X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Hitter Advanced Metrics Studs and Duds - Average Exit Velocity for Week 4

We can finally start extrapolating something from one of the easiest Statcast metrics to decipher - exit velocity. This stat stabilizes after approximately 70 plate appearances or 45 batted-ball events.

Last week, we looked at early leaders in maximum exit velocity because it doesn't take long to take something away from that metric. Keep in mind that max exit velocity and FB/LD exit velo can be tied more directly to power but this article will focus on overall exit velocity.

As always, I'll examine unexpected players that show up on the top and bottom end of the Statcast leaderboard to figure out if they will stay there and what it means for 2022 fantasy baseball. Don't forget to check out the pitcher version of this weekly piece as well.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:

 

Average Exit Velocity Leaders

All stats courtesy of BaseballSavant and current as of 5/1/22.

 

Tommy Pham, Cincinnati Reds

94.9 MPH avg. exit velocity

His current EV is a career-high but he has been among the league leaders once before - 2018 when he posted a 93 MPH avg. exit velocity. That year, he was also in the top 10 percentile in xBA, xSLG, and Hard Hit%. That actually wasn't his best season from a fantasy perspective, though. His 2017 season was the real breakout and he then struggled in the first half of 2018 before being traded to Tampa and surging in the second half.

Pham again finds himself in new digs with a hitter-friendly environment but on an offense that has been among the worst in the league. Pham is slashing just .211/.309/.394 with three HR and six RBI thus far, not exactly showing out. Behind the hood, everything looks pretty good and his .262 xBA shows some regression might come. If Joey Votto and company can get things going, Pham could take off soon.

 

Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies

93 MPH avg. exit velocity

There's been a lot of ups and downs for McMahon early in the season. Mainly up in the batter's box and down on the field.

He's moved all around the infield in Colorado, primarily playing 2B in 2019-2020 before transitioning to 3B last year. Despite his fielding issues this season, he'll stick in the lineup because of his bat.

McMahon is posting a superior .501 xwoBACON on the strength of his exit velocity, including a 98 MPH FB/LD exit velo that is tied for 11th. Power has never been a question and playing in Coors is a plus. Consistent contact, that's another story. With a 29.1% K% and below-average Zone Contact% as usual, McMahon needs to hit it hard when he actually does hit it.

So far, he's done just that and is lining the ball with authority rather than selling out for power. The Rockies' offense has been better than expected without Trevor Story, so it's possible McMahon produces solid numbers across his prime-age season with 25 HR and 80 RBI in play.

 

Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks

92.7 MPH avg. exit velocity

Walker is in the 90th percentile for exit velocity and barrel rate. If only more of those scorched baseballs would fall in for base hits... Walker has five homers on the year but is batting .152 and has driven in just eight runs.

There should be some positive regression as his xBA on fastballs is .287 compared to a .188 BA but he's been incapable of hitting breaking balls, posting a .091 BA and .132 xBA. Walker has never been one to hit for average so he'd need to continue leaving the yard at a high rate to offset the loss in that category and lack of R+RBI from being in the Diamondbacks lineup. His launch angle and fly ball rate make it look like he's making a concerted effort to go deep but this could ultimately be a shallow fantasy asset.

 

Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates

92.5 MPH avg. exit velocity

I felt compelled to add Hayes for two reasons. First, many are skeptical about his bat still because he wasn't much of a hitter in the minors, particularly in the power department. Second, his batted-ball profile is quite unique and worth examining.

He's in the top 20 in average exit velocity and has a solid 45.5% Hard Hit rate that's top 50. The problem is that he hits the ball on the ground 52.7% of the time, which is actually down from last year. A launch angle of 2.4 isn't encouraging for someone who's never hit more than 10 HR in a season at any level.

Where Hayes excels, which is also what keeps him fantasy relevant, is in hitting line drives. He's the owner of a 30.9% LD% and that jives with his rookie season's 30.8% LD%. We know that plentiful line drives lead to base hits, as there's a near 70% correlation with batting average. It's not a sticky stat from year-to-year but Hayes has shown he isn't trying to lift the ball out of the park. That means we should see much of the same from Hayes, which is to say little-to-no power but a high average.

 

Average Exit Velocity Strugglers

 

Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers

84.4 MPH avg. exit velocity

Anyone who rosters Semien anywhere already knows how real the struggle is. Whether it's just a slow start, adjusting to a new team, or the pressure of a huge contract, Semien hasn't gotten anything going at the plate.

