Inside the Article:
The Detroit Tigers are putting Jonathan Schoop on notice for the upcoming season. Schoop, who was one of the worst hitters in the majors last season, posted an OPS of .561, which was the lowest among 130 qualified big-league hitters. His chase rate of 40.6% was the sixth-highest in the majors, which led to the worst OBP (.239). Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has made it clear that if Schoop doesn't start hitting better pitches and demonstrating more discipline at the plate, he won't be an everyday player this season. This is the final year of Schoop's contract, and the 10-year veteran suddenly has a lot on the line.
“Last year was an outlier for him,” Hinch said this week on 97.1 The Ticket. “We need better results from him and we need him inside the strike zone. We’ve been very direct with him: if he’s going to stay inside the strike zone and be a little bit more disciplined, he can stay in the lineup. If not, he’s going to find himself in a little bit of a different role.”
Key Points:
- Jonathan Schoop had the worst-hitting season in the majors last year.
- Tigers manager A.J. Hinch wants Schoop to demonstrate more swing discipline.
- Schoop needs to hit better pitches to be an everyday player this season.
- This is the final year of Schoop's contract with the Tigers.
The Big Picture: Jonathan Schoop's impact on the Detroit Tigers
Schoop's lackluster performance at the plate was a significant factor in the team's struggles in 2022. As the team's second baseman, the Tigers are relying on Schoop to be a productive member of the lineup. If Schoop doesn't improve his swing discipline and hit better pitches, it will be challenging for the Tigers to be competitive this season. Hinch has made it clear that the team's success is reliant on Schoop's ability to control the strike zone.
Schoop's Swing Discipline By the Numbers
Schoop's chase rate was 40.6% last season, which was the sixth-highest in the majors.
- His OBP was .239, which was the lowest among 130 qualified big-league hitters.
- His OPS was .561, which was also the lowest among 130 qualified big-league hitters.
- Schoop's barrel rate was a career-low 4.8%, placing him in the bottom 20 percentile of MLB hitters.
- His barrel rate in 2021 was 6.8%.
Swing discipline is a critical factor in a player's ability to hit effectively. Jonathan Schoop's high chase rate last season led to an OBP of .239, which is unacceptable for a player who is expected to be an everyday starter. His barrel rate, which measures how often he makes solid contact with the ball, was a career-low last season. These stats show that Schoop needs to improve his swing discipline and start hitting better pitches if he wants to remain an everyday player in the Tigers' lineup.
