Incredible Stat Puts White Sox Prospect Nick Madrigal's Plate Discipline in Perspective
By Sean Facey
Baseball has entered an unprecedented era that's populated primarily by home runs and strikeouts. Players are shooting for the moon or going down on strikes trying.
One player, though, didn't get the memo. White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal has struck out just six times in 214 plate appearances this year, a testament to his other-worldly plate discipline.
The most incredible statistic in baseball this year might belong to White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal, the No. 4 overall pick in last year's draft who's already at Double-A.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 13, 2019
Madrigal has 241 plate appearances this year -- and only six strikeouts. That's a 2.5% K rate.
That's a measly 2.5% strikeout rate. Need some more information to blow you away? That's almost a tenth of the major league rate, 22.9%. He has unreal plate discipline.
It should also come as no surprise that Madrigal has walked three times as often as he's gone down via punch-out this year.
Madrigal has been a fast riser for the White Sox. Drafted fourth overall just last year, he's already made it to Double-A, where he's slashing .500/.522/.636 through his first six games. And no, he hasn't struck out there yet.
Nick Madrigal has 10 hits and no strikeouts since his promotion to Double-A. #WhiteSox
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) June 11, 2019
Perhaps the rest of the players across baseball should take some notes on his incredible feats of restraint. Many of them could certainly use it.
As strikeout rates continue to climb across all levels, Madrigal serves as a friendly reminder that plate discipline is still a valuable asset.