Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Royce Lewis is one of the most intriguing hitters in the game right now. Despite his impressive performance on a rate basis, evaluating his overall value as a hitter is challenging due to his limited playing time. Lewis has accumulated 4.1 WAR and a 159 wRC+ in just 93 career games, but injuries, including two ACL tears, quadricep and hamstring issues, and an oblique strain, have hindered his time on the field. However, this season, Lewis has shown his explosive potential as a hitter.
Despite a quad injury that sidelined him for two months after Opening Day, Lewis has hit 10 home runs in 23 games, demonstrating his ability to quickly find his groove at the plate. His exceptional talent is evident, but a particular aspect of his game during his power surge is worth noting: His xwOBACON, which sat at a high .473 entering Sunday’s game. This places him among the top hitters in terms of expected wOBA on contact.
Examining the leaders in xwOBACON for the year, Lewis stands out for having the lowest average Vertical Bat Angle (VBA) among them, except for Juan Soto. The fact that Lewis generates elite contact quality with a flatter swing path is quite remarkable, as hitters with similar VBAs rarely achieve such results.
When comparing Lewis to players like Stanton and Soto, it becomes evident that his swing has unique characteristics that set him apart. His selective approach at the plate, indicated by a 98th percentile SEAGER, showcases his ability to attack hittable pitches effectively. This bodes well for his future success as a hitter.
Despite his flat swing, Lewis has shown an ability to drive pitches in the middle of the zone for home runs this season. While some may argue that his homers come from mistakes by pitchers, his consistent success in attacking pitches in hittable locations cannot be discounted.
Further analysis of Lewis’ performance by zone reveals his proficiency in handling pitches in the lower third of the zone, showcasing his adaptability at the plate. Unlike Soto, who relies on upper body flexibility, Lewis utilizes his lower body to generate power on pitches in the bottom third.
By using his legs and hips effectively, Lewis can maintain a positive attack angle at the bottom of the zone, similar to the technique employed by Fernando Tatis Jr. His ability to adjust his swing to various pitch locations makes him a formidable threat at the plate.
While Lewis’ sample size is limited, his early success suggests that he has the potential to sustain elite contact quality with his unique swing style. Opposing pitchers will need to test his ability to consistently handle pitches in the lower part of the zone, but based on his performances so far, Lewis appears poised to continue excelling as a hitter.
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