I thought I was leaving Physics behind in High School. Given all the tools available to us as fantasy baseball players, though, that’s far from the case. The good news is that we can simply take the results and understand that certain things are positives when it comes to analyzing hitters.
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The faster the bat speed, the more force is generated, and the better the potential for some real damage to be done to the baseball. And that leads to fantasy baseball production. Let’s dig into some players who are making their presence felt with their early-season bat speed.
Advanced Hitting Statistics – Bat Speed
Cam Smith, OF, Houston Astros
After just 32 minor league games, the Houston Astros wasted no time elevating Cam Smith last season. His .313 batting average in those 32 games, along with seven home runs and 24 RBI, certainly helped make the case for him, though, along with a strong effort in Spring Training.
It shouldn’t come as a complete surprise, considering that Smith was also learning a brand-new position in right field and that he struggled last season. The former first-round pick, 14th overall in 2024, hit just .236 with nine home runs and 51 RBI in 134 games. His strikeout rate jumped to 27.8% while his ISO decreased to .122.
While it’s going to take more than that to simply write Smith off, his expectations certainly took a step back entering 2026. Through his first 23 games, Smith’s .244 batting average isn’t yet jumping off the page. His ISO has increased to .179 while his strikeouts have come down to 21.7%. Smith has three home runs, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored while stealing three bases. And this is just the beginning.
Smith’s .288 xBA and .515 xSLG (.423 SLG) point to more production being imminent. It certainly makes sense considering Smith’s 16.7% barrel rate and 48.3% hard hit rate. Taking it a step further, Smith has increased his average bat speed from 74.5 miles per hour to 78 miles per hour. Even more notable, he has what’s deemed a Fast Swing (greater than 75 miles per hour) 79.4% of the time compared to 46.9% last year. His average bat speed is ranked fourth overall and points to more good things being on the way.
Jordan Walker, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Could this be the year? It feels like we’ve been down this path before with Jordan Walker, but 2026 is shaping up differently. It’s shaping up to be better and perhaps the season of realized expectations.
Walker is ranked fifth with an average bat speed of 77.9 miles per hour, and it’s evident in his early-season success. It’s also important to remember that Walker is still entering his age-24 season. That leaves plenty of time for him to reach his potential.
Through 21 games, Walker already has more home runs (8) than he did in 111 games last year (6). That comes with 16 RBI, 17 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Walker is also hitting .305, despite a 30% strikeout rate, thanks in part to a .362 BABIP. I’m not sure the batting average will sustain, but Walker does have a .295 xBA.
What truly catches my eye, though, is the damage Walker is doing to the baseball. He has a .646 SLG (.654 xSLG) along with an insane 23.6% barrel rate and 58.2% hard hit rate. Walker has all aspects of his powerful swing working. When he makes contact, Walker is doing some real damage to the baseball.
Colson Montgomery, SS, Chicago White Sox
The results aren’t there so far this season for Colson Montgomery. You are forgiven for being frustrated, and I count myself in that population. But is it too soon to give up on the shortstop?
For starters, Montgomery is ranked ninth in the league with an average bat speed of 76.4 miles per hour. The former first-round pick is batting just .200 so far this season but with a .283 BABIP. Of course, his .188 xBA fails to generate optimism, but there’s still a lot to like in the profile.
Montgomery has a 12.8% barrel rate, and coupled with the bat speed, he can do some damage to the ball. The problem is that it only comes when he puts the bat on the ball. His 31.8% strikeout rate doesn’t do him any favors, and that will always be something to consider. But with five home runs and 13 RBI, Montgomery isn’t a completely lost cause. And his 10.2% walk rate makes the batting average a little easier to work with in OBP leagues.
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