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  • Appreciating the Underappreciated Position Players of 2023 (So Far)

    Appreciating the Underappreciated Position Players of 2023 (So Far)

    By Axel Post

    There are a lot of baseball players. It’s hard to keep track of who has been surprisngly good this season. I’m not going to sit here in this blog and tell you that Shohei Ohtani has had a good season, you probably already know he is good. I’m also going to leave off guys like Brent Rooker, because although he was pretty unknown before the season, you’ve probably noticed his success to begin the year. My goal is to find a middle ground of players, to shed light on what you, my genius reader, may not already know.

    Yandy Diaz, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays

    You might know that Yandy Diaz is a good hitter and that he’s had a good season. However, did you know he leads the entire league in wRC+ at 188? Making him the best hitter in baseball so far. Last year I thought Yandy had put up a career year, his 146 wRC+ and the 3.8 fWAR were numbers that I was comfortable saying would be the highest marks of his career when it was all said and done. Yandy Diaz heard my thought and promptly spat on my face. He’s already accumulated a 2.1 fWAR this season and is spearheading a Rays team that is an absolute wagon. The Rays have finally stopped playing this man at 3B and it’s really helping his WAR because he throws the baseball with a piece of cooked spaghetti attached to his shoulder and he might as well not even bring the glove out to the field. But man, this guy can hit, walks a ton, doesn’t strike out much, hits the ball as hard as anyone, and is lifting the ball much better this year, as shown by his 11 home runs (he only hit 9 last season). We might be looking at a potential superstar hitter in Yandy Diaz, as the 31 year old seems to be a late bloomer.

    Jonah Heim, C, Texas Rangers

    Already known as a great defensive catcher, Jonah Heim is following up a good 2022 campaign with a very strong start to 2023. With a wRC+ of 127, he ranks 3rd among catchers with at least 100 PA, behind only Sean Murphy and Will Smith. Among that group, he is 2nd in fWAR with 1.8. Heim will not continue to produce at this level with the bat, but he will for sure continue being a great framer, as he currently leads the league in framing runs with 4, after finishing 2nd last year with 12. He also has already put up 3 defensive runs saved (DRS) after putting up 8 DRS last season. With the defensive ability he already possesses, if he can continue to just be slightly above average with the stick, the Rangers may have themselves a top-10 catcher in baseball.

    Jarren Duran, CF, Boston Red Sox

    Starting the season playing 11 games in AAA, Duran has accumulated 1.3 fWAR in just 32 games. Duran has a noticeably changed approach this season, with far fewer moving parts and his hands set up higher in his stance, helping him slash .321/.376/.518 for a 140 wRC+, with 7 stolen bases as well. This once top-100 prospect seems to finally be tapping into his talent after a brutal 91 game stretch to start his career. The bat is going to regress, as his BABIP is .418, the 2nd highest mark in the league but I am all the way sold on Duran being able to maintain an above-average bat. As a Red Sox fan myself, the thing I am most excited about with Jarren Duran is that it actually looks like he can play center field now. He’s a great athlete, with great speed, which is why it didn’t makes sense why he looked like a baby giraffe in center field before this year. The numbers back up the eye test with this one, as in just 51 games last season he had -2 Outs Above Average (OAA) and a -9 DRS. This season, he has a +2 OAA and a 0 DRS. Duran looks like a completely new player so far this season, and with the absence of Adam Duvall, he has really stepped up.

    Masataka Yoshida, LF, Boston Red Sox

    Hi my name is Axel Post and welcome to the Red Sox homer blog. Kidding, only kind of. But I had to talk about these two guys. The hype felt real after the WBC, but after posting a .619 OPS with just one home run through the first 16 games of his career, people seemed to start bailing off that hype train. Yoshida has gone on an absolute tear since then. He hit two home runs in the same inning in Milwaukee on April 23rd and has yet to slow down, posting an OPS of 1.085 with 5 home runs since that first 16 game mark. Overall, he has a 139 wRC+ and has done so while only striking out 17 times in 177 PA, while walking 17 times as well. He’s really fun to watch hit, and his ability to put a bat on the ball is just downright silly. It took him a little bit to get adjusted to the major league level but I think he’s just as good as of a bet as anyone to win AL Rookie of the Year right now. Also, real quick, can he play defense? No, not really. Do I particularly care? No.

    Josh Lowe, RF, Tampa Bay Rays

    Taken in the first round out of high school in 2016, Josh Lowe may have finally panned out his swing-and-miss problems. The tools have always been there, he hits the ball really hard, having hit a home run 455ft, 111.8mph off the bat this season. He has always been able to run, with a sprint speed in the 87th percentile. The problem has always been piecing those tools together just enough to make a productive ballplayer and I think it has finally happened. He has cut his K% from 33.3% last season to 23.0% so far this season. He’s always going to have the swing and miss in his game, his chase rate has always been fairly high and his swing lends itself to swinging and missing a good amount. The challenge will be managing it, as when he does hit the ball, he hits it very hard and with good lift. This has resulted in 11 home runs already this season and a wRC+ of 177, which ranks 4th in all of baseball. He is one of 5 Tampa Bay Rays in the top 13 for wRC+.

