Photo: Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images
Luis Arráez has always been an excellent hitter, but what he's doing this season — with league-wide batting average at its lowest since 1967 — is turning heads around the league.
By the numbers: The Twins infielder leads the AL in AVG (.337) and OBP (.418), which are 43% and 38% better than league average, respectively. That success didn't come out of nowhere.
- The 25-year-old Venezuelan batted .348 at age 17 in the Dominican Summer League, .347 at age 19 in Low-A and .310 at age 21 across two levels of the minors.
- His career average of .320 is the highest through four MLB seasons since Ichiro Suzuki (.339) and Albert Pujols (.333) from 2001 to 2004.
- Not bad for a guy whose size (5-foot-10) and lack of power (10 career HR) saw him sign for just $40,000 at age 17.
Between the lines: Arráez rarely swings and misses, ranking second in MLB with a 3.1% swinging strike rate. In 68 games this season, he's struck out just 23 times.
The last word: "This guy needs to be on the All-Star team so everyone can get to know him," Twins 2B Jorge Polanco told USA Today. "One day, I'm telling you, this guy might hit .400."