The man who hit 45 homers last year hasn't gone deep once yet. While batting average has never been his strong suit, a .149 clip is completely out of character for one of fantasy's best players in 2021.

Surprisingly, plate discipline isn't the issue here. Semien is actually striking out less (19.4%) than he did last year (20.2%). Much of his batted-ball profile remains the same. It looks like he's just not hitting fastballs at all, which make up 55% of pitches seen. He had never previously hit below .247 on fastballs but this year, he's at .116 so far.

There is no tangible reason for Semien to have such a hard time with something so fundamental that has never been problematic before. It leads one to believe it is simply a focusing issue or something related to the aforementioned pressure of performing up to a higher standard. He should come around eventually but one can't be blamed for benching him until that happens.

 

Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

85.9 MPH avg. exit velocity

So much for the new Votto. His blazing second half of 2021 came as a result of a more aggressive approach at the plate, swinging early and more often. He was lifting the ball more, pulling it more, and hitting it harder. That was last year.

In 2022, Votto is posting career-highs in all the worst ways: a 48.9% ground ball rate, 4.4% Weak%, and 32.2% K%. Granted, it's only been 90 plate appearances but it still troublesome for a 38-year-old who may be demotivated from his team's selling spree before the season. A lack of lineup support isn't doing him any favors either.

We know Votto's ability and can always cling to the hope that history repeats itself with a late-season outburst. There are reasons to be legitimately concerned, however, so don't assume Votto is a steal by going out to "buy low" for him everywhere.

 

Frank Schwindel, Chicago Cubs

86 MPH avg. exit velocity

You'll see Schwindel on the trade block in many leagues these days, which I can attest to personally. I didn't draft him anywhere outside of an NFBC 50 but I've been offered him in a couple of leagues where managers seem ready to give up on him after a slow start. If it carries on, he'll be dropped everywhere before long as Alfonso Rivas eats into his playing time.

Schwindel was a great story last season as the career minor-leaguer came up at the age of 29 to take over for Anthony Rizzo at first base after the trade deadline and post a .342/.389/.613 slash line in 222 at-bats. Was it a fluke? Sadly, it might have been.

Interestingly enough, Schwindel's exit velocity is about the same as last year. He wasn't hitting the ball with too much authority but made enough quality contact to get by and overachieved on many expected stats. It's the other side of the coin now, as he's underperforming a bit but playing closer to his ability level. If he can lower his ground ball rate that hovers around 50%, we could see some improvements. It won't be enough to bring back the Schwindel of late last year, though.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Statcast & Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Dallas Cowboys21 mins ago

Micah Parsons Expected To Play In Week 10
Dereck Lively II44 mins ago

A Late Scratch On Monday
Amari Cooper46 mins ago

Listed As Day-To-Day
Joe Flacco1 hour ago

Named Week 10 Starter
Robert Williams III1 hour ago

Returning On Monday
Jordan Hawkins1 hour ago

Out Versus The Blazers
Zion Williamson1 hour ago

Sidelined Again Versus Portland
Rudy Gobert2 hours ago

Available For Minnesota On Monday
Immanuel Quickley2 hours ago

Still Out On Monday
Jalen Smith2 hours ago

Available Against Jazz
Brandon Miller2 hours ago

Will Play Versus Minnesota
Josh Giddey2 hours ago

Suiting Up Monday
Lauri Markkanen2 hours ago

Sidelined Again On Monday Night
David Njoku2 hours ago

Browns "Highly Unlikely" To Trade David Njoku
John Konchar2 hours ago

Ruled Out Monday Versus Nets
Chase Brown2 hours ago

Appears To Be OK Despite Suffering Bruised Rib
Tee Higgins3 hours ago

Estimated As DNP On Monday
Jameson Williams3 hours ago

' Suspension Is Lifted
3 hours ago

Alex Bregman Given Qualifying Offer
Saquon Barkley3 hours ago

Will Be Ready For Week 10 Despite Back Soreness
3 hours ago

Juan Soto Receives Qualifying Offer
Anthony Davis3 hours ago

Available Monday Versus Detroit
A.J. Brown3 hours ago

Considered "Day-To-Day"
Austin Reaves3 hours ago

Suiting Up Monday
3 hours ago

Tyler O'Neill Not Given Qualifying Offer, Headed To Free Agency
Ryan Blaney3 hours ago

