Hard Hit

Hard-hit rate is a product of statcast. Statcast defines a “hard-hit ball” as one hit with an exit velocity of 95 mph or higher. Hard-hit balls usually generate good outcomes.

Since the hard-hit rate data available in 2015, we have seen some changes in the top five hard-hit rate leaders. However, there are some names that appeared in the top five several times.

Miguel Cabrera’s hard-hit rate was over 50% in 2015 and 2016. He was an All-Star in those 2 seasons. His OPS was .974 in 2015 and he posted a .956 OPS in 2016.

Nelson Cruz’s hard-hit rate was over 50% in 2016, 2018 and 2019. In these 3 seasons, he each crushed 43,37 and 41 home runs. His OPS was .915 in 2016 and his OPS was .850 in 2018. Last season, he was 39 years young and he posted an amazing 1.031 OPS.  

  All Rise! Aaron Judge led in hard-hit rate in the last 3 seasons. His hard-hit rate was at least 54% in the last 3 seasons. He crushed 52 home runs in the 2017 season and his OPS was 1.049. He also won the Rookie of the Year in 2017. Injuries did bother Judge in the last two seasons. He played 112 games in 2018 and only played 102 games last season. However, he still posted a .919 OPS in 2018 and a .921 OPS last year. He’s definitely one of the most dangerous hitters in the league.

Hard Hit % ~2020/09/03
Player	Hard Hit %
Fernando Tatis Jr.	63.6%
Corey Seager	58.5%
Eloy Jimenez	58.2%
Miguel Sano	57.6%
Evan White	56.9%

This season, we see several rising stars in the top five. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s hard-hit rate is over 60%. 60%, that number is truly unbelievable. Meanwhile, Tatis Jr.’s average exit velocity is 95.9mph, second in the majors. His OPS is 1.028 so far this season. He already crushed 13 homers, leading the majors.

Don’t sleep on Corey Seager. The 2016 NL Rookie of the Year and a 2-time All-Star, Seager has been reaching the next level. In 2016 and 2017, Seager each had a 44% and 44.1% hard-hit rate and he was selected to All-Star games in two consecutive seasons. This season, Corey Seager’s hard-hit rate is 58.5% so far and his OPS is .971.

Eloy Jimenez is surely one of the promising young stars in the White Sox. The White Sox have been playing very well this season, so does Jimenez. He already has hit 11 long balls so far and his OPS is .879.

Miguel Sano’s hard-hit rate was 57.2% last season, only behind Aaron Judge. So far, his hard-hit rate is 57.6%, even though he is struck out 56 times, Sano has a .892 OPS. His average exit velocity is 97.3 mph, leading the majors.

Evan White made his MLB debut on the 2020 opening day. He inked a 6-year deal with the Mariners. The Mariners definitely believe in his skills. He’s surely capable of hitting well in the big league, his hard-hit rate is in the top 5 of the majors. However, the team still has to be more patient since his OPS is currently below .600.

Statcast has changed the way of watching baseball games and evaluating players. Hard-hit rate is just one of the great statcast products. When a batter can frequently hit a baseball with an exit velocity over 95 mph, he’s surely going to make an impact in the lineup.