    Jake Burger, 3B/DH, Chicago White Sox

    Just about the only thing besides Luis Robert that’s been good in the south side of Chicago. Jake Burger has come out of nowhere so far to slash .271/.330/.667 for a wRC+ of 174. He strikes out a lot, 29.2% of the time, and he doesn’t walk a lot, only 6.6% of the time. He swings at just about everything but through his first 106 PA this season he has a Barrel% that is second to only Aaron Judge, and has 10 home runs. He’s hit the second-hardest-hit ball of the whole season thus far with a 118.2mph bomb against Bailey Falter. The approach is very suspect, there are not a lot of guys in the league who can be successful with the current chase rate that he has but you can not deny the power that Jake Burger possesses. He makes for an interesting case study as he is already 27 years old, but he is a former first-round pick, if he can continue to tap into the power potential he could be an interesting trade piece for the White Sox when they inevitably sell at the deadline.

    Nolan Gorman, DH/2B, St. Louis Cardinals

    Anyone have Nolan Gorman being the best Nolan on the Cardinals this season? No? Weird. The Cardinals have had a lot of turmoil this season, between the slow start, the Tyler O’Neil drama, and the Contreras drama, many of the positives have not been talked about. The biggest positive not being talked about is that 23-year-old Nolan Gorman is on an absolute tear. He has 13 home runs this year and owns a 177 wRC+ this season, slashing .301/.392/.636. The wRC+ ranks third in all MLB. He’s managing the K% at 24.7% and is walking at a great clip, 12.7%. Much like Jake Burger, when he does hit the ball, he abuses the thing, and similarly to Josh Lowe, he produces good lift with his swing path. Last season, between the AAA and MLB level he had a 34.3% K% in 501 PA, the swing and miss concerns were massive, but like a lot of guys on this list he has been able to manage it so far, and has been extremely impressive so far at only 23 years of age.

    Christopher Morel, OF/2B, Chicago Cubs

    A very late addition to this post but I just simply couldn’t leave him off, he is just too much fun. He has 8 home runs in only 11 major league games played this season and has produced an fWAR of 0.8 in just 11 games. He is on pace to have the greatest season of all time. I will be the brave soul to stick my neck out and say that he will NOT have the greatest season of all time, but feel free to dream about it if you’d like. He’s had a crazy year this far, starting in AAA he hit 11 home runs in just 29 games before being called up, meaning he has 19 professional home runs this season, the most of anyone. In the major leagues, he has struck out 18 times in his 48 PA, while walking only twice, combining those numbers with his 8 home runs to get a staggering 58.3% three true outcome percentage. This level of production will not last but I had to include him, he treats every home run he hits like he just won the World Series and I love him for it. He’s also still just 23 years old with some MAJOR tools, fun guy to keep an eye on. Now please enjoy this video of him in his first career at-bat from last year.

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  • BaseballCloud and the Pioneer Baseball League: Revolutionizing Talent Evaluation Through Pioneering Data Analytics

    BaseballCloud and the Pioneer Baseball League: Revolutionizing Talent Evaluation Through Pioneering Data Analytics

    The Pioneer Baseball League (PBL), in its pursuit of unearthing talent, recently organized a tryout camp for previously drafted and undrafted baseball players. Proudly sponsored by BaseballCloud, the camp brought together 155 prospects who showcased their skills at Salt River Fields, the spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. With representatives from all 10 PBL clubs, MLB teams, and independent leagues in attendance, the stage was set for an extraordinary display of talent evaluation.

    The PBL Tryout Camp’s pro-style format spanned four intensive days, during which the aspiring players had the opportunity to showcase their skills in various areas of the game. Hitting, pitching, fielding, and baserunning sessions allowed each prospect to exhibit their capabilities under the watchful eyes of scouts and coaches. The evaluation process aimed to identify players with the potential to excel at the professional level, offering them a chance to continue pursuing their dreams. BaseballCloud’s sponsorship further enhanced the assessment process, providing advanced data analytics that brought objectivity and precision to talent evaluation.

    BaseballCloud’s partnership with the PBL brought the power of Yakkertech’s cutting-edge data analytics to the forefront of the tryout camp. This advanced technology provided comprehensive data assessments for each participant, offering valuable insights into their performance. Exit velocities, launch angles, spin rates, and defensive metrics were among the data points analyzed, allowing scouts to gain a holistic understanding of each player’s capabilities.

    The four-day event resulted in a record-breaking 28 players being drafted into the PBL this year. By combining intensive skills sessions, spirited intra-squad competition, and the advanced data analytics of Yakkertech, the PBL Tryout Camp exemplified the league’s commitment to nurturing and discovering exceptional talent. BaseballCloud’s continued partnership with the Pioneer League further strengthens the bond between data-driven insights and the future of professional baseball.

  • BaseballCloud and Yakkertech Renew Partnership with Frontier League, Bringing Cutting-Edge Technology and Data Solutions to Professional Baseball

    BaseballCloud and Yakkertech Renew Partnership with Frontier League, Bringing Cutting-Edge Technology and Data Solutions to Professional Baseball

    BaseballCloud and Yakkertech are proud to announce their second year of partnership with the Frontier League, the longest-running active professional independent baseball league in the United States and a Major League Baseball Professional Partner League. Following last year’s successful partnership, the two companies have entered into a multiyear exclusive agreement that will continue to bring cutting-edge technology and data solutions to the league.