Wins At Martinsville And Has Chance To Earn Second Straight Championship
Bucky Irving3 hours ago

Officially Active Against Chiefs
Christopher Bell3 hours ago

Penalized At Martinsville, Removed From Championship Four
D'Angelo Russell3 hours ago

Available Monday
3 hours ago

Nick Pivetta Receives Qualifying Offer
3 hours ago

Colin Rea Heading To Free Agency
Casey Mize4 hours ago

Tigers Decline Casey Mize's 2025 Club Option
Drake London4 hours ago

Considered Day-To-Day
Dean Wade4 hours ago

Won’t Play Against The Bucks
Caris LeVert4 hours ago

Remains Out Versus Milwaukee
Noah Clowney4 hours ago

Won’t Suit Up Versus Memphis
Ben Simmons4 hours ago

Out Against The Grizzlies
Kevin Huerter4 hours ago

Still Out On Monday Night
Jake Allen4 hours ago

Faces Oilers On Monday
Stephen Curry4 hours ago

Back For Monday’s Game
BOS4 hours ago

Tyler Johnson Signs One-Year Deal With Bruins
Giannis Antetokounmpo5 hours ago

Won’t Face The Cavs
Zach Benson5 hours ago

Considered "A Possibility" For Tuesday's Game
Artem Zub5 hours ago

Logs Full Practice On Monday
Bryan Rust5 hours ago

Will Join Penguins Road Trip
Marcell Ozuna5 hours ago

Braves Exercise Marcell Ozuna's 2025 Option
Juraj Slafkovsky5 hours ago

Practices On Monday
Macklin Celebrini5 hours ago

Ready To Return On Tuesday
David Fry5 hours ago

To Miss 6-8 Months After Having Elbow Surgery
Gerrit Cole5 hours ago

Yankees Agree To Stick Together
Samuel Ersson7 hours ago

Misses Monday Practice
Carolina Panthers7 hours ago

Panthers Haven't Decided Starting QB For Week 10
Connor McDavid7 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule In Recovery
Jonathon Brooks7 hours ago

Panthers Optimistic Jonathon Brooks Will Debut In Week 10
Philip Broberg7 hours ago

Will Miss Several Weeks With Lower-Body Injury
Derek Carr7 hours ago

To Start In Week 10 For Saints
Valeri Nichushkin7 hours ago

Will Return When First Eligible
Nico Collins7 hours ago

Texans Non-Committal On Nico Collins For Week 10
Erick All Jr.7 hours ago

Officially Out For The Year With Knee Injury
DK Metcalf7 hours ago

Mike Macdonald "Optimistic" DK Metcalf Returns In Week 11
CeeDee Lamb8 hours ago

Tagged As Week-To-Week, Optimism He Can Play In Week 10
Tyler Reddick8 hours ago

Not A Factor At Martinsville And Looks Ahead To Phoenix
Kyle Larson8 hours ago

Misses Advancing Through Playoffs Despite Top-Three Finish
Brad Keselowski8 hours ago

Has A Solid Top-10 Performance At Martinsville
Chase Elliott8 hours ago

Loses Out On Winning At Martinsville
Christian McCaffrey8 hours ago

49ers Open Christian McCaffrey's Practice Window
Zack Moss8 hours ago

No Timetable On Zack Moss' Return
Dak Prescott8 hours ago

Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks, IR Trip A Possibility
Nathan Eovaldi9 hours ago

Declines His Player Option
Devin Williams9 hours ago

Brewers Decline Option On Devin Williams
Michael Wacha9 hours ago

Royals Agree To Three-Year Deal
Reynaldo López9 hours ago

Braves Sign Reynaldo Lopez To Three-Year Deal
Rose Namajunas12 hours ago

Drops Decision Matchup
Erin Blanchfield13 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Dustin Stoltzfus13 hours ago

Gets First-Round Knockout At UFC Edmonton
Zach Hyman13 hours ago

Records Two Points In Battle Of Alberta Win
Marc-Andre Barriault13 hours ago

Knocked Out At UFC Edmonton
Matt Boldy14 hours ago

Hits Overtime Winner Versus Toronto
Jared Spurgeon14 hours ago

Delivers Two Assists In Sunday's Win
Trevin Giles14 hours ago

Losses Third Fight In A Row
Alex Ovechkin14 hours ago

Extends Goal Streak To Four Games
Dmitry Orlov14 hours ago

Nets Two Goals Against Capitals
Jeremy Swayman14 hours ago

Collects First Shutout Of The Season
Connor Bedard14 hours ago

Records Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Mike Malott15 hours ago

