Stats Show Yankees' Best Hitter Against 4-Seam Fastballs is Completely Unexpected

The New York Yankees will be looking to make another run in the MLB postseason in 2020.

And though the lineup is stacked from top to bottom, their leading contributor against hard cheddar is an unexpected name.

Analyst Max Wildstein compiled the stats of Yankees hitters from 2019 to determine which players had the most success, in terms of wOBA, against four-seam fastballs, and the leader isn't someone you'll see penciled into the Opening Day lineup, if all goes well.

Unexpectedly, Mike Ford had the best weighted on base average among the group. The statistics indicate that Ford excels when opposing pitchers are throwing heat at him.

Ford had a solid rookie season for the Bronx Bombers, despite only seeing limited action. It will be fascinating to see what he can do with more playing time if New York opts to increase his role in 2020.

That said, Ford might have some trouble consistently getting into the mix for the Yankees since Luke Voit is the obvious choice to start the year at first base. It will be difficult for Ford to make a significant leap in his second season if he doesn't get opportunities to do so, but without Greg Bird, he'll get plenty of reps as a bench bat. Very few obstacles lie in his way.

When you slice it this way, his numbers against four-seamers are remarkably good. The Yanks would be wise to find a place for him.