Fantasy baseball managers, listen up: It's time to dig deeper than batting average and home runs. If you want to uncover hidden gems or identify which hitters are due for a breakout, you need to look under the hood. That's where Pitcher List's Process+ stat comes in—a powerful tool that measures everything a hitter does at the plate to set themselves up for success. Think of it as a "quality of process" score, combining swing decisions, contact ability, and power authority into one holistic number.
Recently, I checked the Process+ leaderboard for hitters who have seen at least 400 pitches this season—a sample size large enough to stabilize decision-making and contact metrics. While power numbers need more data (around 800 pitches), this early snapshot reveals which players are making the right choices at the plate, even if the results haven't fully caught up yet.
Two names that pop right off the board: Spencer Steer and Casey Schmitt. Both are showing elite-level process, suggesting their current stats might not tell the full story. Steer, already a popular fantasy target, continues to prove his approach is legit. Schmitt, meanwhile, is making better swing decisions than many realize, which could signal a breakout if he pairs that with even average power.
But it's not just about them. Over 30 hitters are worth a closer look based on their Process+ grades. The stat also includes a "Hitter Performance" grade, which measures actual runs added after adjusting for pitch quality. Comparing the two helps us see who is outperforming their process (and might regress) versus who is underperforming (and could be a steal right now).
For fantasy managers, this is gold. Whether you're looking for a waiver wire addition or a trade target, Process+ gives you a data-driven edge. And if you want to dive deeper, check out Nate Schwartz's award-winning breakdown of the metric—it's a game-changer for understanding what really drives offensive success.
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