    As part of the partnership, BaseballCloud and Yakkertech have exclusive capture and distribution rights for official Frontier League data collected via Yakkertech’s optical ball tracking system. The league will distribute and provide data to enhance insights when signing players. The coaching staff has the opportunity to create player development systems using BaseballCloud’s premier product suite.

    Yakkertech, as the only fully-optical data capturing solution available in this market, will provide a new level of analytics previously unavailable to Frontier League organizations. Hundreds of ball flight metrics and real-time data will be collected on every play of the season and distributed to sports betting operators, MLB teams, as well as broadcast feeds and fan engagement initiatives.

    In addition to bringing new technology and data solutions to the league, BaseballCloud, Yakkertech, and the Frontier League created a summer analytics internship program for the 2023 season that spans multiple Frontier League markets. This internship will provide students with an opportunity to learn about the data and analytics side of the baseball industry while working with cutting-edge technology and solutions.

    BaseballCloud and Yakkertech are thrilled to continue their partnership with the Frontier League and look forward to bringing cutting-edge technology and data solutions to the league for years to come.

  • Cape Cod Baseball League Marks Centennial Season With BaseballCloud Innovation Partnership 

    Cape Cod Baseball League Marks Centennial Season With BaseballCloud Innovation Partnership 

    League Will Utilize BaseballCloud’s Data and Analytics Platform to Enhance All-Star Game and Home Run Derby Fan Experience 

    Cape Cod, MA and Lake Mary, FL (May 8, 2023) – The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) today announced an innovation partnership with BaseballCloud, a leader in cutting-edge hardware and software technologies for player development, scouting, and fan engagement, to support fan engagement initiatives around its 2023 All-Star Game activations. 

    BaseballCloud harnesses sports technology and produces professional software solutions for  MLB, NCAA, International, Agency, and Amateur baseball and softball organizations across the globe. The company’s end-to-end data pipeline allows users to leverage cutting-edge camera technology, industry-leading ball tracking, and its data analytics suite all in one place. 

    “As we celebrate a century of Cape League baseball, we’re excited to partner with an innovative company like BaseballCloud,” said Andrew Lang, President of Cape Cod Baseball League. “We’re looking forward to collaborating this year around our All-Star festivities, and to build a relationship with BaseballCloud moving into the future which will enhance the player and fan experience.”

    As part of the partnership, BaseballCloud’s data and analytics modeling tools will be integrated into Cape League All-Star Game activations to enhance the fan experience with live in-game and post-game digital content, offering a new way for the league to deliver real value to its fans. BaseballCloud and the CCBL will collaborate on a number of initiatives to celebrate its centennial, including unique promotional content and initiatives around the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.

    “We are thrilled to partner with The Cape Cod Baseball League, and this union is especially meaningful during the 100-year celebration of the organization’s rich history,” said Kevin Davidson, Co-Founder and CEO of BaseballCloud. “With over 1,600 total players that have journeyed through the Cape and into the big leagues, we’re honored to support the next generation of athletes by exposing them to our innovative technology through All-Star Fan Fest initiatives, while also preserving the accomplishments of former and current players.”

    “I spent a good portion of my collegiate summers playing in the CCBL – go Hyannis Mets! – and as a former player and current coach, I’m thrilled that the league is working with BaseballCloud to deliver even more insights to fans and players during its celebrated All-Star Game and accompanied festivities.  I am a firm believer that integrating technology at all levels of the game makes the experience even better for players, teams, leagues and fans, and ultimately helps support the growth of the game we all love,” said Jason Varitek, Boston Red Sox Game Planning Coordinator/Catching Coach and former World Series Champion.

    Over the last 100 years, the Cape Cod Baseball League has established itself as the nation’s premier amateur summer league. The country’s top collegiate athletes play in the league’s 10 teams, offering players the opportunity for eight weeks of high-level competition, and giving fans the ability to take in America’s pastime with a front row seat to the stars of tomorrow. Over 1,600 players who have competed in the CCBL have gone on to play in the Major Leagues, with notable alumni including Adley Rutschman, Aaron Judge, Alek Manoah, Kyle Schwarber, Frank Thomas, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Carlton Fisk, and Nomar Garciaparra. 

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    About Cape Cod Baseball League

    The Cape Cod Baseball League is the premiere amateur summer baseball league for college athletes. Players come from around the country to play for one of the ten teams on the Cape. Officially formed in 1923, the Cape Cod Baseball League has helped thousands of players achieve their dreams of making it to the major leagues, including the top selection in four of the past five MLB Drafts and 362 players during the 2022 MLB season. Visit https://www.capecodbaseball.org for more information.

    About BaseballCloud

    Built by players, for players, BaseballCloud offers a revolutionary suite of hardware and software tools to empower baseball and softball players at all levels to optimize performance. The company’s flagship product, Yakkertech™, is an optical-tracking system that captures and analyzes ball-flight data with unparalleled precision. Alongside Yakkertech™, BaseballCloud is a leader in shaping the future of the sport with cutting-edge technologies for player development, scouting, and fan engagement. Visit www.baseballcloud.com to learn more. 

