O’Hearn Airport was constructed in 2023. It was a niche airfield, sending and receiving only products from the Left Coast. As a result, the volume paled in comparison to those from Gunnar Island, Santander International Airport, or Rutschman Rail Yard. Despite the lower volume, O’Hearn Airport delivered and served a useful function. But after that boat crashed into a Baltimore bridge, there has been a heightened awareness for safety and efficiency in the delivery of goods. Those working at O’Hearn Airport have taken the new standards to heart and have immensely improved the results. Let’s dig in.
Ryan O’Hearn of the Baltimore Orioles is 30 years old, 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, and bats from the left side. He was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the eighth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. In 2023, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
Throughout his minor league career, the walk rate was close to or above 10%. The strikeout rate was high, often in the mid-to-high 20% range, but never reaching 30%. The power was evident immediately, posting an ISO of .229 in rookie ball. The low was .161 while the ceiling was .302 in 170 plate appearances during the 2019 Triple-A season. He never showed much speed but did steal a bag here and there.
O’Hearn made his MLB debut in 2018. He slashed .262/.353/.597 with a .366 ISO. The walk rate was 11.8% while the strikeout rate was 26.5%. He hit 12 home runs and drove in 30. That was the period when the chains pulled up the coaster to the top of the hill, then the front car lurched over to expose nothing but a downhill descent.
Over the next four seasons, the walk rate plummeted to 5% while the ISO went from .174 to .106 to .144 to .082.
He’s never been able to hit left-handed pitching, so was strictly a strong-side platooney looney bat.
Then O’Hearn Airport was constructed in Baltimore. He received 368 plate appearances, hit 14 home runs, drove in 60, and stole five bases. The walk rate was only 4.1%, but the strikeout rate decreased to 22.3% and the ISO returned back to .191. The BABIP was elevated at .340, which contributed to a slash of .289/.322/.480.
So far this season, O’Hearn received 189 plate appearances and has delivered nine home runs, 23 RBI and two stolen bases. The walk rate has increased to 7.9% while the ISO is at .201. The slash is .287/.344/.489, but it’s not BABIP-fueled, as that number is only .281. The eye-opening number is the 10.1% strikeout rate!
Looking at the Statcast numbers, he’s still hitting the ball hard, as the average exit velocity is 90.4 mph. The launch angle is 12 percent while the barrel rate is 9%.
There’s nothing out of whack in the batted ball data. He’s hitting slightly fewer ground balls.
As for the plate discipline numbers, he’s chasing fewer pitches outside the strike zone and swinging less in general. The contact rate in the strike zone is over 90% for the first time in his career. The contact rate in general is over 80% for the first time as well. The swinging strike rate is a paltry 7.6%, the first time below 10%. If he qualified, that would place him in the top 30. Out of those 30, only 11 have an ISO above .175.
I really love how O’Hearn has matured over the years. He’s become more selective while still being able to tap into the power. He’s a platoon bat, so that obviously caps his upside. And he doesn’t steal many bases. That said, he’s not an average drain and is hitting third in one of the most prolific offenses in all of MLB. The Orioles are first in home runs, runs scored, RBI, ISO, and SLG.
