What can the Texas Rangers expect from a healthy Willie Calhoun?

Willie Calhoun: Hard-Hitter

The Texas Rangers can continue to expect hard contact from Willie Calhoun.

Throughout his career, Willie Calhoun has always hit the ball hard, but has failed to see the results.

According to Baseball Savant, Calhoun ranks in the 80th percentile in max exit velocity this season, and has consistently seen exit velos in the upper 80’s over his career.

It doesn’t seem all that impressive at face value, but if you look deeper into his spray chart over his career, you’ll find more impressive results.

In a game burdened by the shift, Calhoun uses the whole field to his advantage. In 2021, three of his four hits have been to left field.

Over his career, he has his fair share of singles to the opposite side, but has also shown flashes of good opposite field power, coming in the form of doubles.

Calhoun is an advanced hitter that will use the whole field to his advantage. That being said, he has the makings of an everyday two-hole hitter with good pop.

Assuming he stays healthy, Willie could be a top-of-the-order, table-setting type hitter that the Texas Rangers desperately need in front of their sluggers.

A pairing of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a healthy Willie Calhoun at the top of the order will make a huge difference in first inning scoring for the Rangers, and could be the ideal 1-2 hitters the Rangers have sought after since the early 2010s.