    Media Contacts: 

    Cape Cod Baseball League: Michael Lane, mlane@capecodbaseball.org

    BaseballCloud: Gianna Arantes, gianna@androbin.co

  • Brewers Catching Lab

    Brewers Catching Lab

    By Axel Post

    I’m not sure what the Brewers are cooking up (or brewing up) there in Milwaukee with the catchers, but whatever it is, it’s working, and it looks like they’ve done it again.

    Let me take you on a journey, all the way back to the far distant year of 2019, before lockdowns, and just after the Astros’ cheating scandal. On December 9th, 2019, the Brewers traded Adam Hill and a 2020 supplemental second-round draft pick for Omar Narváez from the Seattle Mariners. Narváez was coming off two excellent years from a catcher with the bat, posting a 122 wRC+ in 2018 and a 120 wRC+ in 2019. Those numbers might lead you, my brilliant baseball reader, into asking why he was traded for a guy I’ve never heard of and a second-round pick. To put it simply, Narzáez was a catcher that couldn’t catch.

    In 2018, while with the White Sox, Narváez put up a -12.6 Defensive Runs Prevented (DRP), making him the worst catcher in the league in that category, in just 85 games behind the plate. He was the 5th worst blocker and the 7th worst framer that season according to Baseball Prospectus. He followed that up in 2019 with another awful year, putting up a -12.1 DRP, he was the worst blocker in baseball and he only threw out 18% of base stealers. In each of these respective seasons, he had a -14 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), and then a -18 DRS. To put that in perspective, JT Realmuto had an 11 DRS last season, he won the gold glove.

    Have I driven home the point yet?

    The Brewers were trading for a bat-first catcher, nothing out of the ordinary, they know he can’t catch but they’ll live with the poor defense. Right? Wrong.

    In the shortened 2020 season Omar Narváez was 5th in DRP with 3.6, and he tied for first as the best framing catcher in all of baseball, posting a DRS of 3 in just 39 games. Unfortunately, he hit .176 in the shortened season so the improvement defensively didn’t stick out as much as the horrible offensive showing.

    Then we got 2021. Naváez’s bat didn’t quite return to the pre-pandemic numbers, why this is we can’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he really benefitted from the juiced balls. However, he still ended up with a 100 wRC+, meaning he was an exactly league-average hitter. He also continued on his defensive improvement, with a 12.7 DRP, and according to Baseball Savant, he was the best framer in baseball with 10 catcher framing runs. He was still a well-below-average blocking catcher, but considering where he came from this was an immense improvement.

    Despite not posting anywhere near the offensive seasons of his past, 2021 was his best season by fWAR with a 2.8 in 123 games, his previous best was 1.9 fWAR in 132 games in 2019. That’s almost a full win better in 9 fewer games while also not hitting as well.

    Now, why in god’s name am I talking about Omar Narváez? Maybe you know where I am going with this. Let’s talk about William Contreras.

    In William’s first 113 games behind the plate with the Braves, the defense was pretty ugly. In 2021 he posted a -7 DRS in just 49 games. In 2022 he had a -4 DRS in 60 games behind the plate, making 8 errors, and ranking in the 20th percentile in framing. He has a cannon for an arm, but posted a -3 caught stealing above average, one of the worst in baseball. He had a 2 Block Above Average (BAA), which was about the only thing he was at least average in as a catcher.

    The Braves even put him in left field for a game, as well as having him serve as the DH for another 34 games. He was placed in the DH role because there is no doubt that William Contreras hammers baseballs. In 175 games he has put up a 121 wRC+ with 29 homers. Including having a 138 wRC+ last season, and making the all-star game.

    Then this past off-season, stop me if you’ve heard this one. The Brewers traded for a bat-first catcher. William Contreras was being sent to the Milwaukee Brewers in part of the extremely convoluted three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy to the Braves.

    It’s early, only 19 games caught for Contreras thus far, but it looks like the Brewers catching lab has struck again. He already has a 6 DRS, and he’s currently the 4th best blocker in baseball with a 5 BAA. He’s in the 63rd percentile for framing and has thrown out 2 of the 6 steal attempts against him.

    It’s such a small sample size but I am buying what Contreras/Brewers are selling me. They have done it before with Narváez, and Contreras is only 25 years old with the tools to be that plus defensive catcher that he has displayed so far this season. The significance of these defensive improvements can not be understated, as even with the great season with the bat last season, he only put up a 2.4 fWAR. So far this season he has yet to get his power stroke going with the stick but has managed to put up a 118 wRC+ regardless, and in 22 games he has a 0.9 fWAR. The quick math on that is that he has put up 38% of his total fWAR from last season in 75 fewer games played. This is with the bat not being nearly as good as last year so far.

    What you have to consider is that if everything clicks for Contreras, the Brewers have a top 10, maybe a top 5 catcher who is under team control through 2027. That is invaluable to a franchise.

    The Brewers know something that we don’t about developing catchers, and they know it. If the Braves thought William Contreras was an above-average catcher they wouldn’t have given up a king’s ransom for Sean Murphy, and they definitely wouldn’t have started experimenting with him in the outfield. But the Brewers saw something, they targeted it, and got their man because they have been cooking up the secret catcher sauce in the lab for years now.

