The All-Star break is over.
Most hitters spend the first few games trying to find their rhythm again.
These five did the exact opposite.
Using FanGraphs and Statcast data from the opening days of the second half , here are the hitters producing the loudest contact in baseball. It's a tiny sample, but the underlying metrics suggest these bats came back with something to prove.
Wilyer Abreu
Second Half Stats
• .655 wOBA
• .666 xwOBA
• 33.3% Barrel Rate
• 94.3 mph Average Exit Velocity
Few hitters have squared the baseball up like Wilyer Abreu since play resumed.
His 33.3% barrel rate leads this group, while a .666 expected weighted on-base average confirms the production isn't simply the result of bloop hits or fortunate bounces. He's consistently finding the barrel and driving the baseball with authority.
If this quality of contact continues, the counting stats should follow in a hurry.
Austin Riley
Second Half Stats
• .732 wOBA
• .613 xwOBA
• 30.0% Barrel Rate
• 107.9 mph Average Exit Velocity
This looks like the Austin Riley fantasy managers have been waiting for.
A 107.9 mph average exit velocity is elite, and pairing that with a 30% barrel rate is exactly how prolonged home run streaks begin.
The actual numbers have already been outstanding, but the underlying contact quality suggests Riley has fully found his swing after the break.