Wins Decision At UFC Edmonton
NASCAR23 hours ago

Speeding Penalty Foils Martin Truex Jr.'s Last Realistic Shot At Winning
Denny Hamlin23 hours ago

Fails To Advance To Championship 4 But Runs Well
Shane Van Gisbergen23 hours ago

Shane van Gisbergen Earns Best Oval Finish at Martinsville
William Byron23 hours ago

Tentatively In Championship 4 Pending Ruling On Manufacturer Orders
MMA1 day ago

Ariane Lipski Submitted At UFC Edmonton
Jasmine Jasudavicius1 day ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado1 day ago

Still Winless In The UFC
Brendson Ribeiro1 day ago

Edges Out Split Decision At UFC Edmonton
Amir Albazi1 day ago

Falls Short At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno1 day ago

Dominates At UFC Edmonton
Artturi Lehkonen1 day ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
NJ1 day ago

Nathan Bastian To Miss "Several Weeks"
Brayden Point1 day ago

Exits With Injury Sunday
Austin Barnes2 days ago

Returning To Los Angeles
2 days ago

David Robertson To Test Free Agency
Wilmer Flores2 days ago

Giants Exercise Club Option On Wilmer Flores
Owen Miller2 days ago

Shipped To Colorado
Merrill Kelly2 days ago

Staying In Arizona
2 days ago

Eloy Jimenez Headed To Free Agency
Daniel Suarez2 days ago

Will Start 20th At Martinsville
Zane Smith2 days ago

Might Be An Underrated Value Play For Martinsville
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is A Top DFS Recommendation For Martinsville Lineups
Joey Logano2 days ago

Will Be One To Watch At Martinsville
Brad Keselowski2 days ago

Should DFS Players Rely On Brad Keselowski For Martinsville Lineups?
Carson Hocevar2 days ago

Is A Great DFS Option For All Martinsville DFS Lineups
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Is Ty Gibbs Worth Rostering At Martinsville This Week For DFS?
Austin Cindric2 days ago

Could Have A Top-20 Performance At Martinsville
William Byron2 days ago

Might Be Usable Only In DFS Tournaments At Martinsville
Chris Buescher2 days ago

Should DFS Players Roster Chris Buescher At Martinsville?
Alex Bowman2 days ago

Expect A Solid Top-10 Performance From Alex Bowman At Martinsville
2 days ago

Joc Pederson To Test Free Agency
2 days ago

Anthony Rizzo Headed To Free Agency
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Erin Blanchfield3 days ago

Returns At UFC Edmonton
Marc-Andre Barriault3 days ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Set To Face Marc-Andre Barriault At UFC Edmonton
Marc-Andre Barriault3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Edmonton
Trevin Giles3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mike Malott3 days ago

Opens Up UFC Edmonton Main Card
Brendson Ribeiro4 days ago

Searching For 1st UFC Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado4 days ago

Drops Down To Light Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Jhonata Diniz4 days ago

Gets Big Step-Up At UFC Edmonton

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

Video: MUST ADD Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 10! Fantasy Football 2024

Our top 2024 fantasy football Week 10 waiver wire pickups for RB, WR, TE, and QB. This week's must-add fantasy football free agents -- potential waiver wire winners heading into Week 9 for running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) - every […]


Rachaad White - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 9 MNF? Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Baker Mayfield, Jalen McMillan, Kareem Hunt, Xavier Worthy, Patrick Mahomes, DeAndre Hopkins, Sterling Shepard, more

Who Should I Start for MNF? Who Should I Sit for MNF? Some of the most common Week 9 fantasy football lineup decisions for Monday Night Football are regarding players like Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Baker Mayfield, Jalen McMillan, Kareem Hunt, Xavier Worthy, Patrick Mahomes, DeAndre Hopkins, Sterling Shepard, more. But not to worry, we […]


Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, WR, Waiver Wire, NFL DFS, Rookies

Biggest Fantasy Football Busts Of The Week - Fantasy Outlooks For C.J. Stroud, Tank Bigsby, Marvin Harrison, Brian Thomas, Kyle Pitts, Nick Chubb, more

The ninth Sunday of the 2024 NFL season has come and gone. Hopefully, you woke up on Monday morning feeling very good about how your matchup went. However, this week's slate of games was certainly stress-inducing for many fantasy football managers. Part of that stress was caused by a group of players who drastically underachieved […]