    I am bought in on the Brewers catching lab, and you should be too.

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  • Worst to First: A Pittsburgh Pirates Case Study

    Worst to First: A Pittsburgh Pirates Case Study

    The 2022 Pittsburgh Pirates finished an abysmal 62-100. They were 31 games back of the NL Central division winner St. Louis Cardinals, a team that finished 93-69 and was widely considered the weakest division winner in the National League. Given the Pirates atrocious run differential of -226, they were expected to lose 4 more games than they actually did. The offense didn’t hit; they were 28th in MLB with a .655 OPS. The pitching didn’t prevent runs; they were 26th in MLB with a 4.66 ERA. The defense didn’t field; they were 26th in MLB with -22 outs above average. Nothing went right for this team.

    The 2023 Pirates are an entirely different story. At the time of writing, Pittsburgh has the best team in the National League with a record of 18-8. The offense ranks 8th in MLB with a .765 OPS and the pitching ranks 8th in MLB with a 3.63 ERA. Not only is 2023 shaping to be a strong year, but the franchise seems to be heading in the right direction as well. They just inked star outfielder Bryan Reynolds to an extension of 8 years, $106.75 million. Let’s take a look at why the Pirates have gone from dumpster fire, to on fire.

    Picky and Powerful

    Other than Bryan Reynolds (who continues to do Bryan Reynolds things), the Pirates have received heavy doses of offense from unlikely suitors. When Andrew McCutchen signed with the team on which he rose to stardom, fans were elated that their hero was returning home. What nobody expected was for McCutchen to turn back the clock to his All-Star days of the early 2010s. McCutchen is slashing .275/.381/.507 with an OPS+ of 144, meaning he hits 44% above league average. One look at McCutchen’s Baseball Savant page will tell you why he is enjoying so much success. His vision is among the best in the league. He maintains a walk rate in the 85th percentile and a chase rate in the 85th percentile. He is getting on base more and is more selective, a big reason why he is in the top 9% of the league in expected batting average and the top 30% in hard-hit rate. Not to mention, McCutchen’s defense has remained elite. His metrics on reads and jumps in the outfield rank in the top 5% of the league and his sprint speed puts him in the 87th percentile. After 6 years away from the team that drafted him, it seems like McCutchen has returned to form.

    Jack Suwinski has been another offensive juggernaut in the Pittsburgh lineup. He is slashing .255/.383/.638, good for an OPS+ of 177. This should come as no surprise. By all advanced metrics, Suwinski is punishing baseballs. I’m about to throw out a lot of numbers, all of which are extremely impressive and tell the story of his season. Suwinski is currently in the top 3% in average exit velocity, top 2% in barrel rate, top 5% in hard-hit rate, top 5% in walk rate, and top 1% in chase rate. He doesn’t swing at bad pitches. And the pitches he does swing at come off the bat at threatening velocities. Suwinski also grades as a lockdown outfielder. His sprint speed is in the 88th percentile, allowing him to chase down balls and put himself in the 82nd percentile for outs above average.

    The most intimidating bat in the Pirate lineup belongs to Connor Joe. Joe is slashing an absurd .357/.455/.643. His OPS+ is 201, a whole 101% better than league average. He has already accrued 1 bWAR in just 56 at-bats. A theme among the Pirate offense appears to be elite plate vision and swing selection. Incredibly, Joe is in the 100th percentile in chase rate. His unmatched ability to swing at good pitches warrants his hard-hit rate in the 92nd percentile and his barrel rate in the 82nd percentile.

    (Soft) Contact is King

    The Pirate arms have seen an immense increase in success, thanks to their newfound ability to avoid barrels. Young righty Johan Oviedo has taken charge as the leader of the rotation. The 25-year-old boasts a 3.03 ERA and a 29/10 K/BB in 29.2 innings, good for a 144 ERA+. Oviedo’s overpowering fastball and ability to get down the mound makes life difficult for hitters. His fastball velocity is in the 89th percentile, averaging 96.3 miles per hour and getting whiffs 23.2% of the time. He is in the 91st percentile for extension, meaning his hard fastball looks even harder to the eyes of hitters. Oviedo’s healthy mix of fastballs, sliders, curves, and changeups allow him to toy with hitters and has helped him reach the 89th percentile in barrel rate.

    Highly-touted prospect Mitch Keller, now 27 years old, seems to have finally found his place in the major leagues. Early on, Keller is 2-0 in 5 starts. He has an ERA of 3.54 and a 30/11 K/BB rate. Keller’s arsenal consists of 6 pitches: a fastball, cutter, sinker, sweeper, curve, and changeup. His usage for each pitch is balanced, keeping hitters on their toes with the numerous options he could deliver to the catcher. The movement profile on these pitches is elite; Keller’s fastball spin is in the 82nd percentile. These qualities assist him in missing barrels, as shown by his average exit velocity in the 88th percentile and his hard-hit rate in the 96th percentile.

