Rays grades: Randy Arozarena continues to live off of the home run

Randy Arozarena's 2023 season continued the same status quo that has powered him through his career. He is known for the home run and that was the same kind of action we saw as he swung for the fences continuously in 2023.

One of the best parts of Arozarena's game was his exit velocity when he would connect with pitches, he ranked within the top 8% of major league baseball in maxed-out exit velocity (114.3 mph). He also had a great average exit velocity (91.7 mph) that was in the 86th percentile in the MLB. 

This shows that Arozarena definitely wanted to get the home run ball at a high rate. Overall, that did him well in 2023. He finished as the runner-up in this season's home run derby in Seattle and totaled 23 home runs in the season which is his highest total so far. He finished third on Tampa Bay in total home runs.

Arozarena also benefited from a great walk rate. It ranked in the 87th percentile in major league baseball. He had 80 walks and was the Rays' leader in that stat by a healthy margin. However, with that good side of plate discipline, there was also a bad part of it. Arozarena led the team in strikeouts by a decent margin with 156.

Arozarena was not a chaser with swinging outside of the zone, but he often whiffed with a rate in the 26th percentile in baseball. The walks were well improved from 2022 but the strikeout total remained as high as it has been since he arrived in St. Pete.

Arozarena has been a threat at the plate for Tampa Bay his entire career. Opposing managers have him circled due to his home run ball potential and power. He shaped up this game with better walks and continued to use the home run to boost his career beyond just the Rays. The strikeouts need work but Arozarena continued what he has done and found success from it.

Randy Arozarena 2023 Player Grade: B

More 2023 Rays grades