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

Statcast Review - 2018 Hitting Leaders (Exit Velocity)

After a full fantasy season of using Statcast measures to predicting risers and fallers each week, it’s time to take a step back and view the big picture. One of the most straightforward Statcast measurements we relied on was exit velocity or the speed the ball comes off the bat immediately after being hit.

It is well known that certain players consistently mash the ball (Aaron Judge, Joey Gallo, Giancarlo Stanton, J.D. Martinez) and, not surprisingly, they made their way to the top of the list for highest average exit velocity this season. For this article, we will take a look at some other interesting player groups that were right up there with the other mashers to see what their 2018 exit velocities may mean for their 2019 performance.

Note that players required at least 150 batted ball events to be considered.

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

 

Average Exit Velocity Leaders 2018

The Elder Statesmen

#2. Nelson Cruz (DH, SEA), Avg. exit velo 93.9 MPH

It seems fitting that the hardest hitter in this section also happens to be the oldest. Of all qualified hitters, only 26-year-old Aaron Judge hit the ball harder on average than 38-year-old Nelson Cruz. The fact that Cruz hits the ball hard is not news; he has finished in the top 10 in average exit velocity since 2015. What is newsworthy is the fact that he has maintained that power as he has aged. He has historically had a power hitter’s profile, and that stayed true in 2018. Cruz continued to hit the ball hard with an uppercut swing (his 24% home run/fly ball rate was 10th best amongst qualified hitters) and it paid off in the form of 37 HR and 97 RBI. At some point, all good things must end, but based on his 2018 season, it looks like Cruz could have a few strong seasons left.   

#5. Robinson Cano (2B, SEA), Avg. exit velo 93.1 MPH

We’ll now turn our attention to a teammate of Cruz’s in 36-year-old Robinson Cano. The veteran suffered trials and tribulations throughout the season, missing time with a fractured hand and a suspension for banned substances. Despite that, Cano managed to hit the ball hard in the 80 games he played. So what can we expect from Cano in 2019? Unfortunately, signs point to a decline from this season. First, Cano has now suffered several injuries throughout his career so there is always a possibility of more injuries as he ages. Second, Cano’s peak average exit velocity was 90.9 MPH from 2015 to 2017, significantly lower than his 2018 value. Finally, Cano’s hard hit rate of 41.5% was significantly higher than his career average of 33.6%. Overall, it looks like negative regression can be expected for Cano in 2019.

#12. Ryan Zimmerman (1B, WSH), Avg. exit velo 92.6 MPH

Our final elder statesman, 34-year-old Ryan Zimmerman presents an interesting comparison to our last hitter. Like Cano, Zimmerman missed significant playing time in 2018 due to an oblique injury, playing only 85 games. Unlike Cano, Zimmerman has consistently hit the ball with a relatively high average exit velocity (minimum 91.4 MPH) from 2015 onward. Further, the difference between his 2018 hard hit rate (39.6%) and career average (35.6%) was not nearly as great as Cano’s. The two veterans posted similar numbers in 2018, and while Cano has had more fantasy value over the course of his career, it looks like Zimmerman is the more likely of the two to provide consistent, comparable value in the 2019 season.  

 

The Athletics

#6. Matt Olson (1B, OAK), Avg. exit velo 93.1 MPH

We’ll now turn our attention to some hitters who provide some serious pop in one of baseball’s biggest and most pitcher-friendly parks. Matt Olson broke onto the scene in 2017 with a ridiculous 41.4% HR/FB rate, and while he did not sustain that rate in 2018, he still hit the ball with authority. Olson ranked sixth in baseball in average exit velocity and eighth in hard hit rate (47.3%) with a solid 29 HR and 84 RBI to show for it. Olson’s swings pay off when he does make contact, but he sometimes has trouble doing that (24.7% strikeout rate in 2018). However, he has walked at a respectable rate throughout his short career (11%) and has time to improve, as he is just 24 years old. If Olson can continue to make positive steps forward in plate discipline in 2019, he could be a top source of power in fantasy.

#8. Matt Chapman (3B, OAK), Avg. exit velo 92.9 MPH

On the other side of the diamond from Olson is another Matt who hit the ball hard this season. 25-year-old Matt Chapman made impressive improvements in his sophomore season, increasing his batting average (.278 from .234), HR/FB rate (15.2% from 13.9%), and hard hit rate (43.2% from 36%). Chapman has similar plate discipline to Olson (9.6% career walk rate, 25.3% career strikeout rate) but trades some power for average. While he won’t hit for the same power as Olson or teammate Khris Davis, Chapman still has room to grow and will likely continue to provide above-average power in 2019 to complement his amazing glove work.