    In the pen, closer and 2022 all-star David Bednar has taken another step forward. Last year, Bednar pitched to a 2.61 ERA over 51.2 innings, good for a 156 ERA+. This year, in 11 innings, Bednar has allowed just a single earned run. He has struck out 14 and walked only 1 (an intentional walk). Bednar’s ERA+ is an astronomical 546. He is pitching 446% better than the average MLB arm. Bednar’s Baseball Savant page is plastered with red circles. He throws gas (86th percentile fastball velocity, average velocity of 95.9 miles per hour) and spins the ball (89th percentile fastball spin, 2457 spin rate) like few others. His arsenal consists of that heavy fastball, a curve, and a splitter. Bednar competes in the zone (97th percentile walk rate) and induces ugly swings outside of the zone (99th percentile chase rate, 97th percentile whiff rate). All of these attributes justify his 93rd percentile rank in average exit velocity and his 86th percentile rank in barrel rate.

    Raise the Jolly Roger

    The counting stats show it, and the advanced metrics support it; The Pirates are really good. Pittsburgh fans have much to look forward to barring any catastrophic decline in production. Raise the Jolly Roger!

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  • BaseballCloud Partners with DownUnder World Series to Provide Data for Australian Baseball Tournament

    BaseballCloud Partners with DownUnder World Series to Provide Data for Australian Baseball Tournament

    BaseballCloud is proud to announce its partnership with the DownUnder World Series, held in Redlands, Queensland from April 3rd through the 8th, 2023. The tournament saw young baseball players from Australasia showcasing their skills in front of MLB Scouts and USA College Baseball Coaches, with the potential to secure baseball contracts and college scholarships.

    The DownUnder World Series is a tournament focused on supporting local baseball and aims to help participants become better Club, State, National, and International players. The tournament was a huge success, with players from all over Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan competing against each other.

    As part of our partnership with the DownUnder World Series, BaseballCloud provided analytics reports for all participants in the event. In conjunction with the DownUnder World Series, BaseballCloud published a leaderboard at the end of each day of the tournament, ranking pitchers by pitch velocity and batters by exit velocity.

    BaseballCloud’s partnership with the DownUnder World Series marks our first entry into the Australian market. We are excited to bring our cutting-edge technology to the region and help young players develop their skills and reach their full potential.

    We look forward to continuing our partnership with the DownUnder Travellers and the DownUnder World Series and supporting the development of the game in Australia and beyond.

  • BaseballCloud & Yakkertech to Provide Services For Minority Baseball Players With Black Baseball Matters

    BaseballCloud & Yakkertech to Provide Services For Minority Baseball Players With Black Baseball Matters

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    April 5, 2023

    Partnership Will Support Black Baseball Matters’ Efforts to Expand Access and Participation in Baseball throughout the African-American Community

    Lake Mary, FL (April 5, 2023) — Yakkertech and BaseballCloud, two of the leading providers of data and analytics in baseball, today announced a partnership with Black Baseball Matters, a Chicago-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving participation in baseball throughout the African-American community.

    Black Baseball Matters, founded by Earnest Horton, provides high-quality baseball education and instruction to premier players and coaches, and provides access to resources that help African American athletes continue to progress in the sport. On April 11th, the non-profit will host the Inaugural Annual Black Baseball Matters Classic in Crestwood, IL. The single day event will feature matchups between some of the most competitive and decorated high schools in the Chicagoland area. The classic offers an exciting opportunity to witness some of the best young athletes in the city square off in a professional ball park, and supports the organization’s mission of furthering black baseball participation in the Chicagoland area.

    “This partnership will help underserved youth in Chicago and the Chicagoland area have access to baseball data at an affordable rate,” said Black Baseball Matters CEO, Earnest Horton.  “This in turn levels the playing field for minorities in the sport of baseball. We are extremely honored, grateful, and excited about this opportunity.”

    Players that participate in the Black Baseball Matters Classic will have the opportunity to leave the tournament with BaseballCloud’s AnalyzR reports, which provide a detailed analytical breakdown of athlete performance.

    “Partnering with Black Baseball Matters is an incredible opportunity to make a difference and create a level playing field for underserved youth in the Chicago area,” said Kevin Davidson, CEO of Yakkertech and BaseballCloud. “Yakkertech and BaseballCloud are proud to provide access to in-game data and analytics that can help these talented players develop and compete at the highest level.

    The Black Baseball Matters Classic will take place on April 11th starting at 5:00 PM at Ozinga Field in Crestwood, IL.  For more information on Black Baseball Matters visit coacheofguru.com

    About Yakkertech™ and BaseballCloud™:

    Built by players, for players, BaseballCloud™ offers a revolutionary suite of tools to empower baseball and softball players at all levels to optimize performance. The company’s flagship product, Yakkertech™, is an optical-tracking system that captures and analyzes ball-flight data with unparalleled precision. Alongside Yakkertech™, BaseballCloud™  is a leader in shaping the future of the sport with cutting-edge technologies for player development, scouting, and fan engagement.

    For more information, please contact info@baseballcloud.com.

    Media Contact: Gianna Arantes, gianna@androbin.co

  • The Dark Knight Rises Again

    The Dark Knight Rises Again

    Matt Harvey has once again found himself in the spotlight of the baseball world. In a career that can only be defined as a rollercoaster, Harvey accepted the opportunity to pitch for Team Italy in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Despite lacking the electric stuff that once made him great as a New York Met, the 33-year-old right-handed pitcher pitched to a 1.29 ERA over 7 innings in 2 starts on the brightest of stages.

