Mark Trumbo, first baseman/designated hitter, Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles and their fans are very happy to have Mark Trumbo once again on the roster after re-signing him to a three-year deal. He was also one of the top designated hitters we highlighted to watch out for heading into the season, and he’s making us look smart with that prediction.
He finished his 2016 campaign with the O’s with a league-leading 47 home runs. He also landed himself an All-Star spot and a Silver Slugger Award.
This year, Trumbo has improved in an important category — strikeouts. He struggled last season when he had a 25.5-percent strikeout rate. This season, he sits at 19 percent in that category and is showing a unique sign of patience at the plate.
We say unique because he doesn’t necessarily swing erratically, but when he does swing at balls outside of the strike zone, he’s making contact 60-percent of the time.
Trumbo’s furthest-hit ball of the season was hit off of six-time All-Star C.C. Sabathia. He’s just barely behind Stanton with that ball measuring in at 118.5 mph, but if you look at the comparative exit velocity between the two, it’s intriguing, Trumbo typically starts out stronger right out of the gate.
