(*) BATTERS: Plate and power surgers, 2015 1H-2H

Let's take a look at the batters who showed the biggest gains in their plate control and power skills before and after the 2015 All-Star break.

First, these guys increased their walk rates the most in 2015 from the 1H to the 2H:

• Walk rate (BB%) 2015 - 2H vs. 1H*
  
  Name                    Position  League  BB% 1H  BB% 2H  Diff
  ======================  ========  ======  ======  ======  ====
  Votto, Joey                   1B      NL     15%     27%  +11%
  Swisher, Nick              LF/DH      NL      7%     18%  +11%
  De Aza, Alejandro             LF      NL      6%     13%   +7%
  Goins, Ryan                2B/SS      AL      6%     12%   +7%
  Morse, Michael                1B      NL      6%     13%   +7%
  Young, Chris                  LF      AL      6%     13%   +7%
  Correa, Carlos                SS      AL      5%     11%   +6%
  Donaldson, Josh               3B      AL      8%     14%   +6%
  Freeman, Freddie              1B      NL      9%     15%   +6%
  Perez, Carlos                  C      AL      3%      9%   +6%
  Fowler, Dexter                CF      NL     10%     15%   +6%
  Chisenhall, Lonnie         RF/3B      AL      4%      9%   +6%
  Sizemore, Grady            RF/DH      AL      4%      9%   +5%
  Choo, Shin-Soo                RF      AL      9%     14%   +5%
  Gose, Anthony                 CF      AL      6%     11%   +5%
  Escobar, Eduardo           SS/LF      AL      4%      9%   +5%
  Valencia, Danny            3B/LF      AL      5%     10%   +5%
  Beltran, Carlos               RF      AL      6%     11%   +5%
  Desmond, Ian                  SS      NL      5%     10%   +5%
  Heyward, Jason                RF      NL      7%     12%   +5%
  *min 100 PA each half

These hitters had the biggest increase in their contact rates from 2015 1H-2H:

• Contact rate (ct%) 2015 - 2H vs. 1H*
  
  Name                    Position  League  Ct% 1H  Ct% 2H  Diff
  ======================  ========  ======  ======  ======  ====
  Saltalamacchia, Jarrod        C       AL     59%     71%  +12%
  Springer, George             RF       AL     68%     80%  +12%
  Marte, Starling              CF       NL     74%     85%  +11%
  Reynolds, Mark            1B/3B       NL     64%     75%  +11%
  Yelich, Christian            CF       NL     74%     84%   +9%
  Cuddyer, Michael             LF       FA     75%     83%   +9%
  Zunino, Mike                  C       AL     60%     68%   +8%
  Cabrera, Asdrubal            SS       NL     76%     83%   +7%
  Ramirez, Jose             SS/2B       AL     84%     91%   +6%
  LaRoche, Adam                1B       AL     67%     73%   +6%
  Rupp, Cameron                 C       NL     70%     77%   +6%
  Gordon, Dee                  2B       NL     83%     89%   +6%
  Encarnacion, Edwin        DH/1B       AL     79%     85%   +6%
  Russell, Addison             2B       NL     66%     72%   +6%
  Gattis, Evan                 DH       AL     77%     82%   +6%
  Escobar, Eduardo          SS/LF       AL     76%     82%   +6%
  Carter, Chris                1B       NL     60%     65%   +5%
  Pollock, A.J.                CF       NL     83%     88%   +5%
  Holt, Brock            2B/3B/RF       AL     76%     82%   +5%
  Perez, Hernan                3B       NL     74%     80%   +5%
  Andrus, Elvin                SS       AL     84%     90%   +5%
  Pillar, Kevin                CF       AL     83%     88%   +5%
  Duffy, Matt                  3B       NL     80%     86%   +5%
  Blanco, Gregor               CF       NL     80%     85%   +5%
  Sizemore, Grady           RF/DH       AL     76%     81%   +5%
  Beltran, Carlos              RF       AL     80%     85%   +5%
  Lawrie, Brett             3B/2B       AL     72%     77%   +5%
  Kinsler, Ian                 2B       AL     85%     90%   +5%
  Rasmus, Colby                LF       AL     62%     67%   +5%
  Heyward, Jason               RF       NL     81%     86%   +5%
  Souza, Steven                RF       AL     60%     65%   +5%
  *min 100 PA each half

The following batters experienced the biggest jumps in their isolated power (ISO) in 2015 between the 1H and 2H:

