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The 21-year-old started the season in much the same way as past campaigns — just 11-for-50, with 17 strikeouts and a mere 4 walks.
But since then he’s been a different hitter. In 193 trips to the plate since April 23rd, Baez has a quite solid 27/41 BB/K ratio, and that radical improvement (whether a blip or breakthrough) has led to a huge slashline of .350/.446/.638.
Baez fanned 36% of the time in 2022, 34% in 2023, and 35% last year. Not the numbers of a guy destined for the majors. But this year, he’s dropped it all the way down to 23%(!). And if he can keep it there, or anywhere close to that, we could have a hybrid of Tommy Pham and Adolis Garcia. But of course, speaking of Pham, Baez has suffered from the same problem Tommy had in the minors: he can’t quite stay healthy. Until this year, anyway.
We know Baez has physical gifts. Listed at 6’3″ and 230 lbs, he generates real good power including those high exit velocities that nerds like so much, and he’s stolen 100 bases and been caught just 15 times in fewer than 300 pro games. So under Ollie Marmol’s abundance-of-caution baserunning directives he might swipe as many as 10 or even 12 bases a year eventually! But I kid.
Borderline top 10 Redbird prospect and the arrow is pointing up.
Haha Bob, I’m one of those nerds that really likes the EVs that Baez is putting him. 70 grade raw power with the EVs he puts up. I don’t think Baez will ever be an above average pure contact hitter, but with his raw power and speed, he should be a valuable big leaguer. I would expect Baez to end up more like a .240 hitter in the bigs, but maybe he can keep improving his contact skills as his contact % went up 8 % from last year.
In a more perfect world, Bobby would post one new thread a day…..364 days a year. As I’ve always said, “a Bobby Reed thread a day would most definitely keep the boredom at bay”.
Heck of a few months for the youngster! Especially considering he’s still 21 in AA. A solid 2027 lineup with JJ, Baez, Bernal, Winn and Ivan the great isn’t unrealistic.
Side note but related, was Crash Davis injured or something?
I “hear” you 1TD. I wonder if we are talking July and August, 1969 with Joan Baez concerts culminating in Woodstock.
Likewise, and I mentioned this before, whenever I see the “Roster Matrix” thread I think of “Roger Maris”. 🙂
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