It took Tyler O’Neill exactly one turn at the plate this spring to remind everyone what he can do. In his first at-bat, he crushed an offering from Mets starter Marcus Stroman over the left field fence for a homerun. The exit velocity was an eye-popping 115.3 miles per hour, matching the top EV of any Cardinal in the 2019 regular season. It was a thing of beauty:
It’s noteworthy because obliterating pitches at an exit velocity of 115+ mph is a rare skill. Last season, just 32 players accomplished the feat a single time, and only 16 did it more than once.