• Isolated power (ISO) 2015 - 2H vs. 1H*
  
  Name                    Position  League  ISO 1H   ISO 2H   Diff
  ======================  ========  ======  =======  =======  =====
  Zimmerman, Ryan               3B      NL     .137     .341  +.204
  Ortiz, David                  DH      AL     .204     .376  +.172
  Gonzalez, Carlos              RF      NL     .194     .354  +.160
  Duda, Lucas                   1B      NL     .189     .341  +.152
  Carpenter, Matt               3B      NL     .164     .312  +.148
  Encarnacion, Edwin         DH/1B      AL     .220     .363  +.143
  Davis, Chris            1B/RF/DH      AL     .235     .376  +.141
  Saltalamacchia, Jarrod         C      AL     .133     .273  +.140
  Moustakas, Mike               3B      AL     .130     .253  +.123
  Kang, Jung-ho              3B/SS      NL     .116     .239  +.123
  Carter, Chris                 1B      NL     .195     .317  +.122
  Werth, Jayson                 LF      NL     .079     .200  +.121
  Ramirez, Jose              SS/2B      AL     .059     .179  +.120
  Sizemore, Grady            RF/DH      AL     .072     .187  +.115
  Lindor, Francisco             SS      AL     .087     .199  +.112
  Kemp, Matt                    RF      NL     .132     .242  +.110
  Cespedes, Yoenis              RF      NL     .202     .311  +.109
  Odor, Rougned                 2B      AL     .141     .246  +.105
  Rupp, Cameron                  C      NL     .083     .188  +.105
  Ozuna, Marcell                CF      NL     .088     .191  +.103
  Pennington, Cliff          SS/2B      AL     .019     .121  +.102
  Rosario, Eddie                LF      AL     .134     .236  +.102
  Brantley, Michael             RF      AL     .128     .228  +.100
  *min 100 PA each half

And these hitters saw the greatest increase in their flyball rates in 2015 from the 1H to the 2H:

• Flyball rate (FB%) 2015 - 2H vs. 1H*
  
  Name                    Position  League  FB% 1H  FB% 2H  Diff
  ======================  ========  ======  ======  ======  ====
  Davis, Rajai                  CF      AL     26%     43%  +17%
  Alonso, Yonder                1B      NL     22%     37%  +16%
  Duda, Lucas                   1B      NL     45%     60%  +15%
  Iannetta, Chris                C      AL     43%     57%  +15%
  Moustakas, Mike               3B      AL     35%     49%  +14%
  Urshela, Giovanny             3B      AL     26%     39%  +13%
  Robinson, Clint            1B/LF      NL     28%     41%  +13%
  Guyer, Brandon                LF      AL     29%     42%  +13%
  Flaherty, Ryan                2B      AL     31%     44%  +13%
  Uribe, Juan                   3B      NL     32%     44%  +13%
  Pearce, Steve              LF/1B      FA     41%     54%  +13%
  Suzuki, Ichiro                RF      NL     17%     29%  +12%
  Tucker, Preston               LF      AL     31%     43%  +12%
  Asche, Cody                LF/3B      NL     34%     46%  +12%
  Aoki, Nori                    LF      NL     17%     29%  +12%
  Belt, Brandon                 1B      NL     33%     45%  +12%
  Ahmed, Nick                   SS      NL     33%     44%  +11%
  Pagan, Angel                  CF      NL     30%     41%  +11%
  Rollins, Jimmy                SS      NL     38%     49%  +11%
  Kemp, Matt                    RF      NL     31%     42%  +11%
  Ortiz, David                  DH      AL     36%     47%  +11%
  Rosario, Eddie                LF      AL     35%     45%  +11%
  Gonzalez, Carlos              RF      NL     32%     42%  +10%
  Lindor, Francisco             SS      AL     21%     31%  +10%
  Zimmerman, Ryan               3B      NL     31%     42%  +10%
  Puig, Yasiel                  RF      NL     34%     45%  +10%
  Teixeira, Mark                1B      AL     40%     50%  +10%
  Iglesias, Jose                SS      AL     20%     29%  +10%
  *min 100 PA each half

Here are several guys in each league whose improved plate and power skills after the 2015 All-Star break bode well for them in 2016.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Eduardo Escobar (SS/LF, MIN) will be viewed as an end-game utility guy in many 2016 drafts. But there's plenty of profit here if you can get him under $5. His stats (.810 OPS) and skills (9% BB%, 81% CT%, 86 BPV) both spiked in the second half. And you'll be able to plug him in at both SS and OF to start the season.

Anthony Gose (CF, DET) continues to be a player with 50-SB upside. Consistency is the next step. He had a 6% BB% and 74% CT% in the first half of 2015. Both his walks and strikeouts soared in the second half: 11% BB%, 67% CT%. Pairing a solid BB% and CT% at the same time will help him take advantage of his elite 160 Spd.

