Surprise: Mitch Haniger making positive strides
This one could go on either side of the list, but we should concentrate on the positives he brought to the league.
Young outfielder Mitch Haniger was on a tear before he got bitten by the injury bug. He’s out with a Grade 2 strain for 3-4 weeks, but prior to that, he seemed unstoppable.
He was part of an offseason trade from the Diamondbacks which brought Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker to the desert, and he’s more than proved himself. And that has shown in his approach at the plate.
He’s currently cut his O-Swing %, which means he’s not swinging at balls outside of the strike zone. It’s showing he’s maturing.
A .338/.442/.600 slash line with four home runs and 16 RBI in 95 plate appearances has him well on his way to being the American League Rookie of the Year when he returns.