What To Expect From Gary Sanchez This Season

The New York Yankees Backstop Ranks Among The Elites With His Power Stroke

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Arturo Pardavila III, Flickr
  • Since entering the MLB in August of 2016, Gary Sanchez leads all MLB catchers in home runs (105), wRC+ (123) and wOBA (.355), despite missing time the last two seasons with injuries.

  • At a position that is devoid of power hitters, Sanchez clearly is at the top of the list and still has room to grow at age-27.

  • Partnering with fellow sluggers Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gleyber Torres in the middle of the order, Sanchez is a big reason why the New York Yankees are the second-favorite (+400) to win the World Series behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, per DraftKings and FanDuel Sportsbooks.

  • Sanchez is +6600 to lead the MLB in homers in 2020, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
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All About That Pop

New York Yankees fans got a glimpse of the kind of power that Gary Sanchez has in his bat since the moment he put on the pinstripes. After getting called up in August of 2016, Sanchez became the first player in MLB history with at least 11 home runs and 31 hits in his first 23 career games. It only took him 45 games to reach 19 home runs, which made him the fastest player to do so in the modern era.

Last season, Sanchez racked up 34 dingers and was 10th in all of MLB in isolated power (.293). Statcast really showed the muscle he can put into the ball,. as Sanchez was second in baseball behind Nelson Cruz with barrels in 11.7 percent of his plate appearances. The New York catcher also ranked 45th in average exit velocity (91 MPH), which ranked in the 82nd percentile.

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Standing Out Amongst Catchers

Sanchez is one of the best power hitters in baseball regardless of position, but he gives the Yankees a great edge to be able to do it as a catcher. Most teams won't receive the same offensive production that the Yankees get from Sanchez when he’s healthy.

Despite having just the 11th-most at-bats amongst catchers since 2016, the 105 homers that Sanchez has produced is far-and-away the most amongst catchers aside from Yasmani Grandal, who has totaled 101 over the span. Third on the list is J.T Realmuto, who is 31 home runs behind Sanchez with 74. Sanchez has averaged a home run about every 15 at-bats, while Realmuto has averaged one about every 30 at-bats.

With a career ISO of .272, Sanchez ranks almost 50 points ahead of Grandal in the same time period (.226), with Grandal ranking second behind Sanchez amongst catchers.

Room For Improvement

The scary thing for opposing pitchers is that Sanchez is now in his prime with room to grow. The 2017 campaign was the only fully healthy season for Sanchez. He slashed .278/.345/.531 with 33 home runs, 90 RBI, a .368 wOBA, and a 131 wRC+. 

Since that time, Sanchez has not only battled injuries, but has regressed with his approach at the plate. He struggled mightily in 2018 with a career-low 91 wRC+ and .304 wOBA. Even though Sanchez was improved in 2019, his plate discipline still left a lot to be desired. 

Always an aggressive hitter, Sanchez is not a batter who takes a ton of walks. He swung at a career-worst 35.3 percent of pitches outside of the strike zone, while also swinging at a career-low 59.2 percent of pitches in the zone. Clearly, his pitch recognition was just not there. Not surprisingly, Sanchez struck out a career-high 28.0 percent of the time. The numbers that Sanchez can produce if he’s locked in and healthy for a full season should be quite interesting. Expect the Yankees to have him on track for the 2020 campaign. This could be his best season as a pro.

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