Quentin Johnston - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups (QB, RB, WR, TE): Free Agent Adds Include Justin Herbert, Isaac Guerendo, Quentin Johnston, Demarcus Robinson, Taysom Hill

RotoBaller's Week 10 fantasy football waiver wire pickups article for 2024 will cover everyone you need to know that could help your team find replacements for injured players, fill in for players you want to drop, or even help you win a championship. Every week, new players are breaking out. From bench stashes in the […]


Ray Davis - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Waiver Wire Express - Week 10 Lightning Round Including Quentin Johnston, Xavier Legette, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Ray Davis, Jauan Jennings, Cedric Tillman, Bo Nix

October is in the past and many of you are here with shifted clocks, seeking help at wide receiver. Amidst the usual chaos of Sunday's football, we absorbed several high-profile losses at wideout. We're all doing our best to stay hot in November with our fantasy football waiver wire pickups lightning round heading into Week […]


Tyler Allgeier - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 10 Waiver Wire Rankings - Fantasy Football Pickups Include Quentin Johnston, Jalen Tolbert, Ricky Pearsall, Ray Davis, Tyler Allgeier, Mike Gesicki

Week 10 will be here in a few days, and it's time to start bolstering those rosters for the fantasy football playoff push. At RotoBaller HQ, we are back with more waiver wire advice to help build those fantasy rosters with our Week 10 fantasy football waiver wire rankings for 2024. There were more crucial […]


Justin Herbert - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Week 10 Quarterback Pickups - Best Fantasy QB Adds, Streamers Include Russell Wilson, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, and more

It was not a banner week for the quarterback position in fantasy football. There wasn’t a single quarterback that surpassed 300 passing yards between Thursday and the main Sunday slate. We did get a five passing touchdown performance (Joe Burrow) and three quarterbacks with three passing touchdowns, but that was it. Four teams have a […]


DeVon Achane - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Injury News

Top 10 Running Back Studs - Best Fantasy Football RB Performances Including Saquon Barkley, De'Von Achane, Alvin Kamara And More

The running back renaissance is truly upon us in 2024. While rushing touchdowns were down this week, matching the lowest number of the season thus far (23), the top-10 RBs had their best week yet. Week 9 was the first time all season that each athlete to be featured on this list all hit 21 […]


Mike Gesicki - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Unexpected Boom Performances: Fantasy Football Risers Include Mike Gesicki, Quentin Johnston, Ray Davis, Demarcus Robinson, Josh Oliver

Week 9 of the NFL regular season provided fans with some exciting action. The Bills defeated the Dolphins in an AFC East clash thanks to Tyler Bass' game-winning 61-yard FG in the final moments. The Titans and Rams also contributed a pair of overtime victories that enthralled audiences. Many big names showed out for fantasy […]


Ray Davis - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Running Back Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 10: Top Free Agent Adds Include Ray Davis, Jaylen Warren, Tyler Allgeier, Justice Hill

As you read this week’s recommendations from the waiver wire, the planning process for Week 10 roster construction has begun. You have already navigated a collection of obstacles that have emerged through the first nine weeks of the regular season, and should now sustain your efforts to minimize the impact of additional injuries, underwhelming production, […]


AJ Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Fantasy Football Injuries From Sunday's Games: Chris Olave, Drake London, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, More

The Week 9 injury report was pretty light compared to the rest of the season. Even still, some big names went down, and they will definitely affect fantasy rosters everywhere. We saw several wide receivers leave games early and had another injury to a starting quarterback. Let’s get into the injury report from yesterday's games […]


Patrick Mahomes - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Buccaneers vs. Chiefs MNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, DeAndre Hopkins, Kareem Hunt, Rachaad White, Jalen McMillan, Cade Otton

Week 9 is already here, and setting optimal lineups has never been more crucial as the fantasy football playoffs near. Read our Monday Night Football matchups analysis article for the Buccaneers vs. Chiefs game to help make any fantasy football lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS. This week's MNF contest sees the undefeated Kansas […]


Travis Kelce - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Buccaneers vs. Chiefs MNF Showdown (Week 9)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! We have a matchup between a pair of banged-up teams in this one, as Baker Mayfield and the shorthanded Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) head up to Kansas City to take on the final remaining undefeated team in the league in the Chiefs (7-0). Both teams are missing key offensive pieces, and let's […]