[Roof-Daddy]

Here's why Teoscar is becoming a slugging star

Highest average exit velocity on fly balls and line drives, 2018 (min. 50 AB)

102.8 MPH -- Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees
101.1 MPH -- Joey Gallo, Rangers
99.9 MPH -- J.D. Martinez, Red Sox
99.9 MPH -- Gary Sanchez, Yankees
99.7 MPH -- Mike Zunino, Mariners
99.6 MPH -- Teoscar Hernandez, Blue Jays
99.4 MPH -- Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
99.1 MPH -- Pedro Alvarez, Orioles
98.6 MPH -- Bryce Harper, Nationals
98.5 MPH -- Shohei Ohtani, Angels
MLB average -- 93 MPH

That … is an unbelievable list. That's not "Hernandez and nine other guys," that's "10 guys who have proven that they can crush the ball in the air," which is about the most valuable thing you can do.

However, you'll note that Alvarez, for example, is not on the star level. That's partially because his lack of defensive value or foot speed limit him, but it's also because he's long been a high strikeout player. You can't get to elite exit velocity without making contact. Hernandez had that issue in the past, too, but he has brought his strikeout rate down to a league-average 23.6 percent this year.

The way we account for that is with a metric called Expected wOBA, which accounts for both quality of contact and amount of contact (and walks). It gives credit for the skill shown in terms of exit velocity and launch angle, so that even if a batter is robbed of a homer by a great defensive play, he gets a little more than an oh-fer for it. (wOBA is just like OBP, except you get more credit for extra-base hits.)

Hopefully the Jays FO unearthed something here. Time will tell but he's been great so far.