Taylor Swoon

Taylor Ward (LAA): 3-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Taylor Ward entered the season slashing .252/.330/.428 across 2,170 career plate appearances. That’s a .330 wOBA/111 wRC+. Good, solid numbers, but not the sort that got much attention, especially since he’s 31. He was the 42nd outfielder selected on average in NFBC this past draft season.

He led off yesterday afternoon’s game with a long ball against RHP Zack Littell (99 EV, 352 ft). Yes, we’ll see some cheapies to right in Rays games with George M. Steinbrenner Field’s dimensions mirroring Yankee Stadium. However, his second was a bomb to straightaway center (107.1 EV, 413 feet) in the fifth, a two-run shot that put the Angels ahead 5-1.

Ward was a late bloomer, not reaching 500 PA until his age-28 season. He dealt with a scary facial fracture in 2023 but showed what he could do across a full season last year with a career-best 25 home runs across 663 plate appearances. He hit .246 with a .325 wOBA and 111 wRC+. Again, not eye-popping on the surface. However,  if you scouted his PLV profile, you’d’ve had him pegged as a draft-day bargain. His scores (100 is average) were quite good, including 110 Power and 120 Process (PLV’s all-encompassing metric). He’s long demonstrated a discerning eye, and he’s been even stingier thus far with a 12.8% chase rate (100th percentile). Now that he’s hitting in front of a healthy Mike Trout, who also went yard twice, it’s not hard to imagine a potential peak season looming.

Let’s see how the other hitters did Thursday:

Kyle Manzardo (CLE): 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.

The White Sox had a 1-0 lead in the first, but alas, it didn’t last. Manzardo belted his fourth of the season in the bottom of the inning with two down; the two-run shot put the Guardians on top for good and came against RHP Jonathan Cannon (106.6 EV, 395 ft). Manzardo’s 50% pull rate will likely drag his batting average, but his power is trending up relative to last year. Three of his four dingers have been against LHP too, which is a pretty good sign if you were worried about him losing at-bats against same-handed pitching.

Steven Kwan (CLE): 4-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.

Kwan scored Cleveland’s first run, scoring on Manzardo’s dinger after reaching on a groundball single to to right. Cleveland’s leadoff man belted his second of the year in his second at-bat, torching a fastball from RHP Cannon (98.3 EV, 360 ft). Kwan’s .931 OPS probably won’t last, but he hit two more singles, including a perfect squeeze bunt, bringing his batting average up to .356, and that’s what you’ve got him for.

Michael Toglia (COL): 3-4, 2B, R, RBI.

Hey, a little home cooking never hurt. All three of Toglia’s base knocks were hard hits. The RBI double came in the eighth off RHP Joel Payamps and helped key a five-run outburst. A couple more of these games will get Toglia off the interstate, but he’ll have to improve his 45.7% strikeout rate, which is second among qualified hitters and considerably higher than last year’s 32.1%.

Jo Adell (LAA): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.

Adell swatted his first of the year in the fifth, launching a hanging slider from RHP Zack Littell just to the left of dead-center (107.5 EV, 408 feet). His second also came in the fifth, a three-run shot to left off RHP Mason Englert (108.6 EV, 382 feet). The righty swatted a career-best 20 home runs across 451 PA, and his 96th-percentile bat speed backs his big-time power. However, the 26-year-old former prospect is likely stuck near the bottom of the order (he’s hit eighth thus far) and remains a batting average liability (.223 xBA/27.9% strikeout rate last year).

Ty France (MIN): 1-3, HR, R, RBI, BB.

France turned on a Michael Wacha heater at the letters for his second of the year, a solo shot to left (106.7 EV, 410 ft). France has settled in as the Twins’ fifth-place hitter and is slashing .261/.320/.457 through his first 50 plate appearances. France has some value as a corner infielder in deep leagues, but his upside seems relatively capped; he’s reached 20 home runs once, three years ago. Still, his low strikeout rate (8.7% this year) and average-ish power might be a dollar-store version of Vinnie Pasquantino if everything bounces right.

Zac Veen (COL): 1-5, 2B, RBI.

The 23-year-old rookie hit second against RHP Quinn Priester. In the third, he bunted into a fielder’s choice and later got thrown out trying to steal second base by Eric Haase. However, he socked a change-up from RHP Elvin Rodriguez off the right field wall in the eighth for his first double and RBI. Veen slashed .258/.346/.459 across 270 plate appearances in Double-A and Triple-A last season. His power might not translate right away, but he should contribute plenty of stolen bases; he stole 21 last season across 65 minor-league games.

Trevor Story (BOS): 2-5, RBI, 2 SB.

With the bases loaded, no out, and the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the tenth, Story played the hero, hitting a groundball to second baseman Andrés Giménez, allowing David Hamilton to score and seal a come-from-behind win for Boston. Injuries have been the common refrain for Story’s recent career. However, he’s off to an encouraging start, hitting .264 with two home runs and four steals. The 30% strikeout rate won’t help your batting average, but he still has power and speed upside.

Brenton Doyle (COL): 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI.

Doyle spoiled Quinn Priester’s Brewers debut, socking his fourth pitch over the left field fence for a leadoff home run (99.3 EV, 390 feet). With one down in the seventh and RHP Abner Uribe on the mound, he hit a single to center, plating Mickey Moniak and putting the Rockies ahead 2-1. He helped seal a Rockies’ win in the eighth with a three-run double against RHP Joel Payamps. Doyle stole 30 bases and banged 23 home runs last year, making him a popular target this past draft season. PLV was a Doyle fan, tracking him with above-average Power (110), Contact (103), and Process (104).

Marcell Ozuna (ATL): 3-5, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.

Following a rain delay, the Phillies broke a 1-1 tie in the eleventh with a two-out, bases-loaded walk from Johan Rojas. However, Austin Riley rescued Atlanta in the 12th with a hard double to center, scoring Ozzie Albies and tying the score again. Moments later, Ozuna sent the few Braves fans left at Truist Park home happy with a two-run, walk-off shot against RHP Joe Ross (109 EV, 413 feet). Ozuna has started red-hot, slashing .316/.509/.526 over the first dozen games.

Junior Caminero (TBR): 3-4, 2B, R.

It’s been a mixed bag for Caminero. He’s hitting .282, but with just one home run through his first 11 games. There’s a reasonable chance his over-the-fence power doesn’t materialize right away. However, his bat speed is impossible to ignore. His double had the top EV (111.8) in a game with six home runs.

Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)