Gabi Lane is Back Open For Business

The 2024 Diamondbacks have been inconsistent offensively, and Gabriel Moreno has been no exception. Moreno's offense was a difference maker in the 2023 season, and it seems his offense, and his trademark "Gabi Lane" are back open for buisness.

Moreno was acquired by the Diamondbacks in the off-season leading into 2023 in a trade with the BlueJays. The trade would send Daulton Varsho, and elite defensive outfielder to Toronto, and brought Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno to Arizona.

While Varsho was coming off of an offensive breakout season in 2022 his bat has been lacking since moving north of the border. Meanwhile both Moreno and Gurriel Jr were cornerstones in a D-Backs team that would go on to win the National League Pennant.

Gabriel Moreno had a very nice first year in Arizona. He was forced to step into a role that was not originally intended for him early, having to take the starting catcher job from Carson Kelly when he suffered a broken forearm in spring training. This would not end up being much of a problem though as Moreno would take the job and run away with it.

He would go on to slash .284/.339/.408 on the season, with 7 home runs and 50 RBI. His 103 WRC+ was good, but was not a representation of what he brought to the team.

One of the most special parts of Moreno's game is his elite throwing arm. It is better than any other catcher in the league, netting him the National League Gold Glove award in his first season with the Diamondbacks. Moreno ranked in the 100th percentile in Caught Stealing Above Average in 2023 at 9 making him the best in baseball. His blocking and pop time also ranked in the 94th and 86th percentiles respectively.

This year his blocking has taken a hit, but framing has become a specialty of Moreno's, now ranking in the 79th percentile among all MLB catchers.

After returning from an injury in the second half of the 2023 season Moreno went on a tear and introduced a new part of his game to fans that would become iconic. "Gabi Lane" would become the trademark name for the positional hole between the first and second basemen created with runners on base.

Coming into 2024 Moreno was riding a high from a huge postseason where he had big hit after big hit for the club. To start the season that hasn't been the case for him. His slash line has fallen to a far worse .242/.322/.344 and the power has not been there like we saw in the second half of last year, only hitting 2 home runs with a 92 WRC+.

There is good news on the horizon for the young star catcher though. Gabi Lane is reopening, and we are seeing signs of his former success returning. Moreno is back to hitting the ball to the opposite field. He's raised his average by 14 points in the last 10 games, showing a slow rise back to his former level. He isn't coming from the same pit that Corbin Carroll is trying to work his way out of so you can expect Moreno's return to be a bit more subtle.

Things first started to re-appear in the last series against the Giants. Moreno was driving balls with authority to the 4-3 hole and while all the results didn't come at once, his approach was obvious. The series opener against San Diego showed the same, including a huge home run to the pull side.

When Moreno focuses on going the opposite way, one of the positive side effects is that his power begins to show. We saw this in his original return from injury. He belted 4 home runs in August and September of 2023 after hitting just 3 the rest of the year. He also hit 4 home runs in October throughout 17 playoff games. That power could be making a return.

A more productive Moreno will help deepen this line up significantly. He was hitting 3rd for the majority of the team's postseason run. Things are looking up for the Diamondbacks, and players are coming back one step at a time.

Geraldo Perdomo has been rehabbing in Reno for the past few nights, and Alek Thomas is on his way back. Corbin Carroll has started consistently hitting the ball hard, and now Gabi Moreno has found his way back to Gabi Lane.