At a time in which baseball players are taught to hit the ball as hard as they can and with the intention of clearing the fence, Minnesota Twins infielder Luis Arraez is a unicorn.
He hits the ball to all fields and has little power, but his batting average floor and ceiling are both very high.
He prioritizes contact over power, a rare profile these days.
We are not saying it’s good or bad: we are saying that it that works for him, and he shouldn’t change.
The approach earned him the batting title in the American League this year, with a .316 average.
He was the only reason why New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge didn’t win the hitting Triple Crown.
Last night, the Twins underrated star took home another piece of hardware: the Silver Slugger award at the newly-created utility position.
A Humble Star
In fact, he bested Shohei Ohtani, among others, in the voting process, which is an impressive achievement in its own right.
After winning the award, he shared a heartfelt message via Twitter.
“Thank God for his blessings. Although the Silver Slugger is an individual achievement, it is no secret that behind this award there is also the work of many people. Coaches, trainers, teammates and my family all played an important role. Thank you all!” he tweeted.
Thank God for his blessings. Although the Silver Slugger is an individual achievement, it is no secret that behind this award there is also the work of many people. Coaches, trainers, teammates and my family all played an important role. Thank you all!🇻🇪🤘🏽 pic.twitter.com/XTqvtV97j5
— Luis Arraez (@Arraez_21) November 11, 2022
It’s always cool when baseball players, and athletes in general, acknowledge the people that have worked with them throughout the whole process: the trainers and coaches.
And it’s also nice they always name their families because those are the ones who have been with them, helping and showing support, on the way before reaching the bigs, which is longer and more intricate.
Arraez, who slashed .316/.375/.420 with eight homers and 88 runs scored in 2022, certainly remembers where he comes from.
NEXT: Luis Arraez Had A Breakout Season For The Ages