Based on past MLB history, these five guys are the most surprising players to hit the 20-HR mark in 2017.
In a year in which home runs are flying out of ballparks at a rate higher than ever before, it’s not surprising that there are some players having career years when it comes to the big fly. Giancarlo Stanton is finally having the year everyone’s been waiting for. He’s been healthy enough to stay in the lineup almost every day this year and has a best-in-baseball 54 home runs. Some are saying he should be the true home run king if he passes the 61 home runs hit by Roger Maris in 1961.
New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge is leading the American League in homers and recently passed Wally Berger and Frank Robinson to move into second all-time in home runs in a season by a rookie. Another rookie, Cody Bellinger, is getting close to the 38 home runs hit by Berger and Robinson in their rookie years. He’s sitting on 37. By seasons’ end, Judge and Bellinger could hold the second and third spots for home runs in a season by a rookie.
Stanton, Judge, and Bellinger are having great seasons, but all have exhibited good power before. Stanton has hit 22 or more home runs in all eight seasons he’s been in the big leagues and twice hit 37 in a season. Judge is a huge man who hit 19 home runs in 93 games in Triple-A just last season. Bellinger hit 30 home runs in the minor leagues in 2015 and 26 in 2016. These guys have big home run totals, but it shouldn’t be a total shocker to serious baseball fans.
The real shockers are the guys who haven’t shown much power before, yet are suddenly hitting home runs at a rate we’ve never seen from them. That’s the focus here. These are the five most surprising 20-HR guys in 2017: