Zack Larson - 2015

[Joe Mulligan]

Zack Larson

Zachary Grant Larson

Position: Outfielder

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Height: 6' 2"

Weight: 185 lb

Born: October 8, 1993 in Bradenton, Florida, US

Age: 21

Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 20th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft from Lakewood Ranch HS (Bradenton, FL).

 

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000eb1Vsgyo8Os/t/150/I0000eb1Vsgyo8Os.jpg

[Shane Wahl]

.622 OPS in almost a full season of A ball. His prospect status has dropped off the charts. He turns 22 in October, so he isn't done by any means, but this year has been a major disappointment.

[Guest]

Larson is a bit of an enigma to me. When he's in the lineup, he still bats 3rd or 4th   almost exclusively (mostly cleanup of late). He has led the team in RBI almost all season (and still has a share of the lead, at 53, with Nick Gordon). Odd things for a .220 hitter.

 

Then I looked at some of his splits.

 

In 114 at-bats this season with at least one runner in scoring position, Larson is hitting .325.

 

In other situations (bases empty or just a runner at 1B), he's hitting just .169. He's got 236 at-bats in those situations.

 

You can talk all you want about whether "clutch hitting" is a real thing or not, but when a guy is 40 for 236 without a runner in scoring position and 37 for 114 with at least one RISP, something is going on there. Those are not particularly small sample sizes.

 

Whether its focus or approach or whatever it might be, whoever can figure out what Larson is doing with RISP and get him to do the same thing without RISP could significantly improve his baseball future.

[Shane Wahl]

 

Larson is a bit of an enigma to me. When he's in the lineup, he still bats 3rd or 4th   almost exclusively (mostly cleanup of late). He has led the team in RBI almost all season (and still has a share of the lead, at 53, with Nick Gordon). Odd things for a .220 hitter.

 

Then I looked at some of his splits.

 

In 114 at-bats this season with at least one runner in scoring position, Larson is hitting .325.

 

In other situations (bases empty or just a runner at 1B), he's hitting just .169. He's got 236 at-bats in those situations.

 

You can talk all you want about whether "clutch hitting" is a real thing or not, but when a guy is 40 for 236 without a runner in scoring position and 37 for 114 with at least one RISP, something is going on there. Those are not particularly small sample sizes.

 

Whether its focus or approach or whatever it might be, whoever can figure out what Larson is doing with RISP and get him to do the same thing without RISP could significantly improve his baseball future.

 

Damn, that is a fascinating oddity. That makes me feel better about him, actually. What is the slugging in those situations . . . I wonder if he tries to really smack the ball without guys in scoring position, but then is just trying to make solid contact for singles when they are in scoring position?

[Guest]

 

Damn, that is a fascinating oddity. That makes me feel better about him, actually. What is the slugging in those situations . . . I wonder if he tries to really smack the ball without guys in scoring position, but then is just trying to make solid contact for singles when they are in scoring position?

Larson is slugging an even .400 with RISP. .305 with a runner on 1st and just .189 with bases empty.

 

He never seems to be swinging out of his shoes, but I don't know what he's trying to do in those situations.