Controlling the strike zone is a big team problem. For all swing decisions is a little bit of a punchline, at the team level the 2020 Orioles were last by a lot MLB-wide at chasing pitches out of the zone.
Santander's O-Swing% here was a touch better than RMC or Nunez, the other two hitters on the team who were any good (non-Iglesias category).
ORIOLE RESULTS
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=50&type=5&season=2020&month=0&season1=2020&ind=0&team=2&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2020-01-01&enddate=2020-12-31
Sisco and Stewart atop this list representative to me of watchers who aren't quite sure they can touch MLB pitches regularly.
Hays 38%, Santander 41% and RMC 42% all worse than the 2020 Orioles 36.6%. Twenty-nine MLB teams in the 27-34 range, and one 37.
TEAM RESULTS
https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=5&season=2020&month=0&season1=2020&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=&enddate=
Santander does need health and reps, but I don't feel like his Eye is a fatal flaw as far as becoming an okay, maybe even good, player. I think his Eye as a 21-year old hitter in the Carolina League is part of what got him selected.
We know 1/2/3 Hays/Santander/RMC group probably will never be great at this - its some of why I'm keen to see 4/5/6 Trey/Yusniel/Adley sooner so pitchers have to work more.
If we ever get to 7/8/9 buy a good infielder, Lindor's contact skills vs. some of the others (apart from being just plain better) are so attractive. I mean I wouldn't say no to Javier Baez if he'd actually come here, but he wouldn't exactly round out team-wide offensive skill sets, and we've seen the Machado/Jones/Schoop show when All-Star tools get the tiniest bit stale.
Thanks .... I usually look at MLBs list and I clicked on the link and looked at 17 and 18 and one of them was Wells. This is definitely progress and would be a real home run if one of these guys develops into the next Machado or Arod. Plus, OTs a win if the catcher turns out to be a Tettleton comp.