#13. Khris Davis (DH, OAK), Avg. exit velo 92.5 MPH

Unlike his younger teammates, Oakland’s final hitter is a veteran in the power game. Davis has been in the top 20 in average exit velocity since 2016 and is first in HR (133) during that time. He has been extremely consistent since 2016 with a mediocre batting average (.247), high strikeout rate (28%), at least 42 HR and 102 RBI, and a top-10 HR/FB rate (25.7%) and hard hit rate (42.2%). Davis’ hard hit rate and average exit velocities have also increased over each of the last three seasons, leaving no reason to doubt that he will be a top power hitter once again for fantasy owners in 2019.




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

Ezekiel Elliott37 mins ago

Inactive For Week 9
Kevin Huerter57 mins ago

Out Versus Toronto
Stephen Curry1 hour ago

Spotted At Shootaround
Lauri Markkanen2 hours ago

Out Again On Saturday
Puka Nacua2 hours ago

Expected To Play
JuJu Smith-Schuster2 hours ago

Juju Smith-Schuster Ruled Out For Week 9
Bryce Young2 hours ago

Panthers Not Considering Moving Bryce Young
Cooper Kupp2 hours ago

Rams Not Expected To Move Cooper Kupp
Davante Adams2 hours ago

Jets Not Expected To Move Garrett Wilson, Davante Adams
Drake Maye3 hours ago

Clears Concussion Protocol, Will Play In Week 9
Robbie Ray3 hours ago

Doesn't Opt Out Of Contract, Stays With Giants
Tee Higgins3 hours ago

Bengals Not Looking To Trade Tee Higgins
3 hours ago

Yankees Could Make Play For Pete Alonso This Offseason
Jaylen Brown3 hours ago

Won't Play On Saturday Night
Sean Manaea3 hours ago

Opts Out Of Contract, Becomes Free Agent
Cody Bellinger3 hours ago

Picks Up $27.5 Million Player Option With Cubs
Gerrit Cole3 hours ago

Opts Out Of Contract With Yankees
Rhys Hoskins6 hours ago

Staying In Milwaukee
6 hours ago

Seattle Declines Club Option On Jorge Polanco
Luke Weaver6 hours ago

Returning To New York
Josh Downs6 hours ago

Cleared To Play In Week 9
Eugenio Suárez7 hours ago

Arizona Picks Up Club Option On Eugenio Suarez
Michael Pittman Jr.7 hours ago

Will Play In Week 9
DK Metcalf7 hours ago

Has Strong Chance To Return In Week 11
Nikolaj Ehlers8 hours ago

Totals Four Points Versus Blue Jackets
Igor Shesterkin8 hours ago

Stops 40 Shots Versus Senators
Aleksander Barkov9 hours ago

Amasses Four Points In Finland
Dan Vladar9 hours ago

Shuts Out Devils Friday Night
Adam Pelech9 hours ago

Makes Early Exit Versus Sabres
Mike Reilly9 hours ago

Exits Friday's Action With Injury
NHL9 hours ago

Nathan Bastian Suffers Jaw Injury On Friday
Jordan Clarkson16 hours ago

Out At Least A Week
Kyle Kuzma17 hours ago

Out Again On Saturday
Jamal Murray17 hours ago

Won't Return On Friday Night
Giannis Antetokounmpo17 hours ago

Anticipated To Play Versus Cleveland
Puka Nacua18 hours ago

Has A Shot To Play In Week 9
Jordan Love18 hours ago

Tracking To Play In Week 9
Stephen Curry21 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Yves Missi21 hours ago

Expected To Take The Court Friday
Karl-Anthony Towns21 hours ago

Available On Friday
Eric Comrie21 hours ago

Faces Blue Jackets Friday
Daniel Theis21 hours ago

Likely To Suit Up Friday
David Savard21 hours ago

Sits Out Practice For Maintenance Purposes
De'Anthony Melton21 hours ago

Unavailable Saturday
Jordan Hawkins21 hours ago

Expected To Play Friday
Alexander Romanov21 hours ago

Ready To Play Friday
Al Horford22 hours ago

Resting Against Charlotte
Evgeni Malkin22 hours ago

Takes Maintenance Day On Friday
Andrew Wiggins22 hours ago

Probable For Saturday's Matchup With Houston
Rose Namajunas22 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
D'Angelo Russell22 hours ago

