ESPN’s Keith Law: Paul Goldschmidt has best ‘hit tool’ in MLB
Aug 18, 2015, 5:59 PM | Updated: Aug 19, 2015, 10:44 am
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt hits a single to center field to drive in A.J. Pollock in the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
This Paul Goldschmidt fellow — he’s pretty good huh?
The Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman topped another league-wide list Tuesday as Keith Law put Paul Goldschmidt at the top of his list for position players who can hit.
Law looked at the four key hitting and speed tools that scouts use to evaluate players, and ranked position players on each one. Of Goldschmidt, Law says:
The five guys ranked here can hit. Goldschmidt is the exemplar, a guy who hits all kinds of pitching, makes hard contact, controls all parts of the zone, and works the count. He’s physical and cerebral, and I think he’s as hard to pitch to as anyone in the game.
The other four guys ranked by Law were Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals, Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros and Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants.
In case you didn’t know, Goldy was an All-Star starter this year, has the highest batting average in the league at .334 entering play Tuesday. He also leads the NL in plate appearances and RBI and is second in slugging percentage and on-base percentage.
