ZiPS Midseason Movers and Shakers: Hitters

One of the frequent questions I obtain about ZiPS is of us questioning how the long-term projections for X hitter or Y pitcher have modified in comparison with what they have been preseason. Since we’re proper on the midpoint of the season, this can be a good time to evaluate simply how the primary half of the 2024 season has shifted expectations for particular person gamers. The methodology I’m utilizing is easy: evaluating the present 2025-2029 WAR projections versus the 2025-2029 WAR projections as predicted in the beginning of the season. I’ve solely included good prospects and gamers who’re at present related to the majors (or injured) so we don’t get a bunch of random Double-A hitters who’re barely roughly beneath alternative stage than they was gumming issues up. I’ll sort out place gamers right now, with pitchers to comply with subsequent week.

Since I’m such a cheerful and upbeat fellow, let’s begin with the gainers. I’m additionally together with every participant’s up to date high three offensive comps, as a result of comps are enjoyable, even when the person gamers listed don’t actually imply rather a lot to the projection. On the very least, it contextualizes expectations in a non-WAR method:

Keep in mind when it regarded like Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson have been going to be the muse of the Tigers’ offense? The final two years have put a whole lot of daylight between their respective futures, particularly the primary three months of this season. Greene’s on tempo for a 4.6 WAR season and FanGraphs’ WAR is the imply one in comparison with Baseball Reference, which has him heading towards a seven-win (!) season. Lots hasn’t labored out for the Tigers, however Greene actually has, and lengthening him for a really very long time must be one of many workforce’s greatest priorities:

The Orioles knew they have been giving up somebody with a whole lot of potential in Joey Ortiz, however they actually, actually preferred Corbin Burnes (for good motive). I don’t suppose they anticipated Ortiz to be this good, or turn into so this rapidly, however he’s now some of the possible candidates to win NL Rookie of the 12 months this yr, whereas the man who made him expendable, Jackson Holliday, gained’t garner the identical laurel within the AL. In some methods, this can be a greater bounce than Greene just because it represents extra of a change of standing for Ortiz; ZiPS was uncertain whether or not Ortiz would succeed within the majors, but it surely’s now on the level the place it thinks the Brewers have answered one among their long-term questions on the left aspect of the infield:

ZiPS has gone forwards and backwards on Heliot Ramos for a while, with accidents enjoying an enormous function. However he’s hit for surprisingly good energy, with 10 dwelling runs already, and while you add that whole to his eight in Sacramento, he’s already nicely previous his earlier skilled excessive of 14 homers in a season. The pc isn’t fully offered on Ramos, but it surely’s now pretty comfy calling him a viable starter:

Aaron Choose has been on an absurd tear of late, and as loopy because it sounds, him matching his 2022 efficiency is a sensible chance. He’s additionally stayed wholesome this yr, not a foul factor while you’re projecting a participant who remains to be possible coming into his decline part. The upper you begin, the extra room you need to glide!

Jordan Westburg is one among three Orioles on this record — not a foul contemplating ZiPS already preferred the O’s younger hitters. Westburg was forgotten in some methods, however ZiPS was already projecting him for two.5-3.0 annual WAR coming into the season. Nonetheless, he’s bumped that by a win or so per season. I stay shocked Westburg bought so little consideration as a prospect relative to his efficiency, on condition that he was a primary spherical select of Mississippi State, not a forty third rounder from Jap Tuscaloosa College For Mimes. He could also be simpler to signal to an extension than Gunnar Henderson or Adley Rutschman at this level:

To wrap up the gainers, Colton Cowser hasn’t saved up his sizzling April, however ZiPS remains to be way more bullish on him now than it was in March. David Fry’s enchancment has been sufficient to make him legitimately attention-grabbing, and he would possibly already be taking place the Ben Zobrist path. I stated that Dylan Crews would transfer up rapidly if he hit in any respect within the higher minors, which he has, and Elly De La Cruz was one among my breakout picks in March. Jarren Duran’s making a case for his bat being a perfect match for Fenway; I’m hoping he hits 20 triples, which might be wonderful. I used to be in all probability too dismissive of Daniel Schneeman in my Thursday chat; I didn’t keep in mind offhand that his minor league efficiency translated so nicely this yr.

