Chourio, Toodle-oo

Jackson Chourio (MIL): 1-2, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 3 BB.

Something I’ve come to appreciate after watching baseball obsessively for the past 25+ years is that I’m now conscious of distinct shifts in how the sport operates. For example, I remember a time when a player debuting at 20 years old was practically unheard of. Justin Upton’s call-up in 2007 at 19 years old made headlines. How he performed that year was pretty much irrelevant—just the fact that he was in the major leagues was newsworthy.

With player development having advanced at the speed of light over the past decade though, seeing 20-year-olds in the majors isn’t nearly as notable as it used to be. In fact, we’ve had three players debut just this year at 20 years old: Jackson Merrill, Jackson Holliday, and Jackson Chourio.

The fact that two of those players have established themselves as some of the best hitters in baseball this season is a sign that things are changing (and that I should clearly consider naming my future child “Jackson” to ensure their future success). And what Chourio has done this year in particular is remarkable.

With his 1-2, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 3 BB performance yesterday, Chourio joined all-time greats like Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, and Alex Rodriguez on the list of players with multiple grand slams before their 21st birthday. But perhaps more importantly, he continued his torrid second-half run that’s seen him hit .335 with a 162 wRC+ while dropping his strikeout rate down to just 14% after posting a still-impressive 23% rate in the first half.

These are the types of improvements you love to see from a rookie hitter as they start to get a feel for the league, and though a lot of ink has been spilled on Chourio’s performance to this point, it’s likely just the beginning of a long and illustrious career for the dynamic outfielder.

Let’s see how the other hitters did Monday

Freddie Freeman (LAD): 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB.

That’s four home runs in four games now for Freeman after returning from a brief stint on the bench to give the hairline fracture in his finger some time to heal. I’m gonna go out on a limb and state that hitting is clearly a lot easier when all of your bones are intact.

Shea Langeliers (OAK): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.

With two homers last night, Langeliers has an outside shot at reaching the 30-homer plateau before season’s end. That’s a development that fantasy managers will take to the bank for a guy who was an afterthought in most drafts entering the season. Considering he’s just 26 years old, displayed some improvements to his strikeout rate this year, and will likely be playing in a little league ballpark next season instead of cavernous Oakland Coliseum, there may be sneaky value here in 2025 drafts.

Cedric Mullins (BAL): 3-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.

Mullins has looked much-improved here in the second half of the season, slashing .263/.381/.465—huge steps forward across the board compared to his first-half splits. It’s reflected in his rolling xwOBA as well, which shows the past few weeks as being the most stable spell of above-average production for him all year. Unfortunately, he’s still scuffling horribly against lefties, and the power doesn’t look like it’ll be coming back consistently anytime soon.

Eugenio Suárez (ARI): 3-4, 2B, HR, 3 R, RBI.

Something clicked for Suarez in the second half of this season, as his Hard Hit rate jumped from roughly league-average to the 45%–50% range that it’s been hovering at ever since. That’s vintage Suarez as far as the power goes—and we’re seeing that reflected in the 13 home runs and .940 OPS he’s posted since the break. It’s an encouraging sign to see him pair this hard contact with the lowest strikeout rate he’s had since 2018, giving me some hope he might have another 35+ home run season left in the tank next year. Enjoy the ride.

Teoscar Hernández (LAD): 5-5, 2B, 3B, 2 R, SB.

Teoscar Hernandez gets no respect. In fact, if you Google “Teoscar Hernandez,” the featured image that shows up right now is a photo of Jason Heyward. It’s a reflection of the treatment he’s gotten since joining the Dodgers—being frequently overshadowed by the likes of other superstars like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. Still, he’s quietly putting up an incredible offensive season, and is heating up right in time for the fantasy playoffs, hitting. 287 with 6 homers and 6 stolen bases over the past week. He seems primed to post the fifth 130+ wRC+ season of his career.

Lane Thomas (CLE): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, SB.

The light has dimmed from Lane Thomas’s star here in the second half, as he’s struggled with sporadic playing time since moving to Cleveland. This was his first (!) home run of the second half, and he’s been fighting to stay above the Mendoza Line since the break. If there is a glimmer of hope, it’s that he’s hitting .282 over his last 39 at-bats, and he has a history of going on torrid hot streaks, so he may be worth keeping tabs on as we enter playoff season.

Josh Naylor (CLE): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, SB.

It’s been nice to see some signs of life from Naylor after his offensive performance hit a bit of a lull in August. These RBI gave him 100 on the season—a new career-high—and his xwOBA has been trending up for the past week, so we might be on the cusp of another hot streak.

Willy Adames (MIL): 1-4, HR, R, 3 RBI.

This was Adames’s 13th three-run homer this season—giving him more three-run homers than the Mariners, Rays, White Sox, Cardinals, and Pirates. It was also his fifth straight game with a home run, and his 12th home run in his last 30 games as Adames continues his white-hot power streak. He’s having the best offensive season of his career.

Jonny DeLuca (TBR): 2-4, HR, R, RBI, SB.

“Combo meal for Jonny DeLuca.” It’s a phrase that’s likely uttered multiple times a week in McDonald’s all across Staten Island. We’re not referring to an Italian dude picking up a McChicken with fries here though. But it’s just as notable an occurrence regardless.

Jazz Chisholm (NYY): 2-4, R, RBI, 2 SB.

In 23 games since joining the Yankees, Jazz has 9 home runs, 8 stolen bases, and is hitting .324. His xwOBA has also been trending up quite significantly over the past month. It will be fascinating to see what Chisholm can do over a full season while playing half his games at Yankee Stadium. The Marlins’ long and illustrious track record of getting absolutely fleeced in trades continues.

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

The early returns on Caminero have been incredibly promising. With almost 50 batted balls under his belt now—generally considered the early stabilization point for hard contact—he’s running an absurd 53% Hard Hit rate along with a 10% barrel rate. And it’s all backed up by elite bat speed metrics. It’ll be interesting to see where his groundball rate settles, but all-in-all he’s got the makings of a future star.