The Lefty Ketel Marte Is Performing Higher Than Ever

I’ve lengthy been a staunch supporter of Ketel Marte. Switch-hitters with brief levers are my private favourite archetype. When you possibly can produce Ninetieth-percentile max exit velocity from each side of the plate with solely mid-teens strikeout charges, you’ll have my consideration each night time. It’s not at all times the case that switch-hitters have two contrasting swings, however it’s for Marte. He is a pure right-handed hitter, which has performed out clearly in his efficiency through the years, however from time to time, every thing clicks on each side of the plate. In truth, since his breakout 2019 season, he has been an above-average hitter from the left aspect each different yr. But this season, he has taken off not like ever earlier than.

Throughout Marte’s profession, there was a stark distinction in his energy from the correct aspect versus his left aspect. Despite being highly effective by way of exit velocity from each side, he has at all times been higher at creating pull aspect carry together with his pure right-handed swing. That has resulted in a profession ISO of .215 as a righty and .155 as a lefty. But like I mentioned, issues are clicking for him as a righty this yr.

Before diving into the deep particulars, let’s have a look at his splits every year for the reason that 2019 breakout:

There continues to be fluctuation, however basically, Marte is constantly properly above common from the right-handed aspect. Last yr was his worst mark since his breakout, and he was nonetheless a 125 wRC+ hitter. But with the extra advantageous aspect of the platoon being the left aspect, his general manufacturing is very depending on how he performs when going through right-handed pitching. So for the remainder of this piece, I need to shift my focus to that aspect. This is the very best Marte has been as a lefty since 2019, and that warrants an investigation on what precisely he has carried out to get right here.

First, let’s have a look at how Marte’s wOBA/xwOBA has improved as a left-handed hitter in particular conditions:

In addition to rising the injury carried out when he’s forward within the depend, Marte has drastically improved his efficiency in opposition to breaking balls after being a downright legal responsibility in opposition to them in 2022. Some of that has to do with swinging at fewer breaking balls basically, however a number of it’s mechanically associated. I’ll get to that later, however for now, simply know that Marte hit .186 with a .303 Slg% in opposition to breakers in ’22; this yr, these numbers are .250 and .520, respectively.

The remaining piece of this desk focuses on batted balls throughout the candy spot. Statcast defines that as any batted ball with a launch angle between 8–32 levels. (The higher finish of that vary can transfer relying on how highly effective a hitter is, however for the sake of this train, we’ll simply follow Statcast’s definition.) Since these batted balls are all hit throughout the preferrred launch angle, the expectation is for efficiency to be excessive no matter season (and even participant). But you’ll discover that for Marte, that quantity has seen a big improve from the earlier three seasons. Remember how I mentioned that Marte has at all times been higher at creating pull aspect carry as a righty? This yr, he has been phenomenal at it from each side.

A hitter doesn’t solely need to hit batted balls within the candy spot; they need to hit batted balls exhausting within the candy spot. I do know that’s a easy assertion, nevertheless it’s useful in understanding why Marte has regained his 2019 juice. We’re coping with comparatively small samples right here, however the outcomes are extremely indicative of efficiency. After all, for many hitters, the very best probability to do injury is on pull aspect batted balls within the air. This season, Marte has 19 pull aspect batted balls throughout the candy spot vary; final season, he had 33. The exit velocity vary of those batted balls, although, has compressed in 2023: 79% (14/19) of his batted balls within the candy spot vary this season have been hard-hit (i.e., 95 mph or extra); final yr, that quantity was solely 48% (16/33). To go to the subsequent mathematical step: this yr, the usual deviation of exit velocity of those batted balls is 10.3; final yr, it was 12.1. This is an advanced means of claiming that when Marte hits the ball exhausting within the air to the pull aspect as a left-handed hitter, he’s hitting a rocket nearly each time.

With that information, let’s now have a look at his swing mechanics to tie this all collectively. The first three swings are from 2022, and the next three are from this yr:

2022

2023

Pay shut consideration to Marte’s posture and bottom earlier than and after his leg carry touchdown. Something that many hitting coaches preach is having a managed touchdown. Depending on the hitter, the drive you place into touchdown will differ, however it doesn’t matter what, the hitter ought to have management of that drive. Not many individuals can constantly land heavy into their entrance aspect with success. In 2022, Marte would hit his touchdown, however his middle of gravity would slide ahead, inflicting him to lose his steadiness and, in consequence, his preferrred swing path. You can see this should you take note of the place of his bottom and the way it pertains to his posture/entrance knee bend. This yr, that hasn’t been a problem in any respect. Even when he has a heavier touchdown, like you possibly can see in his swing in opposition to Anthony DeSclafani, he’s retaining his middle of gravity behind his entrance leg and sustaining his posture till he lets it unfastened. His swing in opposition to Jon Gray is one other good instance of his capability to take care of a perfect place on a better pitch. By doing this, he retains his barrel on a aircraft the place he can sq. up a hanger and drive it far over the correct area wall. This is what robust deceleration can do for a hitter.

My guess is that this slight inefficiency has been cleaned up thanks partly to Marte avoiding hamstring points. Last yr, he strained a hamstring in an damage that lingered for a minimum of three months; decelerating with out totally wholesome hamstrings is extraordinarily tough and may completely impression swing mechanics. Deceleration can be instantly tied to hitting breaking balls, for the reason that physique wants to regulate to a special velocity. That could possibly be a cause why he has seen such a giant enchancment in opposition to that pitch group this season. Luckily for him, the hamstring difficulty appears to be a factor of the previous, and he has been capable of get his lefty swing in the very best spot of his profession.

It’s been a pleasure to see Marte again in his peak type. After on-and-off performances within the earlier 4 years, it wasn’t clear what to anticipate from him going ahead. The mixture of lack of velocity and reduce in efficiency was worrisome, however he has confirmed he can nonetheless be a high tier second baseman, particularly within the hitting division. If he can proceed his raking methods alongside together with his many gifted teammates, his first-place Diamondbacks shall be in a terrific place to take care of their place within the standings all season.