    A Rise to Stardom

    Harvey wasted no time breaking onto the scene in Queens. In his second season and first full season, a 24-year-old Harvey pitched to a 2.27 ERA in 178.1 innings, striking out 191 to only 31 walks. All of this, including a league-leading 2.01 FIP, earned Harvey his first and only appearance in the All Star Game and 4th place in Cy Young voting. Obstacles arose when Harvey suffered his first major injury, one to the elbow that would require Tommy John surgery and missing the 2014 season. However, in 2015, Harvey proved that he couldn’t be kept down. He pitched to a 2.71 ERA over 189.1 innings, striking out 188 to 37 walks. His strong campaign continued all the way to the World Series, where the Mets would fall just short of a ring against the Kansas City Royals.

    Harvey dominated hitters with electric stuff. In 2013 and 2015, his fastball averaged 97 mph and rode up in the zone. Batters could not catch up to the velocity and spin of his fastball. The slider was equally devastating. An average velocity of 90 and sharp movement away from righties induced lots of ugly swings and misses chasing outside of the zone, generating a whiff rate of 38%. The changeup stifled lefties at the plate. With an average velocity of 88, the changeup had the speed difference from the fastball necessary to effectively disrupt timing. It fell off the table and dove away from lefty bats, good for a whiff rate of 31%. The last of Harvey’s arsenal was a lethal curveball. Possessing yet another putaway pitch with a whiff rate of 30% and average velocity of 84 mph made Harvey nearly unhittable. Strikeouts came often for the young star in New York. Unfortunately, things flew south rather quick.

    Fall from Grace

    In 2016 and 2017 combined, Harvey only managed to complete 185.1 innings. His 2016 ERA jumped to 4.86 and in 2017 it ballooned to 6.70. He walked batters at a higher rate (25 in 2016, 47 in 2017) and strikeouts were few and far between (76 in 2016, 67 in 2017). Velocity and whiff rate fell throughout his pitch repertoire. He was incapable of overpowering hitters the way he used to and was more frequently missing the zone. The Mets moved Harvey to the bullpen after 4 starts in 2018 and he later declined an assignment to the minors. He found himself in Cincinnati midway through the season. The change of scenery failed to revitalize his career, as he pitched to a mediocre 4.50 ERA in 128 innings, striking out 111 to 28 walks. The next three seasons were spent jumping from team to team. First, he moved to the American League and pitched 2019 with the Los Angeles Angels. His average fastball velocity was 93 mph, a number it would settle at for the rest of his major league career. Similar drops happened with the slider (87 mph), curveball (81 mph), and the changeup (85 mph). Lineups piled runs on Harvey, his ERA skyrocketing to 7.09 over 59.2 innings. He struck out 39, only 10 more than he walked (29). His next stint came in Kansas City. Disastrous would be an understatement. 10 strikeouts, 5 walks, and 6 homers in 11.2 innings. An ERA of 11.57. Harvey found himself on the IL with a lat strain and never found his way back to the team. Miraculously, he would get one last opportunity in 2021 with the Baltimore Orioles. Harvey’s sendoff from the major leagues was unceremonious, to say the least. In 127.2 innings, Harvey struck out 95 and walked 37, pitching to a 6.27 ERA. The now 32-year-old was officially a shell of his former self. Harvey has not seen the majors since.

    Italy’s New Hero

    When Mike Piazza accepted the opportunity to manage Team Italy in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he wasted no time in utilizing his major league ties. The Mets discovered that Harvey’s grandma was born in Italy, making him eligible to play in the WBC. Piazza recruited Harvey to the team. Fans were elated. The Dark Knight would be back on a professional mound. As for Harvey, he knew that his old methods of attacking hitters would not bring about the same success it once did.

    Harvey’s first appearance came against a Cuba team that boasted names like Yoán Moncada, Luis Robert Jr., and Yoenis Cespedes. Anticipation for what his right arm would produce was high. The first pitch: a sinker, registering 89.2 mph, low for ball 1. The next pitch evened the count, a four-seam fastball, clocking in at 88.5. He also showcased his once-signature slider, however instead of reaching the low 90s, this breaker came in at 85.3. It was clear to fans that the electricity was lost. However, this didn’t stop Harvey from twirling a brilliant 3 innings. For all 3 of his scoreless innings, Harvey pitched to contact. He recorded not a single out on a strikeout, walked just one batter, and never threw a pitch above 90 mph, mixing cutters and sinkers to keep hitters off balance. Sure, he allowed some pretty hard contact, most notably a 104.5 mph rocket off the bat of Luis Robert Jr. in the first inning. However, the fielders are there for a reason. That ball, much like other batted balls, resulted in an out. Harvey managed to escape a jam in the third inning following back-to-back singles with no outs. A sacrifice bunt, pop out, and groundout would conclude Harvey’s day. He put Italy in position to upset Cuba 6-3, achieving the team’s first win in the tournament that saw them reach the quarterfinal.

