2013 Essays

The Giants Can Develop Hitters Too

Mitchell, Lincoln A.

In 2012, only eight players 25 years old or younger came to bat 400 or more times and posted an OPS+ of 120 or better. These players may not be the best eight young hitters in the big leagues, but according to this reasonably good heuristic, they should be considered among the eight best. The names of four of these players should come as no surprise. Buster Posey, Mike Trout, Andrew McClutchen and Giancarlo Stanton, had OPS+ better than 150 last year and clearly are among the very best young hitters in the game.