Ryan Kreidler Might Be the Worst Hitter in Baseball, And That’s Okay, For Now

[Cody Schoenmann]

Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Through 34 plate appearances this spring, Ryan Kreidler has hit .133/.235/.233 with a 27 wRC+ and 32.4% strikeout rate. Netting an 11 wRC+ over 211 plate appearances with the Detroit Tigers the past four seasons, the 28-year-old’s offensive ineptitude doesn’t come as a surprise. But that’s okay. His ability to hit wasn’t what led former Minnesota Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey to claim Kreidler off waivers last October. Instead, it was his plus glove and defensive versatility, two invaluable traits that have been on full display this preseason circuit.

 

Over 13 games played, Kreidler has appeared in five games at third base, four at short, three in center field, and one in right. Despite not yet playing the positions, he would also be serviceable at left field and second base, functioning as a true super utility player with only first base and catcher as his positional restrictions. Understandably, Kreidler will never be the hitter Willi Castro was during his Twins tenure. Yet, what separates him from the former beloved super utility player is that he provides plus value at every position he plays, including the positions highest on the defensive spectrum in center field and shortstop.

 

As things stand, Kreidler is favored to win one of Minnesota’s four open bench spots, beating out Tristan Gray and Orlando Arcia in the club’s backup shortstop competition. Kreidler is projected to earn the nod due to his aforementioned defensive flexibility and plus glove. Yet, how his career in Minnesota unfolds will depend on the club’s tolerance for the right-handed bat’s offensive ineptitude, begging the question: How much offense is a team willing to sacrifice for plus defense?

 

Two players that jump to mind upon being asked this question are West Sacramento Athletics center fielder Denzel Clarke and Houston Astros (formerly of the Atlanta Braves) shortstop Nick Allen. Despite netting a 75 wRC+ over 159 plate appearances for West Sacramento last season, Clarke was one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball, netting 1.3 Wins Above Replacement at FanGraphs (fWAR) almost exclusively on his defensive prowess alone. Allen was one of the best defensive shortstops with the Atlanta in 2025, generating 17 Outs Above Average (OAA) at the position highest on the defensive spectrum. Like Clarke, however, Allen struggled mightily at the plate, netting a 53 wRC+ over 416 plate appearances.

 

Clarke and Allen are outliers, residing on the margins of the debate over how much offensive ineptitude one team can bear. Still, it’s vital to note their 2025 campaign, as there was never any debate whether Clarke’s or Allen’s respective clubs would continue rostering them last season, proving that team decision-makers can have a high tolerance for offensive ineptitude if it comes with plus defense at premier positions. Obviously, Kreidler is not the elite-level defender Clarke is at center, or Allen is at short. Yet, given that Kreidler can play a plus third, second, left, right, and most importantly center and short, the 28-year-old functionally provides the same amount of value as Clarke and Allen, both of whom are locked in at one position.

 

That being said, what separates Kreidler from Clarke and Allen is how distinctively poor a hitter he is. As mentioned earlier, Clarke (75 wRC+) and Allen (53 wRC+) combined to create a 64 wRC+ last season, which is 36% below league average. Kreidler’s career wRC+ of 11 is 53 points below that, making him the worst-performing hitter (766 out of 766) with at least 200 plate appearances this decade. Again, Kreidler has technically performed better at the plate this spring, generating a 27 wRC+, including an opposite-field home run off Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jonathan Hernández on Mar. 8. Still, defensive versatility can make up for only so much offensive ineptitude.

 

Again, Kreidler’s glove has impressed this spring, and he is in line to make Minnesota’s Opening Day 26-man roster. Yet, if he continues performing 80% worse than league average at the plate, his Twins tenure could be cut short, with team decision-makers eventually forced to sacrifice Kreidler’s ability to suppress runs in favor of a player with greater ability to generate runs.

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[#3Killer]

He is an automatic out. This should be a no-brainer. Arcia is our backup. 

[CRF]

Hopefully, the Twins can't stomach that. I know I can't. I don't care how versatile he is...he's got to go. 

[jmlease1]

The positional flexibility helps, but he looks like an auto-out right now. He's got the best glove between him, Arcia, and Gray for sure, but he's also got the worst bat. Unless the twins just don't think Arcia can play SS any longer, I'd think he's the pick over Kreidler, who can't hit his weight.

[TJSweens]

Can the Twins stomach that? After three years of Vazquez they should be used to it.

[stringer bell]

If Austin Martin starts the season on the IL, I think Kreidler gets a spot on the Opening Day roster. He is best glove the Twins have at (probably) five positions and he can pinch run. The comparison is more apt with what the Twins tolerated last year with DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Kreidler also is a good defensive infielder.

[dberthia]

Stomach it? Historically, we've encouraged it.

[Parfigliano]

23 minutes ago, TJSweens said:

Can the Twins stomach that? After three years of Vazquez they should be used to it.

Im starting to think they seek these guys out.

[Possumlad]

The Twins love "versatile," scrappy white guys who can't hit. It's been a fetish for a while. I was hoping that would change w/ Falvey & Rocco out the door, but unfortunately doesn't appear so. 

[NYCTK]

I feel like I need to pushback on this idea that he's a plus defensive CF. I think that could be true as a corner OF, but he doesn't seem to have great instincts out there. Good enough to play it, but not anywhere near good enough to be considered a plus defender.  

