A Flurry of Advanced Stats that Give Hope to New Miami Marlins' CF Cristian Pache

The Miami Marlins made a small, post-trade-deadline splash by claiming former top prospect Cristian Pache off waivers. The centerfielder is a former NL East standout as a key member of the Atlanta Braves farm. Unfortunately for him, an underwhelming bat has caused him to bounce around Oakland, Philadelphia, and Baltimore en route to Miami.

While Pache’s once promising career has been disappointing so far, the move does have Marlins’ fans hopeful that a change in scenery can help the 25-year-old get back on a healthy career track. Thankfully, a few key numbers paint a potentially hopeful picture.

#92.2

Pache’s Baseball Savant page reveals two surprising facts about the young outfielder. First, Pache’s exit velocity numbers show that he hits the ball surprisingly hard for someone with a reputation as a poor hitter. His 92.2mph average exit velocity (2024) ranks in the upper tiers in baseball. While this is a slight improvement over his two-year average make of 89.6 over the past two seasons, he has long made hard contact with the ball.

#10.9

Next, Pache’s 10.9% walk rate in 2024 jumps off the page. Interestingly, the former top prospect’s 10.5% BB rate in 2023 is also highlighted in red.

These two advanced stats paint an interesting picture. One would assume that a top prospect who plays elite defense hits the ball hard, and walks over 10% of the time would be on his way to superstardom. Yet, Pache’s career arc has him struggling to remain on a major league roster.

#13

Lastly, Pache’s identity has been rooted in his former prospect pedigree. The centerfielder’s defensive wizardry and upside as an athlete made him the #13 overall prospect in MLB as recently as 2020.

While the 25-year-old has struggled to the tune of an abysmal .181 career batting average and has jumped to his fifth MLB club in just five professional seasons, there is still hope that Pache can develop into a major league starter.

#91.1, 94, and 77

To be fair, #13 hardly counts as an advanced stat. However, Pache's calling card, his Gold Glove-caliber defense, has more than enough metrics to excite fans. The former top prospect has constantly ranked among the league leaders in arm strength (with a 91.1 grade). When given regular playing time, his 94-grade fielding range is also spectacular.

While Pache only has four career stolen bases, his sprint speed currently ranks in the 77th percentile among major leaguers. He has previously ranked in the 94th (2020), 91st (2021), and 83rd (2022) percentile. If he could consistently get on base (and this is a bit if), the centerfielder has the speed to perennially produce double-digit stolen base totals.

The journeyman’s struggles at the plate cannot be understated. Pache is a quantifiably poor hitter. And no smoke, mirrors, or stat presentations can cover that fact. However, there are reasons to have hope that the new Marlin can find a path toward competency as a hitter.

The league average for batting average currently sits at 2.43. If Pache could approach the .220-.230 mark, his defense, and speed would allow him to carve out a productive role on the Marlins in 2024. And perhaps, beyond.