    Harvey’s other appearance saw him facing the likes of Didi Gregorius, Xander Bogaerts, Jonathan Schoop, Jurickson Profar, and Andrelton Simmons on a strong Netherlands team who was 2-1 in the tournament thus far. Harvey managed 4 innings, the only blemish being a solo shot by Chadwick Tromp in the third inning. He struck out 3 and walked none. Harvey started this game with a fastball, 89.5 mph. The at-bat ended with a swinging strikeout on a 79 mph curveball. Harvey ended the third with a swinging strikeout of Bogaerts on a slider, 83.7 mph. Once again, barrels were abundant for Harvey’s opposition. Gregorius batted balls with triple-digit exit velocities in both of his at-bats against Harvey, but both would go for outs. Once again, Harvey put Italy in a position to win and make it out of their pool. Italy completed the 7-1 victory and Harvey was awarded with the win.

    Swan Song

    Against all odds, Matt Harvey, the Dark Knight, stifled hitters in the World Baseball Classic. He notched 7 innings of 1-run ball, good for a 1.29 ERA. He allowed 4 hits and 1 walk, a WHIP of 0.71, and batters hit .167 against him. He struck out 3. He didn’t do it with the dominance he once displayed in Queens. Instead, Harvey morphed into the savvy-veteran arm that pitches to contact. He proved that in the modern game dominated by flamethrowers, there is still a place for the crafty arm.

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  • Pitch Clock Panic: Did Baseball Screw Up?

    6-6 in the bottom of the ninth. Full count. A chance to walk-it-off and prove yourself as a prospect… but you weren’t set in the batter’s box fast enough. Unfortunately for Braves prospect Cal Conley, he is apart of the many MLB players who are adapting to the new pitch clock rules.

    Imagine what basketball looked like when the shot clock was first introduced. The game transformed from possession focused and low scoring to high octane and frequent transition. While baseball’s changes might not be as dramatic, Major League Baseball’s efforts to cut the length of its games has forced hitters and pitchers alike to adapt their approach.

    The new pitch clock rules require pitchers to begin their delivery within 15 seconds with bases empty or within 20 seconds with runners on base. Additionally, the batter is required to be set before the 8-second mark on the clock. If the pitcher fails to beat the clock, they are met with an automatic ball. Likewise, the batter will receive an automatic strike if they are not prepared in time. Instead of strolls between at-bats or tossing the rosin bag around, pitchers and batters now are on a quickened, systematic pace that is foreign to the traditional baseball we know.

    Through the first week of spring training, the pitch clock has achieved its goal of quickening the pace of games. Game time is down 29 minutes on average; from 3 hours and 6 minutes last year to 2 hours and 37 minutes this year. Although pace of play is up, the pitch clock has seen mixed reviews from MLB fans. Some fans love the quickened pace while others feel the growing pains and “fake” walks and strikeouts are ruining baseball. Did Major League Baseball make a mistake, or are some fans overreacting?

    The Good and the Bad

    The pitch clock breeds novel moments, for better and for worse. Take the case of the aforementioned Cal Conley. Fans live to see high leverage, intense moments where players can demonstrate their world class skills. Instead, they got to see a clock run out and the game end. Anti-climactic strikeouts and walks are an unfortunate side effect of the pitch clock, but the time crunch has also bred some electric moments.

    Check out this Wandy Peralta strikeout; it’ll only take 2o seconds…

    He barely had a chance to blink. Most people watching at home probably failed to even catch the hitter’s name.

    The accelerated pace of play has put the impotence on pitchers to take advantage of hitters adapting to the breakneck speed of modern baseball. Gone are the days of batters walking around contemplating what pitch is next: hitters now have to think quick and react even faster. Some fans have opined that they missed the old version of strategy in hitter-pitcher interactions, where the batter would take time in between pitches to adjust their approach. Fans like Jeremy Booth find the changes under the pitch clock to not be “actual baseball.”

    It is undeniable that the World Baseball Classic has great energy, but the inclusion of a pitch clock in Major League Baseball does not mean that strategy is now absent from the game: it is simply different. At-bats are a bit like music now with a greater focus on the rhythms of the hitter and pitcher/ The clock now acts as a metronome for an at-bat. Both the pitcher and the batter have specified times for when they must complete certain acts. Since the pitcher has the ball, it is their rhythm that the batter must match. With heightened pace, the pitcher can change their rhythm rapidly to disrupt the batter’s mental and physical preparation. Being the maniac that he is, Max Scherzer has already begun to adopt strategies to mess with a hitter’s rhythm in this new, fast-paced environment.

    Scherzer is one of the first pitchers to adapt, but his peers around the league will likely follow suit.

    As pitchers adapt, what used to be known as quick-pitching or gamesmanship is now known as strategy.

    Don’t Panic: Change Breeds Innovation… and Fun

    The pitch clock changes may be counterintuitive to the baseball purist’s ideal game of “actual baseball,” but the half-hour reduction of dead-time from major league games is something that will bring eyes to the sport and create an improved, concise viewing experience. As hitters and pitchers adapt, the growing pains of pitch clock fails and unamusing automatic balls and strikes will lessen as new strategies develop. Change is something quite foreign to the rules of Major League Baseball, yet it is something that invites curiosity from fans and innovation from the players. As adaption continues, fans and players alike will settle into the pitch clock and enjoy the novelty it brings. In the digital media age, baseball must adapt to shifting demographic needs and watch as the players adjust to create a different, new, and exciting version of our beloved sport.

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