His earliest public scouting report, written at the end of his junior year of high school, said he "produces easy power" and "is an offensive monster waiting to happen." A year later, Baseball America noted the young infielder from Michigan's "calling card is his power potential."
While DJ LeMahieu never fulfilled those lofty power predictions, he did become a "savage" at the plate. And now, in his ninth big league season—armed with three Gold Gloves, three All-Star appearances, and one National League batting title—the Yankees' utility infielder is having his best year yet despite shunning expectations that a big-framed, hard-hitting batter needs to produce lofty home run totals to succeed.