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Pierre Camus takes a gif-inspired journey through the season of MLB's newest Korean slugger Byung-Ho Park to analyze how his power makes him a fearsome hitter.
Byung Ho Park: The Korean Giancarlo Stanton! Maybe he's not quite there yet, but the Minnesota Twins certainly hope it turns out that way. After paying $12.85 million just for the right to negotiate with the slugger, Park has been slotted as the regular DH for the rebuilding Twins. The comparison may be misleading, because Stanton is only 26, and Park is already 29. Stanton is known for his monstrous homers that wreck scoreboards and leave ballparks entirely. Most MLB fans may not be aware, but Park has been doing this for years. In 2015, playing for the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), he hit 53 HR and 146 RBI. Over the past four seasons in the KBO, he averaged 43 homers. Impressive numbers, but how does that translate to the Major Leagues? Let's take a visual trip through the monstrous power of Byung Ho Park. Warning: if you have any little leaguers who are aspiring pitchers, you may want to shield their eyes.
Park made a habit of humiliating the opposing pitcher with moonshots such as the one below. It traveled an estimated 522 feet, which in America translates to... 522 feet. Not sure what the translation on the screen says, but I believe after this homer the other team simply forfeited.
Park's first Major League homer was not overly impressive, but I think he just didn't want to embarrass anyone yet so early in the season. Similar to Stanton, Park's heat map shows that he likes the ball down and in. This particular pitch was right down the middle. He won't see too many more like that from now on.
One might assume facing Major League aces like Chris Sale, Jordan Zimmermann and Danny Salazar on a regular basis would limit his power potential. As of this writing, Park has a .342 ISO after slugging his seventh homer. By comparison, Stanton is at .337. Jose Abreu, who plays in the same division, posted a .264 ISO in his impressive rookie year after coming over from Cuba. Park is hitting balls nearly as far as he did in the KBO as well. He has hit two of the top 32 longest home runs this year in the Majors. Park's first six home runs with Minnesota have averaged 428 feet. Here's an example of an "average" HR for him:
Park has a 21.2% HR/FB which means he's not getting cheated. Part of his success is due to his ability to hit in all parts of the field. For a prototypical slugger, Park is not a dead pull hitter. He has hit at least one HR to each part of the field already. Watch his power to dead center. Try not to miss the awful pun that fills half the screen either:
The only thing missing so far from Park's repertoire is the bat-flip. Looks like he is smart enough to know it won't go over so well in the United States, especially since he is still considered a rookie. Still, if you can hit a ball 500+ feet, a good bat flip is always in order. Lighten up, Goose Gossage!
Byung Ho Park obviously is the real deal when it comes to highlight-reel home run power. Beyond that, he is a bonafide Major League-ready hitter who should easily put up 30 HR or more this season. It appears his adjustment period lasted all of two weeks in April. If there is an owner in your league ready to "sell high" after his recent power outbreak, take that deal, then show him this article and flip that bat right at him. After all, that's what Park would do.
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