Francisco Lindor (SS, CLE) is on the verge of a breakout at age 22. After starting slow in 2015 during his MLB debut with CLE (.203 BA, .497 OPS, -17 BPV in 74 AB), he looked like an All-Star in the second half: 11-45-.339 with 11 SB in 316 AB. And that production was backed by a sterling 88 BPV. He's already on the verge of becoming a cornerstone SS.

Mike Moustakas (3B, KC) looked like a top-tier 3B after the 2015 All-Star break: 15 HR, 51 RBI, .863 OPS in 249 AB. His ISO soared from .130 to .253, and his FB% jumped from 35% to 49%, so we can't dismiss his power gains. Now's the season to bet on a 30-HR breakout.

José Ramírez (SS/2B, CLE) is another utility type with more profit potential than it may seem, especially considering that Lindor will get all the attention in the CLE infield. His horrible production over 150 AB in the first half with CLE explains the likely lack of interest: .180 BA, .487 OPS, 23 BPV. But those marks overshadow the significant gains he made in the second half: .255 BA, .762 OPS, 101 BPV. His plate control soared to elite levels: 10% BB%, 91% CT%, 1.27 Eye. With a 127 Spd in the 2H and the raw ability to get on base, Ramirez has the seeds of a 30-SB source.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C, DET) will enter 2016 in a backup catcher role for DET behind promising young backstop James McCann (C, DET). While McCann will get the focus in fantasy drafts, don't overlook Saltalamacchia. His power surged in the second half: .869 OPS, 225 xPX, 52% FB% in 115 AB. Playing in ARI's hitter-friendly park certainly helped, but as a former first-round pick with proven elite power skills who is at an age when many bats of catchers emerge, he's another guy with some latent profit potential that many owners will ignore.

Danny Valencia (3B/LF, OAK) will go undrafted in some 2016 drafts. After all, he's a veteran who has never reached 20 HR or 80 RBI during a season. But he's a hitter who is aging well, posting the best skills of his career in two of the last three years. And he drew more walks in 2015 (8% BB%) than he has at any point during his career. He also hit RH with authority after feasting on lefties for years. As a guy who qualifies at both the IF and OF, there's some nice value here in deep leagues.

Mike Zunino (C, SEA) endured a miserable 2015 season due to chronic holes in his swing (62% CT%). That said, there were seeds in his second half with SEA that suggest we shouldn't write him off yet: 68% CT%, 150 xPX. And his plate control wasn't a lost cause during his rookie season with SEA in 2013 (8% BB%, 72% CT%). At age 25, it's way too soon to write off Zunino.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Brandon Belt (1B, SF) entered the 2015 season with the hope of a 30-HR breakout. While he posted a career-high in HR (18), many owners wanted more. If he can stay healthy, they may get it in 2016. His expected power index surged to an elite 156 xPX in 2015. In addition, his FB% went from 33% before the All-Star break to 43% after it. He also hit more line drives and generated more hard contact than at any point in his career. He hasn't peaked yet.

Dexter Fowler (CF, FA) has developed into a low-risk $15 OF. In fact, he has produced between $14 and $20 in each of the last four seasons. While he isn't likely to become a cornerstone OF, his second half surge from 2015 does give hope that his first 20 HR, 20 SB season could be around the corner. Both his stats (.272 BA, 9 HR, 9 SB in 294) and skills (15% BB%, 0.67 Eye, 119 xPX, 166 Spd, 74 BPV) after the ASB suggest he hasn't peaked yet.

Starling Marte (LF, PIT) has struggled to put together consistent plate control skills over the last two seasons. In 2015, he made contact at a marginal rate in the first half (74% CT%) before making steady contact in the second half (84% CT%). In aggregate, his yearly contact rate trend suggests he hasn't reached his ceiling yet: 70%, 73%, 74%, 79% CT%. There's $40 upside here.

Cameron Rupp (C, PHI) quietly developed into an intriguing second catcher due to his strong second half with PHI in 2015: 8 HR, 22 RBI in 159 AB. Both his plate control and power skills surged after the All-Star break too. He makes for a good second-catcher stash in very deep leagues.

Christian Yelich (LF, MIA) hasn't blossomed into an upper-tier SB threat yet, but it might be coming. He has made better contact in each of the last two seasons: 73%, 76%, 79% CT%. It's a mark that soared in the second half of 2015 (84% CT%). His speed skills have been very strong over those three years (132, 133, 119 Spd). At age 24, Yelich remains firmly on a growth curve.

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