Before we compare the two catchers, let’s look John Ryan Murphy. In May, two writers noticed his great swing.
- On 20 May, Zach Buchanan wrote, “His average launch angle of 26.3 degrees is the highest of any hitter in baseball with at least 25 balls put in play this season.” His increased launch angle explains why his fly-ball rate increased from 33% last season to 57.1% this season. (Source: FanGraphs through 14 June)
- On 22 May, Sean Testerman wrote, “So far, to date, John Ryan Murphy has hit “barreled” balls at the 9th-highest rate among hitters with at least 30 batted balls.