Will Suit Up Versus Toronto
Devon Levi22 hours ago

Returns To Sabres Crease
Clayton Kershaw22 hours ago

To Undergo Two Surgeries
Anthony Davis22 hours ago

Available Against Toronto
Erin Blanchfield22 hours ago

Returns At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Lowe22 hours ago

Rays Pick Up Club Option On Brandon Lowe
Ryan Hartman22 hours ago

Rejoins Wild Lineup Friday
Zach LaVine22 hours ago

Will Play Against Brooklyn
22 hours ago

Nick Martinez Headed To Free Agency
Erik Cernak22 hours ago

Available On Friday
Marc-Andre Barriault22 hours ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Set To Face Marc-Andre Barriault At UFC Edmonton
Brent Suter22 hours ago

Inks Extension With Cincinnati
Immanuel Quickley22 hours ago

Out Again On Friday Night
CJ McCollum22 hours ago

Out At Least Two Weeks
22 hours ago

Yankees, Mets Among Teams In Battle For Juan Soto
Marc-Andre Barriault22 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Edmonton
Blake Snell22 hours ago

Opts Out Of Deal With San Francisco
Josh Jacobs23 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Drake Maye23 hours ago

Questionable For Week 9
Tyler Boyd23 hours ago

Tony Pollard, Tyler Boyd Listed As Questionable
Tyjae Spears23 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Calvin Ridley24 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
Trevin Giles24 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Noah Fant24 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Brian Robinson Jr.24 hours ago

Questionable For Week 9
Mike Malott24 hours ago

Opens Up UFC Edmonton Main Card
Dallas Goedert24 hours ago

Ruled Out For Week 9
Zach Benson1 day ago

Could Play Next Week
Jani Hakanpaa1 day ago

And Connor Dewar Sent On Conditioning Stint
Dmitri Voronkov1 day ago

Ready For Season Debut Friday
Mathew Barzal1 day ago

Getting Tests Done For Upper-Body Injury
Vladimir Tarasenko1 day ago

Ready To Go For Saturday
Mark Stone1 day ago

Misses Practice Due To Birth Of Child
Tomás Nosek1 day ago

Tomas Nosek Ready For Panthers Debut On Friday
1 day ago

Royals Decline Option On Adam Frazier
1 day ago

Manuel Margot, Kyle Farmer Headed To Free Agency
1 day ago

Milwaukee Declines Option On Wade Miley
Lucas Giolito1 day ago

Staying In Boston
Chris Stratton1 day ago

Hunter Renfroe, Chris Stratton Returning To Kansas City
Jordan Montgomery1 day ago

Staying In Arizona
Brendson Ribeiro2 days ago

Searching For 1st UFC Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado2 days ago

Drops Down To Light Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Jhonata Diniz2 days ago

Gets Big Step-Up At UFC Edmonton
Derrick Lewis2 days ago

Faces An Unranked Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Amir Albazi2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno2 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Edmonton
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Comes Up Short at Homestead
William Byron5 days ago

Rallies to Sixth at Homestead
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Tire Issue at Homestead Could Doom Kyle Larson's Championship Hopes
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Charges To A Thrilling Victory At Homestead
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Loses At Homestead On The Final Corner To Tyler Reddick
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Quietly Nabs A Top-5 Finish At Homestead
Khamzat Chimaev5 days ago

Remains Undefeated
Robert Whittaker5 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 308
Aleksandar Rakic5 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 308
Armen Petrosyan5 days ago

Knocked Out At UFC 308
Shara Magomedov5 days ago

Gets Highlight-Reel Knockout Win At UFC 308
Joey Logano6 days ago

Intentionally Sleepwalked Through Homestead to Focus on Phoenix
Denny Hamlin6 days ago

Advances to Championship 4 as Owner but Not as Driver
Dan Ige6 days ago

Loses Second-Straight Fight At UFC 308
Lerone Murphy6 days ago

Remains Undefeated At UFC 308
Magomed Ankalaev6 days ago

Wins Lackluster Decision Win At UFC 308
Max Holloway6 days ago

Gets Knocked Out For First Time At UFC 308

RANKINGS

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