So, if he hits as well as Keirsey, but can't play a good CF, I don't really see any value in him. Arcia should easily win the job over him. 

Fun Fact Kreidler is the 2nd worst hitter in MLB the last 3 seasons with 100+ PAs. 3rd was Keirsey! 

	wOBA	xwOBA
Kreidler	156	214
Keirsey	158	196

 

[CharlieDee]

So far in spring training, he's out hitting Royce Lewis.

[DJL44]

Option him and use Gray instead. Do they really plan on pulling Brooks Lee in the 8th inning of every game? If not they have no use whatsoever for Kreidler.

[ziggy]

Can he bunt? Move runners over from 2nd to 3rd? Hit a sacrifice fly to score a runner from 3rd? Steal a base when needed? 

I love a great defensive play as much as a home run and there is more to hitting than OBP. But 766th out of 766 means only one thing, the only way is up!!

[bean5302]

Just go get Noah Miller back if that's what we can stomach.

[Nshore]

30 minutes ago, CharlieDee said:

So far in spring training, he's out hitting Royce Lewis.

That's the far bigger question - how long can they stick with the anemic hitting Lewis.  He's trying a new batting approach.  But he often still looks like he has no pitch recognition at all.  Buxton went through that early in his career.  They can only hope Lewis will figure it out like Buxton did.

[nicksaviking]

Ah it's that special time of year where hope blooms and we can debate the merits of a guy with a .529 OPS last year vs a guy with a .296 OPS last year. For what it's worth, I'm quite confident that when you get to something like a .650 OPS, the laws of diminishing returns really starts kicking in. Or take any offensive stat you want like wRC+. When you get to be this much of a liability offensively, how many more wins are you actually going to have using the 33 wRC+ guy instead of the -12 wRC+ guy? One? Probably none? Obviously neither are coming through when you need them and it's to the point where it would be a fluke if either did. So who do you want.....? 

Ummmmmm, pass? Let's just skip shortstop this year and start two DHs instead. There's lots of guys that can play that position.

[Greggory Masterson]

1 hour ago, TJSweens said:

Can the Twins stomach that? After three years of Vazquez they should be used to it.

If Ryan Kreidler had been hitting like Christian Vázquez did over the past 3 seasons, he'd have a 10 year career as a utility infielder

[jkcarew]

I’d rather the worse hitter in the majors be a struggling Twins prospect, honestly. But Kreidler is the safe play to ensure “competitiveness”. Right?

sigh.

[Linus]

Prime Ozzie Smith wouldn’t be worth that bat what a roster. 

[Over The Hill Again]

It’s sad that we’re talking about Kreidler at all. Nothing on him as a person, and he’s enjoyed more the baseball “dream” than any of us, but honestly no matter how many positions he could play, I won’t ever be paying my hard earned dollars to see him bat. We’re not a Ryan Kreidler away from being a playoff team this year. I’d rather the roster reflected an investment in the future as opposed to guys we know aren’t going to be here any longer than they have to be. 

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Greggory Masterson said:

If Ryan Kreidler had been hitting like Christian Vázquez did over the past 3 seasons, he'd have a 10 year career as a utility infielder

Amazingly, he'll be half way there this season.

[GNess]

 

A team that appears will be challenged to produce runs, can not afford a defensive specialist who is an "automatic out".

Please say no Twins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dawgzilla]

I don't how nice a guy or how good an infielder he is he doesn't belong in an MLB roster.  Heck, pitchers, when National League didn't have the  D.H., hit better.  He can''t even come close to the "Mendoza Line"!  Unreal, meaning unreally bad!  Another reason the Twins stink!  Bye bye attendance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh, and....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!🤪

[RpR]

1 hour ago, Linus said:

Prime Ozzie Smith wouldn’t be worth that bat what a roster. 

Well,  Kreidler is only 1 home run behind Lewis in Spring Training.

[Woof Bronzer]

2 hours ago, NYCTK said:

Fun Fact Kreidler is the 2nd worst hitter in MLB the last 3 seasons with 100+ PAs. 3rd was Keirsey! 

 

	wOBA	xwOBA
Kreidler	156	214
Keirsey	158	196

 

Was Alex Jackson #1?

[mikelink45]

I would say no because I say no, but this is a team that allowed one player to go 0 - 30 as a pinch hitter!

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, ziggy said:

Can he bunt? Move runners over from 2nd to 3rd? Hit a sacrifice fly to score a runner from 3rd? Steal a base when needed? 

I love a great defensive play as much as a home run and there is more to hitting than OBP. But 766th out of 766 means only one thing, the only way is up!!

Wanna bet?

[AceWrigley]

3 hours ago, Nshore said:

That's the far bigger question - how long can they stick with the anemic hitting Lewis.  He's trying a new batting approach.  But he often still looks like he has no pitch recognition at all.  Buxton went through that early in his career.  They can only hope Lewis will figure it out like Buxton did.

Yeah, and so far it doesn't look good. I don't even see him as a possible star player anymore. Can he play well enough to keep a major league job?

[AceWrigley]

If Kreidler makes the team I think it shows how unbalanced MLB rosters are in general with half the active players being pitchers. Really?

[saviking]

I don't know about the Twins but I can't..