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MLB: 6 hot starts that can maintain that level of performance

By Michael Cahill

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 21: Seiya Suzuki #27 of the Chicago Cubs looks out pf the dugout during the fifth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on April 21, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 21: Seiya Suzuki #27 of the Chicago Cubs looks out pf the dugout during the fifth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on April 21, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images) /
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hot starts
DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 16: C.J. Cron #25 of the Colroado Rockies hits a 3 RBI home run against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning at Coors Field on April 16, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

One of the storylines at the beginning of every MLB season is players who get off to hot starts. Some of those players will inevitably drop off, while others will maintain this level of production.

Here are six MLB players who are off to hot starts that can continue to perform like this.

C.J. Cron

Cron has been on fire to start the season, after a very impressive 2021. He’s slashing .333/.365/.813/1.178 with six homers, three doubles, 16 RBI, and 10 runs scored. He leads the league in homers and RBI, and also in total bases with 39. His homers have not been cheap either, as all six of his homers are labeled as no-doubters on Baseball Savant, meaning that they would be out in all 30 Major League stadiums. His average homer distance is 439 feet, with his longest so far being 466.

As you’d expect, his Savant page is nice. He’s in the 100th percentile in xSLG, 97th percentile in xwOBA, 94th percentile in xBA, 93rd percentile in barrel rate, and 87th percentile in hard hit rate. He does strike out a lot (36th percentile in strikeout rate) and he doesn’t walk very much (18th percentile in walk rate), but when you slug like that and play a pretty good first base (67th percentile in OAA), it doesn’t really matter.

Seiya Suzuki

Seiya has gotten his Major League career started with a bang. The righty is slashing .333/.500/.692/1.192 with four homers, two doubles, 12 RBI, and nine runs scored. His OPS+ is 245. He currently leads the National League in on-base percentage. One thing that really stands out early on is that he’s walked almost as many times (13) as he’s struck out (15).

His Baseball Savant page is great. He’s in the 100th percentile in walk rate, 99th percentile in chase rate and barrel rate, 94th percentile in sprint speed, and 93rd percentile in xwOBA. The one knock on him so far is that he hasn’t played well defensively, falling into the 10th percentile in OAA and DRS doesn’t like him either. I’m not too concerned about that yet, but it is something to keep an eye on.

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