Zack Granite's Impressive Plate Discipline

[Seth Stohs]

This article found on reddit discusses how good Zack Granite's plate discipline is. 

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/minnesotatwins/comments/7g9tik/zack_granites_impressive_plate_discipline/

 

 

Granite is making contact with the ball on 95% of his overall swings, a stat far ahead of the rest of the league and it’s mean. He also controls his swing well above other MLB players when the ball is both inside and outside the strike zone.

 

[MN_ExPat]

Nice find Seth.   Huge fanboy of Granite ever since I saw him playing for Chattanooga, absolute grinder and fun to watch play.

[Doomtints]

Granite might be one of those guys who hits the ground running when he makes the majors full-time.

[nicksaviking]

Juan Pierre types aren't looked upon with as generously as they were in the past as getting XBH is either directly or indirectly a factor in OPS, WAR, RC and today's other favored calculations.

 

However, if your team top to bottom is already in the upper half in SLG-type statistics having a guy who could approach a .400 OBP at the top of the order still has to be a huge plus. His SB percentage isn't all that great, he probably has to improve on that to be optimally effective, but there's definitely an opening for him to grab the leadoff spot, even if it's at minimum on a platoon level.

[drjim]

 

Juan Pierre types aren't looked upon with as generously as they were in the past as getting XBH is either directly or indirectly a factor in OPS, WAR, RC and today's other favored calculations.

 

However, if your team top to bottom is already in the upper half in SLG-type statistics having a guy who could approach a .400 OBP at the top of the order still has to be a huge plus. His SB percentage isn't all that great, he probably has to improve on that to be optimally effective, but there's definitely an opening for him to grab the leadoff spot, even if it's at minimum on a platoon level.

 

Yes, a guy approaching .400 obp would be a huge plus, even without power. 13 guys in all of baseball had obps over .390 last year. I'm skeptical Granite is going to be one of them.

 

He is a very nice guy to have on a roster as a bench guy who plays a lot.

[Steve Lein]

I wouldn't trust the small-sample size data he's using yet.

 

While Granite has drawn an okay amount of walks in his minor league career, he wasn't elite there. (MiLB career .064 IsoD vs. .084 in MLB in 2017).

 

Granite is more of a Revere type to me, but certainly will draw more walks then Ben did. Has the bat control to make contact with pretty much anything he wants to swing at (which I think his data is saying more than he has elite "plate discipline"), but he's not going to draw walks like that moving forward. 

 

I hope to be pleasantly surprised on that last part.

[yarnivek1972]

Thread should be titled “...bat control”. Plate discipline, to me, means recognition that certain pitches are strikes and certain pitches aren’t. But seeing that early enough to act is what seperates you and me from professional hitters. Granite is exhibiting elite bat control, a la Brian Harper back in the day. It won’t neccesarily lead to more walks, but putting the bat on the ball is pretty much always preferable to not doing so.

[bluechipper]

The Twins have a nice balance of high contact guys to go with the power in their lineup. Granite, Mauer, and Polanco are extremely good at making contact, and I think Kepler could get in that category too.

[Tom Froemming]

*cough* there is some really great stuff regarding Granite's contact skills in the Prospect Handbook *cough*

[DocBauer]

What about Granite as a 4th OF/DH who hits leadoff and moving Dozier down?

[Mr. Brooks]

What about Granite as a 4th OF/DH who hits leadoff and moving Dozier down?

If Granite is a good enough hitter to bat at the top of a lineup, shouldn't he be starting somewhere?

[Seth Stohs]

 

I wouldn't trust the small-sample size data he's using yet.

 

While Granite has drawn an okay amount of walks in his minor league career, he wasn't elite there. (MiLB career .064 IsoD vs. .084 in MLB in 2017).

 

Granite is more of a Revere type to me, but certainly will draw more walks then Ben did. Has the bat control to make contact with pretty much anything he wants to swing at (which I think his data is saying more than he has elite "plate discipline"), but he's not going to draw walks like that moving forward. 

 

I hope to be pleasantly surprised on that last part.

 

I would say that if he becomes Ben Revere, and what he did for 4-5 years, we should all be thrilled. And, I think that is a pretty good comp. Very similar, though Granite has added a little power the last two seasons. 

 

He's a good fourth outfielder who you don't feel bad having start for a couple of weeks or a month when needed. The fact that he has reverse splits throughout his career is also helpful for him.He's just such a professional.

[dbminn]

IMO, Granite has potential. He also has some problems too. Like Mauer, he hit a lot of ground balls. Unlike Mauer, he was way below average on hard-hit balls (19.8% v. MLB avg 31.9%), and when he hit a fly ball, there was a high probability it was a pop-up (17.4% of FB v. MLB 9.6%).  Contact is great but he needs to be able to hit with some authority too. 

 

Only 107 PA into his MLB career, so I think he can figure it out. Good news is he will get opportunities because of his glove.

[USAFChief]

I'd prefer a RH hitting 4th OFer with some power.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'd prefer a RH hitting 4th OFer with some power.

Hey, now. That’s unfair. Granite has power to both first and third base.

[DocBauer]

If Granite is a good enough hitter to bat at the top of a lineup, shouldn't he be starting somewhere?

Not with an everyday OF of Rosario, Buxton and Kepler.

[bird]

Granite appears to be another mid-round (14th round) selection that is paying dividends. Kudos to the area scout who recommended him.

[Mr. Brooks]

Not with an everyday OF of Rosario, Buxton and Kepler.

I mean SOMEWHERE. If he's that good, that he deserves to be hitting at the top of a lineup, then he should be a centerpiece in a trade.

Personally, I have my doubts that he can hit anywhere near that level.