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Hardball Times: Power


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http://www.hardballtimes.com/scouting-the-minors-pitch-by-pitch-power/

 

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We see a surprisingly strong correlation for power from Triple-A to the majors; the sample is filtered to hitters who have had at least 50 flyball outs plus homers in both the majors and Triple-A. Joc Pederson and Chris Davis had by far and away the most power of any hitters in Triple-A recorded since 2011, with guys like Munenori Kawasaki, Dee Gordon, Billy Hamilton and Jarrod Dyson filling the opposite end of the spectrum. I say surprising because the correlation exists, but because the data are clean enough to produce such a strong signal. In fact, it produces a slightly better than looking at HR/BIP%:

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TOP POWER PROSPECTS AA & AAA, Born After Jan. 1st 1990
BATTER_NAME YEAR OF BATTER DOB DISTANCE IN MINORS PROJ MLB DISTANCE
Dylan Cozens 1994 331.17 312.20
J.D. Davis 1993 323.75 307.15
Joey Gallo 1993 322.33 306.19
Matt Chapman 1993 320.03 304.62
Daniel Palka 1991 318.53 303.60
Peter O’Brien 1990 316.74 302.38
Adam Walker II 1991 314.95 301.17
Derek Fisher 1993 314.46 300.83
Rowdy Tellez 1995 313.24 300.00
Clint Frazier 1994 313.01 299.85
Tom Murphy 1991 311.80 299.02
Tyler O’Neill 1995 311.44 298.78
Telvin Nash 1991 311.34 298.71
Kevin Cron 1993 309.87 297.71
Chase McDonald 1992 309.84 297.69
Jon Kemmer 1990 309.07 297.16
Gabriel Quintana 1992 308.41 296.72
Juan Duran 1991 307.99 296.43
Ryan O’Hearn 1993 307.47 296.08
Jacob Schrader 1991 307.32 295.98
Mac Williamson 1990 306.84 295.65
Steven Moya 1991 306.50 295.42
Taylor Sparks 1993 306.40 295.36
Rhys Hoskins 1993 306.18 295.20
Cody Bellinger 1995 305.82 294.96
Bradley Zimmer 1992 305.30 294.61
SOURCE: MLB Advanced Media
Data are for trajectories flagged as fly balls, filtered to those caught or hit for a home run. Base hits are excluded since they are recorded where they are fielded rather than where they landed.
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It makes sense to me that home runs per balls in play would stay relatively constant from the minors to the majors.    What doesn't stay constant, unfortunately, is the percentage of balls in play.   Chris Davis, for example, struck out 24.6% of the time as a minor leaguer, but is at 31.3% as a major leaguer.   Walker strikes out 30.3% of the time as a minor leaguer.    So in the big leagues, what's he going to be?   36% (same 5.7% increase as Davis)?   38.5% (proportional increase in strikeout rate equal to Davis)?   Using those end points, in 550 PA he'd be projected to hit 21-23 HRs while striking out 198-212 times.   Not a good ratio at all.

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