Batted ball leaders, last 12 months

Let's wrap up our look back at the top performers over the last 12 months by moving on to hitters.

These hitters own the highest average exit velocity since the start of July 2022:

NameLgOPSbb%ct%Eye SwK%EV Brl%LA
Aaron JudgeAL1.17219%66%0.71 13.4%96.6 28.8%17.9
Yordan AlvarezAL.97214%74%0.63 9.7%94.0 21.7%14.4
Mark VientosNL.5049%68%0.31 14.4%93.9 12.5%7.5
Matt OlsonNL.85011%69%0.41 13.8%93.8 17.0%17.1
Giancarlo StantonAL.6489%65%0.27 14.6%93.7 14.1%10.9
Yandy DíazAL.90412%85%0.92 6.0%93.6 7.5%7.7
Trayce ThompsonNL.84815%56%0.39 13.7%93.4 19.0%18.5
Shohei OhtaniAL.98312%74%0.51 13.2%93.3 16.6%12.3
Matt ChapmanAL.79211%67%0.38 11.3%93.3 15.9%17.1
Ronald Acuña Jr.NL.87411%81%0.61 8.9%93.2 13.4%9.4
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.AL.7997%83%0.45 10.7%93.1 11.9%6.1
Sam HilliardNL.68811%58%0.31 15.6%93.1 6.6%15.9
Jordan WalkerNL.8478%76%0.37 14.2%92.8 9.2%3.3
Julio RodríguezAL.7977%73%0.30 14.1%92.7 11.1%10.3
Juan SotoNL.90921%78%1.23 6.0%92.7 12.1%8.1
Kyle SchwarberNL.78514%65%0.45 12.0%92.7 17.1%18.6
Joey GalloAL.73214%53%0.34 19.2%92.7 18.6%27.3
Corey SeagerAL.89510%83%0.63 12.3%92.7 13.8%11.9
Eloy JiménezAL.8438%75%0.34 15.4%92.7 14.4%7.3
Ryan O'HearnAL.7815%75%0.21 10.8%92.7 12.5%15.9
Tommy PhamNL.7078%70%0.28 9.1%92.6 9.8%6.3
Rafael DeversAL.7819%77%0.42 13.9%92.5 11.6%12.1
David BoteNL.7414%61%0.10 14.9%92.5 7.9%7
Evan LongoriaNL.7828%66%0.24 12.0%92.4 12.2%18.6
Paul GoldschmidtNL.88512%74%0.52 10.3%92.3 12.2%14.7
Spencer TorkelsonAL.6809%74%0.38 10.4%92.3 11.1%17.6
Christian YelichNL.77514%73%0.58 10.5%92.2 8.3%2.8
Bryan ReynoldsNL.8169%76%0.44 12.4%92.2 11.6%13.9
Gunnar HendersonAL.79412%67%0.43 11.4%92.2 11.7%7.6
Adolis GarcíaAL.7858%70%0.30 14.9%92.1 14.8%13.6
Jake BurgerAL.7805%64%0.14 19.0%92.1 18.6%13.3
Stephen PiscottyAL.5514%55%0.09 25.8%92.1 9.3%11.8
Bo BichetteAL.8635%80%0.27 9.5%92.0 9.8%7
Teoscar HernándezAL.7906%67%0.21 15.8%92.0 14.7%13
MJ MelendezAL.66511%68%0.41 13.8%92.0 11.3%17.1
Ji Man ChoiNL.59811%62%0.34 13.4%92.0 13.9%9.2
Ryan McMahonNL.80610%68%0.35 12.2%91.9 12.1%10.2
Luke RaleyAL.8668%64%0.25 19.2%91.9 17.0%17.1
Nelson CruzNL.6157%70%0.23 16.9%91.9 6.2%7.8
Albert PujolsNL1.0577%84%0.50 9.4%91.9 14.6%17.6
Sam HuffAL.63713%58%0.35 24.4%91.9 16.7%17.8
Stone GarrettNL.7797%65%0.22 16.8%91.8 8.2%18.3
Mookie BettsNL.89311%81%0.63 7.0%91.7 11.0%19.5
Trent GrishamNL.67812%66%0.39 11.1%91.7 13.5%20
Austin RileyNL.8599%75%0.40 11.7%91.7 13.5%13
Darick HallNL.7524%70%0.14 15.1%91.7 13.9%18.4
Oneil CruzNL.7549%63%0.28 13.9%91.6 14.3%7.6
Mike TroutAL.89511%68%0.39 10.9%91.6 16.5%21.5
Fernando TatisNL.8508%78%0.43 13.9%91.5 9.2%10.3
Bryan De La CruzNL.7776%72%0.23 13.5%91.5 10.2%8.9
Max MuncyNL.78315%66%0.53 11.1%91.5 15.2%22.3
Brett BatyNL.6678%73%0.34 12.0%91.5 6.5%8.2
Andy IbáñezAL.6984%81%0.23 11.0%91.5 12.9%12.3
Ke'Bryan HayesNL.6577%78%0.31 8.4%91.4 4.3%8.4
Jazz Chisholm Jr.NL.7537%66%0.22 14.4%91.4 12.0%9.5
Ryan NodaAL.77418%58%0.54 14.6%91.4 14.0%18.2
J.D. DavisNL.82211%65%0.35 16.5%91.4 14.0%10.1
Jake RogersAL.75512%59%0.33 12.4%91.4 16.1%12.2
Randy ArozarenaAL.86011%73%0.46 12.0%91.3 12.0%12.1
Byron BuxtonAL.75211%63%0.33 14.7%91.3 13.8%20.7
Franmil ReyesAL.6506%68%0.20 16.5%91.3 10.8%7.9
Mitch HanigerNL.7028%71%0.29 12.3%91.3 10.7%16.9
Luis TorrensNL.6977%68%0.25 12.2%91.3 6.8%19.8
Maikel GarciaAL.6937%75%0.31 7.1%91.2 5.2%5.5
Manny MachadoNL.7798%77%0.36 12.8%91.2 10.0%14.7
Joc PedersonNL.83413%73%0.56 10.4%91.2 12.8%15
Victor CaratiniNL.6108%75%0.35 8.6%91.2 4.4%7.1
Eugenio SuárezAL.73711%66%0.39 12.3%91.1 13.1%20.4
Salvador PerezAL.7844%77%0.16 16.9%91.1 10.8%17.6
Logan O'HoppeAL.8398%73%0.33 16.8%91.1 10.0%20.9
Kyle TuckerAL.7999%84%0.63 7.8%91.0 8.2%15.8
Yainer DiazAL.7633%81%0.13 14.9%91.0 14.1%14.1
Matt MervisNL.5318%64%0.25 15.1%91.0 13.8%8.4

