The Lefty Ketel Marte Is Performing Better Than Ever

I’ve lengthy been a staunch supporter of Ketel Marte. Swap-hitters with brief levers are my private favourite archetype. When you possibly can produce Ninetieth-percentile max exit velocity from either side of the plate with solely mid-teens strikeout charges, you’ll have my consideration every night time. It’s not at all times the case that switch-hitters have two contrasting swings, however it’s for Marte. He’s a pure right-handed hitter, which has performed out clearly in his efficiency over time, however from time to time, every thing clicks on either side of the plate. Actually, since his breakout 2019 season, he has been an above-average hitter from the left aspect each different 12 months. However this season, he has taken off in contrast to ever earlier than.

All through Marte’s profession, there was a stark distinction in his energy from the proper aspect versus his left aspect. Regardless of being highly effective by way of exit velocity from either side, he has at all times been higher at creating pull aspect carry along with his pure right-handed swing. That has resulted in a profession ISO of .215 as a righty and .155 as a lefty. However like I stated, issues are clicking for him as a righty this 12 months.

Earlier than diving into the deep particulars, let’s have a look at his splits annually for the reason that 2019 breakout:

There may be nonetheless fluctuation, however usually, Marte is persistently nicely above common from the right-handed aspect. Final 12 months was his worst mark since his breakout, and he was nonetheless a 125 wRC+ hitter. However with the extra advantageous aspect of the platoon being the left aspect, his total 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. That is the most effective Marte has been as a lefty since 2019, and that warrants an investigation on what precisely he has performed 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:

Along with rising the harm performed when he’s forward within the depend, Marte has drastically improved his efficiency towards breaking balls after being a downright legal responsibility towards them in 2022. A few of that has to do with swinging at fewer breaking balls usually, however plenty of it’s mechanically associated. I’ll get to that later, however for now, simply know that Marte hit .186 with a .303 Slg% towards breakers in ’22; this 12 months, these numbers are .250 and .520, respectively.

The ultimate 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 very best launch angle, the expectation is for efficiency to be excessive no matter season (and even participant). However you’ll discover that for Marte, that quantity has seen a major enhance from the earlier three seasons. Keep in mind how I stated that Marte has at all times been higher at creating pull aspect carry as a righty? This 12 months, he has been phenomenal at it from either 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, however 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. In spite of everything, for many hitters, the most effective likelihood to do harm 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 12 months, that quantity was solely 48% (16/33). To go to the subsequent mathematical step: this 12 months, the usual deviation of exit velocity of those batted balls is 10.3; final 12 months, it was 12.1. It is a difficult manner 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 data, let’s now have a look at his swing mechanics to tie this all collectively. The primary three swings are from 2022, and the next three are from this 12 months:

2022

2023

Pay shut consideration to Marte’s posture and bottom earlier than and after his leg carry touchdown. One thing that many hitting coaches preach is having a managed touchdown. Relying on the hitter, the power you place into touchdown will differ, however it doesn’t matter what, the hitter ought to have management of that power. Not many individuals can persistently land heavy into their entrance aspect with success. In 2022, Marte would hit his touchdown, however his heart of gravity would slide ahead, inflicting him to lose his stability and, because of this, his very best swing path. You possibly can see this in case you take note of the place of his bottom and the way it pertains to his posture/entrance knee bend. This 12 months, that hasn’t been a difficulty in any respect. Even when he has a heavier touchdown, like you possibly can see in his swing towards Anthony DeSclafani, he’s maintaining his heart of gravity behind his entrance leg and sustaining his posture till he lets it unfastened. His swing towards Jon Grey is one other good instance of his capacity to keep up a perfect place on the next 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 proper area wall. That is what sturdy deceleration can do for a hitter.

My guess is that this slight inefficiency has been cleaned up thanks partially to Marte avoiding hamstring points. Final 12 months, 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 influence swing mechanics. Deceleration can also be straight tied to hitting breaking balls, for the reason that physique wants to regulate to a unique pace. That could possibly be a cause why he has seen such an enormous enchancment towards that pitch group this season. Fortunately 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 most effective 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 mix of lack of pace 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 along with his many gifted teammates, his first-place Diamondbacks will likely be in a fantastic place to keep up their place within the standings all season.