ZiPS already cherished Gunnar Henderson, so there was solely to this point he may rise. ZiPS is skeptical he’s going to often hit 40 dwelling runs, but it surely now has him as probably the most precious five-year participant within the majors. Eguy Rosario has made a convincing case for a big function within the majors, and even while you take the air out of his El Paso numbers, he had a wRC+ of 135 in Triple-A. I simply want the Padres hadn’t decreased Rosario to enjoying virtually solely third base this yr within the minors, when using his positional flexibility would give them extra methods to get his bat into the lineup. That is actually the sunniest ZiPS has ever been about JJ Bleday, who has at all times had very weak projections up to now. Rounding out the highest 15 is one other Padre, Jackson Merrill, who’s faring very well when you think about how younger he’s and the way little expertise he bought within the excessive minors.

Now let’s take a look at the decliners:

Ronald Acuña Jr. heads this record for a number of apparent causes. His second season-ending injury with a torn ACL performs a giant half on this, however the expectations have been already a bit decrease after a really disappointing start to the season. A .250/.351/.365 line wasn’t what ZiPS was anticipating in March. He nonetheless tasks to be a famous person when he comes again, however the extra uncertainty is sufficient to take a little bit of shine off the highest:

ZiPS beforehand thought Kyren Paris could be a stopgap starter or an honest function participant within the center infield, however he’s completely stopped hitting this yr and has been awful at three ranges. The short-term projections are particularly brutal:

Kevin Alcántara was our no. 33 prospect entering the season and no. 37 within the ZiPS Top 100, however not solely has his energy potential not been realized in his first full season within the excessive minors, his different stats have eroded as nicely. ZiPS really likes Owen Caissie almost as a lot as Alcántara as of late. There’s nonetheless loads of time, however ZiPS sees this as much less of a slam dunk now:

I wrote about Torkelson at the start of the month, so I don’t need to beat up on the poor man an excessive amount of right here, however he’s had a legendarily terrible season for the Tigers. He’s not precisely crushing minor league pitchers, both; till his two homers in opposition to Louisville on Tuesday, he had solely hit one dwelling run in 17 Triple-A video games this yr.

Tork might not be raking at Triple-A, but it surely’s nonetheless higher than Jordan Walker’s return to the minors. In 44 video games for Memphis, Walker’s hit .258/.314/.393, a brutally dangerous line for an offense-first prospect. It’s sufficient that even when he have been a very good defender at third, I’m undecided he’d be an appropriate fill-in for Nolan Arenado, who has been coping with tendinitis:

ZiPS nonetheless thinks Wyatt Langford might be a stable participant, but it surely was extraordinarily bullish on him coming into the season, and it doesn’t appear like he’s going to threaten stardom as rapidly because it appeared like he would within the spring. But it surely’s not all doom and gloom; Langford has had a .779 OPS since coming back from damage, so there are a minimum of some causes to be optimistic:

Among the many different decliners, Nolan Jones takes a fairly large hit, although a few of that’s uncertainty as a result of nagging nature of again and knee accidents. Matt McClain’s dropoff is only from damage. Luis Robert Jr. is an attention-grabbing dilemma as a result of the White Sox in all probability ought to commerce him, however his missed time resulting from damage this season would possibly make him a sell-low candidate even when the time is true. Noelvi Marte’s dropoff is due extra to missed non-injury enjoying time than any PED adjustment (which ZiPS doesn’t have as a result of I’ve no historic foundation to say that’s a factor), whereas Bryan Ramos sees his numbers drop off resulting from a moderately awful minor league season. T.J. White isn’t hitting once more regardless of repeating a stage, and even at a younger age, he might slip off even the marginal prospect radar quickly.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand is nearly actually out for the remainder of the common season with a wrist damage that can require surgical procedure, however even earlier than he was plunked, he was having a horrible begin to the yr. ZiPS remains to be assured that his energy will return, however he actually wants it to, as he doesn’t deliver that a lot to the desk outdoors of round-trippers, particularly because the workforce doesn’t seem to see him as a 3rd baseman. Keibert Ruiz confirmed indicators of life within the second-half of 2023 and has struggled this season. However he additionally misplaced 20 kilos and missed vital time with a foul case of the flu, so ZiPS may very well be being solely too adverse right here. Ending out the record is fall darling Evan Carter, whose present again pressure often is the spotlight of his 2024 season to this point. Lots of people have been very offended with me that ZiPS solely projected a .259/.358/.412 line for him coming into the season, however I count on each a type of of us would fortunately take that triple slash now.