Rockies Slugger Hunter Goodman Joins Legendary Company After Home Run Binge

His season has been fantastic, but his power has been better

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman made history with his first career three-homer game in Saturday night's win over the Minnesota Twins.

Goodman drove in five RBI with his three-homer game and has now hit 25 big flies this season, all before the All-Star break, Goodman became the first National League catcher since Johnny Bench in 1970 to have at least 25 homers before the All-Star break.

According to the Rockies' communication department, he is the fourth catcher in MLB history to do so.

Goodman has now hit a dozen homers this month and driven in 24 runs, both of which are career highs for one month. After his breakout campaign last season, his ceiling improved dramatically, but he's looked like a legitimate slugger this season. His 25 homers placed him second in the league behind Kyle Schwarber and tied with a plethora of elite talents.

Goodman is making a strong All-Star case despite not being listed as one of the two catcher finalists. The only problem is that homers are his main attraction this year. He owns a measly .246 average with a .312 on-base percentage, but his .543 slugging percentage saves his OPS.

Hunter Goodman Increased All-Star Odds on Saturday Night

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

His hitting has been elite and infuriating simultaneously. With all his homer happy season, he's produced the seventh highest slugging percentage in the league, but also struck out the sixth most times in baseball. His kryptonite has been off-speed pitches this season, a change from previous seasons.

Last season, he hit .333 against off-speed pitches, but that success has diminished quickly this year to a low .200. Thankfully, he's hitting fastballs and breaking balls at similar rates out of the yard, which is what he sees the most.

Despite his flaws, he showcased Saturday night that he's capable of fantastic feats from the batter's box. This season, he's barreled the ball up at an elite rate and hit the ball hard, which has strongly aided his elite season.

Ironically, even though he plays half his games at Coors Field, he has hit just seven of his 25 homers in Colorado. The most prolific homer park in the country has not been home to most of his big flies, and he's still succeeded.

If this game, which thrust him into the conversation with a 14-time All-Star and Hall of Famer, didn't give him the edge in the All-Star bench debate, nothing will.