When a player has a breakout year like this after being in the league for six years, the question of is this player getting lucky gets raised. However, a look at Swanson’s underlying numbers show that a breakout for him was due to happen. Since 2020, Swanson has had an 11.5 Barrel% and 0.95 GB/FB ratio. These underlying numbers only got better as he currently has a career best 11.8 Barrel%, 90.1 Average Exit Velo, 40.8 FB%, and 34.9 GB%. These numbers are a major improvement from 2016-2019 where he had a much lower Barrel% of 4.9% and much higher GB/FB ratio of 1.24.

Approach

What has likely led to Swanson’s success at the plate this year is a much more aggressive approach at the plate. Swanson has a 49.1 Swing% which is his highest since 2018 and a career high 37.1 First Pitch Swing% and 72.6 Zone Swing%. The difference between his approach in 2018 and 2022 is he had a 31.1 Chase% (30th percentile) in 2018 while this year, his Chase% is only 26.6% (63rd percentile). This all means that Swanson is swinging at an all time high while maintaining his low Chase% that he has had throughout the majority of his career which has yielded him career numbers. Another explanation for Swanson’s career year is his improvement on fastballs. Throughout Swanson’s career, over 50% of the pitches seen by Swanson were fastballs and while he’s always put up good numbers against, in 2022 he has a career .427 wOBA and 93 Average Exit Velo on fastballs. It’s these improvements that has helped Swanson change from a very average player, to one of the best shortstops in 2022.

Conclusion

Heading into 2022, shortstop was seen as a place where the Braves should upgrade. However, now that Dansby Swanson is playing up to his potential, the Atlanta Braves may look into resigning him. It’s not a matter of batted ball luck that he yielded Swanson these career high numbers as he is barrelling the ball up and hitting it in the air at career high rates. Rather it’s an aggressive plate approach while maintaining his low Chase% and much better numbers on fastballs that has turned Swanson into an all-star in 2022. Whether it be resigning with the Braves or testing the free agent market, Swanson is likely to get a payday much higher than most would have expected heading into 2022.