Swing Statistics

Inspiration.

Baseball Savant provides a Swing Path/Attack Angle Leaderboard.  For players who are expected to be Diamondbacks in 2026, let’s compare their swings and their OPS in 2025.  Let’s keep it at a high level and look at three statistics:  bat speed, the percentage of swings near the ideal attack angle (5-20 degrees), and where does the bat intercept the ball (how far in front of the plate).

Data From the Leaderboard.

The following chart looks at left-handed swings for some possible 2026 batters. First it shows league averages. Then, with names in green font, it shows players with above average OPS. Then it shows the other players, with weaknesses circled.

The following chart looks at right-handed swings for some possible 2026 batters.  First it shows league averages.  Then, with names in green font, it shows players with above average OPS.  Then it shows players with near-average OPS.  Then it shows the other players, with weaknesses circled.

Carroll’s or Marte’s Swing, which is best?

They are outstanding batters. They each won Silver Sligger awards in 2025, with Marte also winning in 2024.

With right-handed swings, Ketel Marte’s 78.5 MPH average bat speed leads the team. As a left-handed batter, Corbin Carroll’s 74.7 MPH average bat speed leads the team’s left-handed swings.

In 2025, Ketel Marte’s homers per plate appearance was better (.050 vs .048).

Slow motion video of Corbin Carroll’s swing shows his swing has more movement than Ketel Marte’s swing. Perhaps timing and rhthym are more more important to Corbin Carroll’s swing.

At 25.3 years old, Corbin Carroll has not yet reached his peak of batting prowess. Ketel Marte is 32.2 years old, likely at his peak of batting prowess.

My conclusion is that last season Ketel Marte had the better swing, but next season Corbin Carroll will improve so the two will have equal swings.

Possible Insights.

A characteristic of Diamondbacks batters (left-handed swings and right-handed swings) that distinguishes them from other teams is that their batters intercept the ball farther in front of the plate than average.

Based on his above-average swing data, my expectation is that next season Tim Tawa will likely significantly improve his batting results, albeit that the quantity of his plate appearances is uncertain.

Based on his above-average swing data (except swing speed is average), my expectation is that next season Alek Thomas will significantly improve his batting results.  Possibly, that will be the factor that makes him the opening day center fielder.

Geraldo Perdomo is an above average batter from both sides of the plate despite that his swing approach is different than the other leaders, especially when he swings as a right-handed batter.

Alek Thomas and James McCann intercepted the ball significantly farther in front of the plate than the other players.

As left-handed batters Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte had the highest percentage of swings near the ideal attack angle.  Jacob Amaya (right-handed batter) had the highest percentage of swings near the ideal attack angle.

Jacob Amaya (infield) and Aramis Garcia (catcher) were signed at the AAA level with non-roster invites to spring training.  They have experience at the Majors level, so their data was included.  Interestingly, their intercept positions are behind the front of home plate.  

Summary.

Baseball Savant provides a Swing Path/Attack Angle Leaderboard. 

Corbin Carrol and Ketel Marte are Silver Sluggers and they have great swings.

• Ketel Marte’s 78.5 MPH average bat speed (right-handed swing) and Corbin Carroll’s 74.7 MPH average bat speed (left-handed swing) lead the team.
• Ketel Marte’s homers per plate appearance was better (.050 vs .048).
• Slow motion video seemed to show timing and rhthym are more more important to Corbin Carroll’s swing than Ketel Marte’s swing.
• While Ketel Marte may be at his peak, the much younger Corbin Carroll may continue to improve his batting prowess.
• My conclusion is that last season Ketel Marte had the better swing, but next season Corbin Carroll will improve so the two will have equal swings.

A characteristic of Diamondbacks batters that distinguishes them from other teams is that their batters intercept the ball farther in front of the plate than average.

Based on above-average swing data, my expectation is that next season Tim Tawa and Alek Thomas will likely significantly improve their batting results.

Alek Thomas and James McCann intercepted the ball significantly farther in front of the plate than the other players.