Five Early 90th Percentile Exit Velocity Standouts
Image credit: James Wood (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
One of the stickiest metrics we have available when it comes to measuring power is 90th percentile exit velocity.
What 90th percentile exit velocity measures is the EV of the batted balls that are roughly in the top 90% of the hitter’s batted-ball events. The correlation of power production from season to season based on 90th percentile is high, making it a predictive metric and a better way to measure a player’s raw power than simply average exit velocity or hard hit rate.
Today, we’ll look at five hitters currently displaying the best raw power in the minor leagues based on 90th percentile exit velocity. We’re only one month into the 2024 season, which means our sample is still fairly small, so we set the parameters to a minimum of 40 batted balls in play this season.
Carson McCusker, OF, Twins – EV 90 111.5 mph
His is not the name you probably anticipated you’d see atop this list, as McCusker had a rather unusual path to professional baseball. Drafted back in 2017 out of Folsom Lake JC (Calif.) by the Brewers, McCusker never signed and instead transferred to Oklahoma State, where he played four seasons for the Cowboys. After no interest from MLB teams following the 2021 season, McCusker signed with the Tri-City Valley Cats of the Independent Frontier League, where he was a teammate of Kumar Rocker in 2022. McCusker hit .433/.480/.822 over the first 37 games of the season with the Valley Cats, impressing the Twins enough to sign as a nondrafted free agent last July. McCusker broke camp in 2024 with Double-A Wichita, where he’s currently hitting .314/.398/.523 with four home runs. His bat-to-ball skills are well below average, but his elite power allows him to get the most out of the contact he does make.
Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox – EV 90 110.5 mph
It’s been a difficult start to the season for the Red Sox top prospect, as he hits .237/.351/.381 over his first 26 games. Anthony started slow in 2023 as well before his luck began to turn around with a promotion to High-A Greenville. Despite the lack of production, Anthony’s underlying data is still strong. He has a 83.2% in-zone contact rate, a low chase rate at 21.3% and the second-best 90th percentile EV among hitters with at least 40 batted balls in 2024. Much like last season, this should be a case of having patience with Anthony, as his luck will likely turn around as the cold temperatures in the Northeast begin to heat up this month. Anthony remains one of the players with the highest power upside in the game.
Thomas Sosa, OF, Orioles – EV 90 109.5 mph
In 2023, Sosa impressed in his stateside debut with the Orioles Florida Complex League team, as the outfielder hit .290/.385/.492 with four home runs over 39 games. Making his full season debut in 2024, that success has not carried over for Sosa, as he’s currently hitting .232/.327/.354 over his first 26 games. While the slashline is unimpressive, Sosa’s underlying data is solid. While Sosa has fringe-average bat-to-ball skills and approach, his 109.5 mph 90th percentile EV is outstanding and nearly 10 mph above the average EV for a 19-year-old. Elevating the ball on his best contact has been a struggle at times this year for Sosa, as his 49.1% groundball rate is high. There are some warts on Sosa’s profile, but the easy plus raw power is so outlier that it makes the Orioles outfielder a name worth monitoring.
James Wood, OF, Nationals – EV 90 109.5 mph
This is a name that should come as no surprise to those who follow prospects. The 6-foot-7 Wood is one of the most exciting young outfield prospects in the game and looks to be forcing his way onto the Nationals active roster. Wood’s power took another step forward in 2024, as he’s now pairing his elite raw power with improved contact numbers. Wood is hitting more balls on the ground than ever before, which is something to monitor, but his improved contact is a major development for the mighty slugger. While Wood’s home run numbers in 2024 don’t match his raw power, his ability to make more contact is a fine trade for the slugger. Wood’s 90th percentile exit velocity is top five among players with at least 40 batted balls in 2024, and his contact rate is the highest of those in the top five of qualifiers.
Orelvis Martinez, 2B, Blue Jays – EV 90 108.5 mph
After a bounce-back 2023, Orelvis Martinez is taking another step forward in 2024. Not only is Martinez running the best in-zone contact rate of his career and an improved chase rate, but he’s also posting the highest exit velocities of his career. Martinez’s 108.5 mph 90th percentile exit velocity ranks as the fourth highest mark among hitters in Triple-A who meet the 40 batted balls sample, and it is playing out in his production. Martinez is hitting .287/.367/.574 with nine home runs and a 21.6% strikeout rate. He hasn’t even had batted-ball luck on his side, as his .310 BABIP is quite sustainable. It’s only a matter of time until Martinez is promoted by the Blue Jays.
