Beyond home runs and batting averages, there’s a lesser-known but equally telling indicator: average home run distance. When analyzing this metric in the current Major League Baseball season, a surprise emerges: a Kansas City Royals player is surpassing stars like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge on average.
The era of sabermetrics allows us to analyze baseball with unprecedented accuracy, unveiling fascinating facts that often surprise fans and experts. In this aspect, two names stand out above the rest: Jesus Sanchez of the Miami Marlins and Jorge Soler of the Atlanta Braves, who lead the statistics with an average of 423 feet per home run.
However, if we dig a little deeper into the list, we find a revelation that could surprise many: Salvador Perez, the receiver of the Kansas City Royals, ranks fourth next to Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals, with an average of 419 feet.
Salvador Perez’s Kansas City player over Ohtani and Judge
The statistics of the average distance of home runs place Salvador Perez above two of the most powerful and mediatic hitters in the MLB: Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. While both the Japanese and the American are known for their spectacular and long-distance home runs, the Venezuelan has shown consistency in the strength of his hits that surpasses them in terms of average.
Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals jokes with pitcher Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers after striking out during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on August 2, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
It’s important to note that the average distance of a home run isn’t the only measure of power. Ohtani and Judge have hit longer-distance home runs than Perez this season, but the catcher has shown greater consistency in the strength of his hits.
Growth in the power of Salvador Perez
In addition, it is interesting to observe the evolution of Perez in this aspect. In 2023, his average home run distance was 406 feet, ranking 61st in the majors. In contrast, Ohtani led the league with an average of 422 feet, while Judge ranked 46th with 408 feet. This data illustrates a significant increase in Perez’s power, solidifying his position as one of the league’s top hitters.
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What does this mean for Perez and the Royals?
The fact that Salvador Perez is surpassing players of the stature of Ohtani and Judge in home run distance average is a sign of his great talent and his evolution as a hitter. For the Royals, having a receiver with this power capacity represents a great advantage, as he brings an additional offensive dimension to the team.
