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On Thursday, information broke that Jason Heyward had signed a minor league take care of the Dodgers. I’m not going to lie: there are only a few groups who might have signed Heyward that might have compelled me to spend a number of hours doing analysis and writing in regards to the former Cubs outfielder. Again within the day when he was floating within the free-agent market, I used to be enthusiastic about the place he would land. His profile as a hitter has at all times compelled me: superb plate self-discipline, nice athleticism, and, extra apparently, wiggly limbs.
I’m unsure I’ve ever used that saying earlier than, however after I see Heyward, that’s what involves thoughts. His legs and arms are at all times dancing within the field, and I don’t imply that in a foul method. The truth is, he makes use of these actions to maintain his physique free; vitality can’t journey as easily by means of one’s physique if there may be stress in the best way. Heyward has accomplished this his total life. It’s what made him particular when he was among the best highschool gamers of all time, an extremely productive minor leaguer, and a well-above-average hitter in Atlanta and briefly St. Louis. His success isn’t about eradicating these actions; relatively, it’s about harnessing them.
Heyward’s run in Chicago didn’t carry out the most effective model of his swing. He was by no means anticipated to be an off-the-charts hitter, however his curiosity within the free-agent market on the time had a lot to do together with his potential to harness the facility and bat pace he had and switch that into extra residence runs. However for some purpose, issues as an alternative went within the different route, leading to 4 below-average seasons by wRC+, two seasons of an precisely 100 wRC+, and a powerful run within the shortened 2020 season of a 131 wRC+ in 181 plate appearances. Sure, it was solely a 3rd of a full season, however Heyward flashed what gave the impression to be a concrete plate self-discipline enchancment to associate with a swing that had been improved sufficient to do extra harm on contact.
Typically, it’s exhausting to find out if a plate self-discipline change is legit or not. Is the hitter taking extra simply to take extra? Are they being extra selective with attacking pitches that they know their swing path is nicely suited to barrel? Maybe a mix of each? In 2020, Heyward swung considerably much less. He was on a three-year run of round a forty five% swing price however dropped it right down to 37% that yr. The change was constant throughout pitch teams, too, starting from an 8.7-point lower in opposition to fastballs to a ten.2-point lower in opposition to offspeed pitches. That kind of change appears aware, and it labored very nicely! He paired a career-high stroll price with a Statcast-era excessive (since 2015) in xwOBACON. Not solely did he stroll greater than 96% of the league, however his anticipated outcomes on contact had been additionally not less than 60 factors greater than any season he performed in a Cubs uniform and his one-year stint in St. Louis.
Sometimes, after I assess hitter breakouts, I’m in search of three issues: a plate self-discipline enchancment, a swing enchancment, and a batted ball enchancment. To date, 2020 checks two of these containers. The final piece for Heyward was getting his swing again to the place it had been earlier in his profession. Right here’s a bit of refresher of what that seemed like:
Watching this again, I’m reminded of how Heyward used to swing; he nonetheless had the wiggly twitch but in addition a excessive hand preset. His swing in recent times, although, has extra hitches and a decrease hand preset. The place and timing of his downswing has progressively moved south over time, however in 2020, it appeared like he made a slight adjustment towards the next hand preset and an open stance. Have a look at these two swings on residence runs, each hit over 105 mph:
Just a few issues to notice about these swings. First, he’s beginning very extensive open and striding closed, permitting him to drag the slider on the outer third to the right-field hole and the within fastball down the road. That is a powerful talent that permits hitters together with his bodily composition to supply pull-side energy with prolonged arms whereas catching outdoors pitches far out in entrance of the plate. Particularly, it lets hitters cowl outdoors breaking balls; their swing path can nonetheless elevate these pitches to the gaps. It’s a pleasant supporting talent that not all gamers have.
Sadly, Heyward appears to have misplaced this talent for the final two years and has gotten into the behavior of hitting these pitches on the bottom, albeit nonetheless with first rate exit velocities. Take a look at this swing from June of this yr in opposition to Yu Darvish:
This was hit at 101.8 mph off the bat, but it surely didn’t matter, as a result of Heyward’s contact got here too lengthy after he turned the barrel over, leading to a top-spun downward trajectory. Distinction that to 2020, when he confirmed the power to create sufficient barrel depth to be on the upswing when contacting pitches on this basic space of the zone. It’s potential his extra abbreviated stride and route of hand loading performed into this; it’s robust to say for positive since he has been continually tweaking his mechanics for the final 5 or so years. He undoubtedly has an honest concept of what works for him and what doesn’t, making it exhausting to say for positive what the clicking is or can be.
I’m to see what the Dodgers’ hitting group will advise Heyward to do. We have now very current proof of their means to assist gamers with above-average bat pace; Trayce Thompson involves thoughts. If I had been to guess what the recommendation could be, I’d assume it might be cleansing up his hand load. There may be some hitchy motion in Heyward’s arms, and I believe it makes his swing too hand- or wrist-dominant. Many hitting coaches will let you know the arms needs to be alongside for the journey, not driving the automobile.
That doesn’t imply Heyward shouldn’t transfer his arms in any respect; his twitch makes him distinctive. However what he can do is best harness these actions. Might a return to the next hand preset like earlier in his profession assist? There may be already earlier proof of it. I think about the Dodgers would additionally need him to make higher use of the lengthy, athletic levers in his legs. His stride in 2020 allowed him to create extra space for his barrel to maneuver by means of the zone at a really perfect assault angle. That trait must be reclaimed for him to enhance his batted ball profile.
That is all hypothesis clearly, however with a reclamation mission like this, I believe Los Angeles has a particular set of suggestions in thoughts to assist Heyward get again to the most effective the model of himself. So why not present some concepts that he already has confirmed success with? Hitters like him have in all probability tried every little thing to get better their bat; typically it’s so simple as a reminder of what they had been doing after they had been thriving and placing them in a greater place to take action. I do know I’m dancing round making a concrete conclusion right here, but it surely’s a complicated downside that no person has solved. However I’m excited for Heyward as a Dodger; he’s an extremely gifted participant who’s great to look at, and I hope he has some life left in these wiggly limbs.
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