Two non-traditional stats that can help determine the future performance of the Kansas City Royals’ hitters is the Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP) and hard-hit rate (percent).
As the formula states, BABIP reviews the outcome of an at-bat when a hitter puts a ball in play. The higher the average compared to the league could show that the player might be due for regression the next year if his BABIP comes back down to the median. For a player whose BABIP was lower, it could reveal he was probably was the victim of bad luck and an uptick in his production the following season is possible.