0.25 |
0.304 |
0.361 |
158 |
Paul Goldschmidt |
21.00% |
0.341 |
0.44 |
0.612 |
159 |
Corey Dickerson |
21.10% |
0.298 |
0.344 |
0.548 |
160 |
Yasmani Grandal |
21.10% |
0.217 |
0.338 |
0.317 |
161 |
Charlie Blackmon |
21.20% |
0.3 |
0.354 |
0.511 |
162 |
Carlos Gonzalez |
21.30% |
0.198 |
0.258 |
0.333 |
163 |
Juan Lagares |
21.40% |
0.313 |
0.33 |
0.364 |
164 |
Everth Cabrera |
21.50% |
0.23 |
0.244 |
0.257 |
165 |
Jace Peterson |
21.60% |
0.238 |
0.315 |
0.27 |
166 |
Stephen Drew |
21.80% |
0.167 |
0.26 |
0.394 |
167 |
Chris Coghlan |
22.10% |
0.226 |
0.284 |
0.435 |
168 |
David Freese |
22.20% |
0.226 |
0.263 |
0.409 |
169 |
Ian Desmond |
22.20% |
0.222 |
0.287 |
0.323 |
170 |
Will Middlebrooks |
22.30% |
0.205 |
0.245 |
0.364 |
171 |
Matt Joyce |
22.50% |
0.147 |
0.188 |
0.187 |
172 |
Mike Trout |
22.50% |
0.333 |
0.441 |
0.619 |
173 |
Brandon Guyer |
22.60% |
0.24 |
0.361 |
0.38 |
174 |
Russell Martin |
22.70% |
0.214 |
0.364 |
0.457 |
175 |
Brandon Crawford |
22.70% |
0.24 |
0.352 |
0.493 |
176 |
Steve Pearce |
22.70% |
0.19 |
0.273 |
0.31 |
177 |
Michael Bourn |
22.80% |
0.202 |
0.264 |
0.25 |
178 |
Michael Cuddyer |
22.90% |
0.241 |
0.313 |
0.414 |
179 |
Justin Maxwell |
23.10% |
0.241 |
0.313 |
0.466 |
180 |
Micah Johnson |
23.30% |
0.236 |
0.3 |
0.255 |
181 |
Chase Headley |
23.70% |
0.231 |
0.278 |
0.396 |
182 |
Mark Canha |
23.80% |
0.297 |
0.35 |
0.459 |
183 |
Avisail Garcia |
23.80% |
0.32 |
0.363 |
0.413 |
184 |
Ryan Braun |
23.80% |
0.241 |
0.286 |
0.43 |
185 |
Yoenis Cespedes |
24.00% |
0.302 |
0.32 |
0.542 |
186 |
Freddie Freeman |
24.00% |
0.275 |
0.34 |
0.495 |
187 |
Jayson Werth |
24.00% |
0.169 |
0.24 |
0.2 |
188 |
Cody Asche |
24.10% |
0.284 |
0.322 |
0.407 |
189 |
Dalton Pompey |
24.20% |
0.193 |
0.264 |
0.337 |
190 |
Oswaldo Arcia |
24.20% |
0.25 |
0.306 |
0.357 |
191 |
Asdrubal Cabrera |
24.20% |
0.196 |
0.253 |
0.272 |
192 |
Francisco Cervelli |
24.30% |
0.262 |
0.304 |
0.323 |
193 |
C.J. Cron |
24.30% |
0.239 |
0.271 |
0.343 |
194 |
Gerardo Parra |
25.00% |
0.254 |
0.267 |
0.407 |
195 |
Shin-Soo Choo |
25.00% |
0.131 |
0.264 |
0.279 |
196 |
Marcell Ozuna |
25.30% |
0.321 |
0.396 |
0.41 |
197 |
Khris Davis |
25.60% |
0.225 |
0.311 |
0.338 |
198 |
Jose Bautista |
25.60% |
0.203 |
0.349 |
0.493 |
199 |
Travis Snider |
25.80% |
0.278 |
0.371 |
0.407 |
200 |
Eduardo Escobar |
25.80% |
0.167 |
0.194 |
0.25 |
201 |
Alex Rodriguez |
25.80% |
0.243 |
0.371 |
0.541 |
202 |
Pedro Alvarez |
25.90% |
0.219 |
0.284 |
0.438 |
203 |
Justin Upton |
26.00% |
0.281 |
0.323 |
0.539 |
204 |
Gregory Polanco |
26.40% |
0.291 |
0.33 |
0.407 |
205 |
Nick Castellanos |
26.90% |
0.226 |
0.29 |
0.369 |
206 |
Carlos Beltran |
26.90% |
0.181 |
0.231 |
0.292 |
207 |
Jay Bruce |
27.40% |
0.19 |
0.316 |
0.443 |
208 |
Michael Morse |
27.50% |
0.202 |
0.264 |
0.298 |
209 |
Ryan Howard |
27.90% |
0.177 |
0.235 |
0.38 |
210 |
Danny Santana |
28.10% |
0.271 |
0.279 |
0.329 |
211 |
Kris Bryant |
28.60% |
