Jun 30, 2022 - Sports

Minnesota Twins' Luis Arráez is a hitting machine

Jeff Tracy

Luis Arráez swings a bat. — 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."

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Minnesota Twins' Luis Arráez is a hitting machine

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