RADIO
After holding his own in a 2014 audition, rookie Randal Grichuk found himself starting full-time in the majors for the first time last year after the Cardinals lost Matt Holliday to the DL. He filled in admirably, hitting .276 with 17 home runs in only 350 at-bats.
Already up to 46th in our outfield ranking after his rookie season, expectations are running hot for Grichuk. While there are plenty of reasons why his counting numbers should continue along the same rates as last season, there are some expectations that need grounding. Namely, his ability to get hits. Grichuk's .276 batting average last year was the highest mark of his professional career since he hit .298 at High-A in 2012. That .276 is a distinct reflection of an unsustainable .365 BABIP, his highest professional mark since 2009. In contrast, during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Grichuk hit .256 at Double-A and .259 at Triple-A, respectively. The power is most definitely real, just be careful not to overpay in anticipation of more than that.