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yandy Díaz (1B/3B/DH, TAM) has been one of the game's top batters over the past 12 months: .317 BA, 18 HR, 81 RBI, .904 OPS in 599 PA. Among the 556 hitters with 50+ PA since July 2022, Diaz ranks 6th in average exit velocity (93.6 mph EV), 9th in batting average, 13th in OPS, 25th in swinging strike rate (6.0% SwK%), 32nd in contact rate (85% ct%), and 55th in walk rate (12% bb%).

MJ Melendez (RF/C/DH, KC) hasn't been good on the surface during the last year (.211 BA, .665 OPS in 656 PA). That said, few batters have better batted ball components over that time than Melendez (92.0 mph EV, 11.3% Brl%). Only 36 bats can claim a 92.0+ mph EV since the second half of 2022.

Vinnie Pasquantino (1B/DH, KC) is the only bat in the majors over the last 12 months who can boast both an 87%+ ct% and a 90.0+ mph EV. His overall plate skills have been some of the best in the game (11% bb%, 87% ct%, 0.89 Eye), and his 90.2 mph EV and 8.3% Brl% confirm he does plenty of damage when he connects.

Jake Rogers (C, DET) quietly has been a more productive batter since July 2022 than you might have realized. He has a .755 OPS over that period behind some really impactful batted ball components (91.4 mph EV, 16.1% Brl%). Sure, most of that has come against southpaws, and his 59% ct% will keep him volatile. But he's an ideal second catcher given his power potential.

Spencer Torkelson (1B, DET) has a pretty uninspiring stat line during the last 12 months (.222 BA, 15 HR, 52 RBI, .680 OPS in 499 PA). But he has a top 25 average exit velocity over that period (92.3 mph EV), along with a double-digit barrel rate (11.1% Brl%). That group of high EV bats has an average .306 BABIP. Torkelson's .264 BABIP confirms that he's been hitting into some bad luck. Don't be surprised if he has a big second half.
 

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Alec Burleson (LF, STL) is another batter who hasn't done much on the surface during the prior 12 months (.211 BA, 6 HR, 19 RBI, .623 OPS in 225 PA). Nonetheless, his potential is evident in his combination of elite contact (86% ct%) and hard-hit balls (90.6 mph EV). He remains an excellent buy-low target.

Michael Harris II (CF, ATL) has had a poor first half of the 2023 season, but when you combine it with his second half from 2022, you've got a legit five-category bat (.278 BA, 22 HR, 69 RBI, 25 SB, .805 OPS in 544 PA). He's just one of four NL hitters with a 20-20 season over the last 12 months (Acuna Jr, Realmuto, Carroll).

Mark Vientos (DH/1B, NYM) is a high-upside bat who hasn't looked like it during his stint in the majors (.173 BA, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .504 OPS in 90 PA). However, those struggles have been due to a .222 BABIP more than a lack of batted ball quality (93.9 mph EV, 12.5% Brl%). In fact, that average exit velocity trails only Judge and Yordan among batters with 50+ PA since July 2022. He's another strong post-hype play.

Ryan McMahon (3B/2B, COL) quietly has been a stat stuffer during the previous 12 months. He has a .262 BA, 26 HR, 71 RBI, 11 SB, and .806 OPS during that period behind some upper-tier batted ball components (91.9 mph EV, 12.1% Brl%). His dual CI/MI eligibility gives him added value.

Jordan Walker (LF, STL) already ranks among the game's upper-echelon exit velocity bats (92.8 mph EV). Among the 13 batters who have posted a higher average exit velocity than Walker since July 2022, only three of them have made more overall contact than Walker (76% ct%).

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