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Darick Hall is MLB's Next Premier Pinch Hitter

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Darick Hall has burst onto the scene since being promoted in June. Is he MLB's next Matt Stairs?

Author:
Ben Silver
Aug 5, 2022 4:30 PM EDT

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Philadelphia Phillies

Matt Stairs only got regular at-bats for the first time in 1996 at the age of 28. Unlike Darick Hall, he wasn't a late-round draft pick, Stairs wasn't even drafted at all.

In his first 38 games that year, he had 102 plate appearances, resulting in a slash line of .286/.363/.517. For a low-pedigree left-handed power bat, that's eerily similar to Hall's .263/.300/.516 slash.

Both players rely heavily on power, but are somewhat position-less. Stairs appeared in 507 games as a pinch-hitter, and played in 435 more as a designated hitter. Hall looks to be trending in the same direction, especially if his time with the Phillies is to continue.

Hall profiles as a first baseman only. He has some experience playing left field, but all of that is in foreign leagues or college. Either way, he's blocked at first base by Rhys Hoskins, left field by Kyle Schwarber, and DH by Nick Castellanos/Bryce Harper.

And once Harper returns from his injury, starts for Hall will be even harder to come by. Nevertheless, one thing is certain, Hall definitely deserves playing time. He would rank eighth in the National League in average exit velocity were he qualified.

Even more impressive, he would rank first in the NL in Barrel%. Schwarber trails him by .1%.

Hall only has five home runs to his name in 2022, but Statcast says he's been rather unlucky. Given entirely neutral playing factors, Hall should have seven home runs. Had he played all his games in Dodger Stadium or Globe Life Field, he would have 11.

Only at Citizens Bank Park, Kauffman Stadium or T-Mobile Field, with their deep center field fences, would Hall have been held to only five homers.

Over a 162-game pace at neutral parks, Hall would average 42 home runs. That's more than any Phillie has hit since Ryan Howard in 2009.

Despite his lackluster defense, Hall is an ideal late-inning pinch-hit option. There are few Major League hitters like him who rely solely on power, but the Phillies certainly know what that kind of player can bring to the table.

They found it when one of them "ripped a ball into the night" in October 2008.