MLB: The 10 sweetest right-handed swings, RANKED
By Travis Koch
MLB: The 10 Sweetest Right-Handed Swings
9. Mike Trout
Have you seen a more compact swing in your life? It’s seriously like Mike Trout is waving a lightsaber at the plate. He may have the quickest hands in baseball, and those hands generate tremendous bat speed. His leg kick is calm and under control; he has no wasted movements. You wouldn’t think a short, compact cut like his could produce so many home runs of such great distances, but it does. He possesses a very quiet swing that makes a ton of noise.
Like so many great hitters, Trout prides himself in a right-center approach from the batter’s box. He keeps his hands inside as well as anyone and can sting the ball anywhere from right-center to down the left-field line.
His ability to evolve and adjust has made him the greatest hitter in MLB. The three-time MVP used to expand the strike zone, chasing breaking balls in the dirt and high fastballs. Though, according to Fangraphs, Trout’s chase percentage declined from 30.6% in 2011 to 20.5% in 2019. Now, a pitcher’s lucky to see him swing outside the zone once a game.
8. Ryan Braun
It seems like Ryan Braun has had the same swing his entire career. That would make sense, as he’s been one of the most consistent hitters in the game for 13 seasons.
His hacks have a lot in common with Trout. He has a similar leg kick, swing path, and gap-to-gap approach. He also thrusts his entire weight forward as his bat goes through the zone, just like Trout does. Braun’s swing is longer; he starts with his hands higher and has a more extreme load. Though, when you’re compared to Mike Trout in any way these days, you’re doing something right.
Braun has a pretty two-hand follow-through, which has become somewhat rare among MLB hitters. He covers the zone as well as any batter, and swings as under control as any batter. His career .298 batting average and 344 home runs speak for themselves.