Twins Hitter Luke Keaschall Has Surprisingly Transformed Into One of MLB's Best

Keaschall is making less contact, but doing much more damage when he connects.

Minnesota Twins centerfielder Luke Keaschall (15). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is an undeniable talent we were able to appreciate in Luke Keaschall since his debut last season, at age 22: his ability to put the ball in play. His offensive line in 207 plate appearances speaks for itself: .302/.382/.445, with 4 home runs, 28 RBI and a 134 wRC+.

Although power has never been part of his tools, Keaschall balanced his offensive contribution with a .340 BABIP that became one of the main forces behind his 1.6 fWAR last year. This season, his production raised some concerns for much of the first half. That story has changed considerably with Keaschall’s recent adjustments.

Over his last 13 games, he is batting .364 (16-for-44) with a 1.122 OPS. But that stretch is only the hottest part of an offensive improvement that started much earlier. The turnaround itself began much earlier and corresponds to his 34 games since July 1.

Let’s look at Keaschall’s offensive comparisons through June and since July 1:

Period	G	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	XBH
3/28-6/30	81	.245	.328	.317	.645	15
7/1-NOW	34	.330	.444	.528	.973	11

Among all MLB players with a minimum of 100 plate appearances since July 1, Keaschall ranks fourth in on-base percentage (OBP) and OPS, and ninth in batting average. In terms of his offensive numbers, the most surprising improvement is the .328 points of OPS he has gained, posting a .973 OPS so far.

How Has Keaschall Managed To Make This Surprising Turnaround?

Minnesota Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To answer that question, let’s look at some changes in his most revealing metrics from Statcast.

Period	O-Contact%	Contact%	ISO	wRC+	fWAR
3/28-6/30	71.0%	85.2%	.072	85	0.1
7/1-NOW	63.9%	82.0%	.198	174	1.3

Surprised? That is precisely what these changes suggest! Keaschall has improved despite making 7.1% less contact outside the strike zone and 3.2% less overall. The results do not suggest that he has stopped chasing a large number of pitches outside the strike zone. Instead, his O-Swing% is only 1.4% lower.

His Ideal Attack Angle percentage also declined slightly, by 4.6%. So, where is the key? The shift is in the quality of contact Keaschall is making. His Hard% increased by 5.0%, and that improvement was reflected in .051 more points in his xSLG.

Many times, hitters find adjustments through improved plate discipline, but not everyone can adjust to a new approach, more or less aggressive, depending on their profile. Keaschall loves to hit. He has been less efficient in terms of contact, but when his swing has managed to impact the ball since July 1, the results have turned him into an elite hitter.

Amid the inconsistencies in the starting pitching, the Minnesota Twins’ offense needs to maintain its pace and be able to support the rotation. The Twins have a record of just 13-25 against National League opponents this season. Their record in series against the National League is 4-8, and so far they have faced 12 of the 15 teams in the National League.

If the Twins want to play in October, this is the time for them to play their best baseball, and Keaschall’s new offensive version could be an important piece in making that happen.