0.28 |
0.429 |
0.36 |
212 |
Rene Rivera |
28.80% |
0.143 |
0.178 |
0.214 |
213 |
Chris Owings |
28.90% |
0.215 |
0.235 |
0.304 |
214 |
Kennys Vargas |
29.20% |
0.194 |
0.25 |
0.254 |
215 |
Evan Gattis |
29.40% |
0.183 |
0.212 |
0.366 |
216 |
Marlon Byrd |
29.50% |
0.181 |
0.216 |
0.313 |
217 |
Nick Ahmed |
29.90% |
0.133 |
0.224 |
0.15 |
218 |
Brett Lawrie |
30.00% |
0.239 |
0.276 |
0.337 |
219 |
Joc Pederson |
30.20% |
0.292 |
0.447 |
0.646 |
220 |
George Springer |
30.60% |
0.2 |
0.315 |
0.389 |
221 |
Bryce Harper |
30.60% |
0.265 |
0.426 |
0.506 |
222 |
Alex Avila |
30.60% |
0.167 |
0.344 |
0.25 |
223 |
Alejandro De Aza |
30.90% |
0.219 |
0.265 |
0.375 |
224 |
J.D. Martinez |
31.00% |
0.25 |
0.28 |
0.5 |
225 |
Giancarlo Stanton |
31.10% |
0.27 |
0.359 |
0.562 |
226 |
Brandon Moss |
31.30% |
0.239 |
0.313 |
0.493 |
227 |
Brandon Belt |
31.30% |
0.214 |
0.313 |
0.25 |
228 |
Starling Marte |
31.90% |
0.253 |
0.3 |
0.506 |
229 |
Chris Iannetta |
32.80% |
0.086 |
0.194 |
0.103 |
230 |
Michael Taylor |
35.50% |
0.271 |
0.306 |
0.475 |
231 |
Adam LaRoche |
35.70% |
0.203 |
0.298 |
0.351 |
232 |
Jorge Soler |
36.40% |
0.261 |
0.333 |
0.398 |
233 |
Chris Carter |
36.70% |
0.152 |
0.256 |
0.241 |
234 |
Steven Souza |
36.80% |
0.214 |
0.305 |
0.393 |
235 |
Anthony Gose |
37.10% |
0.322 |
0.355 |
0.475 |
236 |
Chris Davis |
37.50% |
0.26 |
0.33 |
0.519 |
237 |
Mike Zunino |
37.80% |
0.136 |
0.216 |
0.288 |
238 |
Tim Beckham |
38.30% |
0.259 |
0.317 |
0.481 |
239 |
Colby Rasmus |
38.50% |
0.268 |
0.333 |
0.577 |
So the players that really jumped out at me were the guys at the top and bottom of this list. Brantley has always been an excellent contact hitter and stands atop the leaderboard, but look at some of these other notables:
Ender Inciarte, OF, Ari
It seems that Ender is really enjoying the thin Arizona air this year as he's the #57 hitter on the ESPN player rater, and his lack of K's are helping the cause. Not surprisingly he's making contact on over 90% of his swings this year, and is off to a strong start
Josh Reddick, OF, Oak
Another player off to a very good start. His contact rates are all above average or career bests, and his swinging strike rate is at a miniscule 5.2%. His babip is .386 as of Sunday night, and while this is bound to change, he's at an incredible 30% line drive rate, indicating that he's been absolutely crushing the pitches he swings at this year, so the babip hasn't been boosted by a few lucky hops.
Colby Rasmus, OF, Hou
Rasmus has been fairly productive so far, but it's hard to imagine his success will be alive for much longer when he's whiffing at a league-leading rate. Rasmus has never been a good contact hitter, but for him to get significantly worse than he's ever been, while off to a very good statistical production start makes me think this is a lot of smoke and mirrors.
If you have any questions about other players, ask about them in the comments section below.