Increase Power Hitting: Teach Kid Drills To Hit Baseball Or Softball Farther Like Khris Davis
Learn how to increase power hitting by teaching a kid drills to hit a baseball or softball farther like Khris Davis.
Ball Exit Speed & Launch Angle Hacking With Khris Davis [Part-2]
Khris Davis swing analysis, and not to be confused with “Chris” Davis, the 1st baseman for the Baltimore Orioles! …they’re having two COMPLETELY different years 😛 lol This Khris Davis swing analysis is Part-2 to our series looking at one my 9yo online lessons, Ethan. In case you missed it, here you go:
- Ethan case study The Feedback Lab online hit training video,
- Khris Davis swing analysis video [YOU ARE HERE],
- How to drills to fix (COMING SOON).
In the above Khris Davis swing analysis video, we’re going to look at:
- Khris Davis stat analysis comparing 2015 & 2016 seasons to 2018,
- Khris Davis swing analysis comparing 2015 & 2018 swings (when things seemed to have changed), and
- Human movement principles 9yo Ethan is working on that Khris Davis does well.
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Khris Davis Stat Analysis Comparing 2015 & 2016 seasons to 2018
I wanted to share a recent and insightful Beyond The Box Score post on Khris Davis’s 2018 season titled: “Khris Davis is swimming against the current: As home runs continue to decline this season, Davis has counteracted the trend”
From the article, and since 2016, Khris Davis has improved tremendously, and here are just a few highlights:
- 2016 avg. Launch Angle = 12.9 degrees…2018 avg. Launch Angle = 17.7 degrees, and
- 2016 avg. Ball Exit Speed = 91.7-mph…2018 avg. Ball Exit Speed = 92.7-mph.
I think everyone understands how important hitting the ball hard is, but a lot out there are rejecting Launch Angles! They matter, check out this “Parabolic motion – range of a projectile” video (thanks Lee!)…
Optimized is key! Goldilocks golden rule, not too high, not to low…just right!
Furthermore,
Khris Davis is someone who has been good at hitting despite, as some will say, being poorly built for it – he’s 5-foot, 10-inches, 195-pounds. Compare him to Aaron Judge who’s 6-foot, 7-inches, and 282-pounds.
What’s also telling, according to Fangraphs.com, Khris Davis has steadily moved away from hitting ground-balls, pulling the ball less, and built a more frequent opposite field hitting approach. Compare 2015 to 2018 (stats experiencing most significant impact):
- 2015: GB% = 42.5%,
- 2018: GB% = 36.1%
- 2015: Pull% = 41.4%
- 2018: Pull% = 36.1%
- 2015: Oppo% = 20.1%
- 2018: Oppo% = 24.5%
Khris Davis Swing Analysis Comparing 2015 & 2018 Swings (when things seemed to have changed)
PLEASE NOTE: very similar pitch type, speed, location, and swing timing in above video:
- 2015 (w/ Brewers): 96-mph middle/middle, and
- 2018 (w/ A’s): 94-mph middle/middle-slightly in.
Mechanically speaking, here are a couple things I noticed:
- Seems to be “stepping out”, slightly opening hips more at stride landing, while keeping shoulders “blocked”,
- Slight difference in back foot behavior (could be a timing thing),
- Back knee angle (about 10-degree difference),
- Head in circle just after impact, could be direct result of change in back knee angle, and
- Getting shorter from start to the turn (camera angle could be slightly different).
Human Movement Principles 9yo Ethan is Working on Khris Davis does well
If you remember in the Ethan case study The Feedback Lab online hit training video, his hitting homework was to work on the following positions at stride landing:
- Showing numbers, and
- Slight downhill shoulder angle…
In the above Khris Davis swing analysis video, we covered:
- Khris Davis stat analysis comparing 2015, 2016 seasons to 2018,
- Khris Davis swing analysis comparing 2015 & 2018 swings (when things seemed to changed), and
- Human movement principles 9yo Ethan is working on that Khris Davis does well.
Stay tuned for Part-3, where we discuss drills…
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Joey,
Another great article. The then/now comparison shows some glaring differences in his swing. Perhaps the most interesting thing is the bat path comments – different for different pitch locations?
Maybe, and could be for reasons mentioned in the video.
It is very difficult to compare hitters because whatever works for each of them is often different except for the end result. There are certain principles which apply to their success that coaches should look for and find out what works for their hitters. Starting with stride, hips, and hands and watching the head, back knee, and hands at contact point seem rather nb. I want my hitters to finish their swing high over their back shoulder with belt buckle on the pitcher and head on contact point. Showing their numbers or not prior to the swing depends on what works for each hitter. My priority is developing a swing that each of them can trust at each at bat. Things may change as they mature, get stronger etc.
John,
This is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that Joey has used quite a bit: “As to the methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.”
Hitting is not all relative. There are common movements shared by all hitters from Babe Ruth to Mookie Betts. These movements are based on human movement principles shared by all rotational athletes. As for hitters, distinguish between their style and their technique. Their styles may make them all look different. Not so with their technique.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Joe! Thanks for the support.
Coach John! I agree, there’s “bro-science” which indicates works for different hitters, and then there’s human movement principles validated by REAL Science that works for ALL players in baseball/softball or any other sport.
John,
I forgot to mention this. He’s not comparing players. He’s comparing Khris Davis to himself – 2015-16 to 2018.