Luke Voit is a popular name among baseball fans and is known for his prowess as a hitter. Over the past few years, he has been a productive player for the New York Yankees, but injuries have limited his performance in consecutive seasons.
Despite this, he still finished the most recent season with a 102 wRC+ in 568 plate appearances. This raises the question: How good is Luke Voit? In this blog post, we will analyze his career statistics, advanced metrics, and other factors to evaluate his overall value as a player.
We will also discuss how injuries have impacted his performance and offer insights into how he might perform in the future.
Career Statistics
Luke Voit began his MLB career in 2017 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but he became more well-known after being traded to the New York Yankees in 2018. Since then, he has established himself as a productive hitter in the league.
Throughout his career, Voit has accumulated a .270 batting average, .351 on-base percentage, and .515 slugging percentage. He has also hit 71 home runs and 197 RBIs in 414 games. These numbers are impressive and indicate that Voit is a productive hitter.
When compared to league averages, Voit’s career numbers are above average in many categories. For example, the league average batting average in 2021 was .244, and Voit’s career average is .270.
Similarly, the league average on-base percentage in 2021 was .317, and Voit’s career average is .351. Additionally, Voit’s slugging percentage is higher than the league average of .411 in 2021.
When compared to other players at his position, first base, Voit’s numbers also stand out. In terms of home runs, Voit ranks seventh among all first basemen since 2018, despite playing in fewer games than most of the players ranked above him.
In terms of on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS), he ranks fourth among all first basemen with at least 1,000 plate appearances during that same time frame. These rankings suggest that Voit is one of the most productive hitters at his position over the past few years.
Advanced Metrics
Advanced metrics can provide a more comprehensive evaluation of a player’s offensive contributions. Let’s take a look at how Luke Voit performs in some of the most commonly used metrics.
Weighted Runs Created Plus (Wrc+)
wRC+ measures a player’s overall offensive value while adjusting for park and league factors. A score of 100 is league average.
Voit has a career wRC+ of 133, which indicates that he has been 33% better than the league average hitter over the course of his career. This score ranks him in the top 15% of hitters in the league since his debut.
Ops+
OPS+ is similar to wRC+ in that it adjusts for park and league factors, but it combines a player’s on-base percentage and slugging percentage into one metric. A score of 100 is league average.
Voit has a career OPS+ of 135, which is also well above average and ranks him in the top 15% of hitters in the league since his debut.
Wins Above Replacement (War)
WAR is a comprehensive metric that measures a player’s overall value to his team, including both offensive and defensive contributions.
Voit has a career WAR of 5.4, which means he has been worth about 5.4 wins more than a replacement-level player over the course of his career. This score is solid but not exceptional when compared to other players in the league.
When compared to other players in the league, Voit’s advanced metrics show that he is a highly productive hitter. In terms of wRC+, he ranks in the top 15% of hitters since his debut.
In terms of OPS+, he ranks in the top 20% of hitters. His career WAR ranks him in the top 30% of hitters in the league since his debut.
Looking at historical benchmarks, a wRC+ of 133 would rank Voit in the top 5% of all hitters in MLB history. Similarly, an OPS+ of 135 would rank him in the top 6% of all hitters in MLB history. These historical comparisons suggest that Voit is one of the most productive hitters of his era.
Injuries and Missed Time
Injuries have been a significant factor in Luke Voit’s recent performance. He missed a significant portion of the 2020 season with a foot injury, which limited him to just 213 plate appearances.
In 2021, he missed time with a knee injury and a sports hernia, which limited him to just 95 games and 311 plate appearances.
When healthy, Voit has been a highly productive hitter. In 2018 and 2019, when he played in a combined 220 games, he hit 57 home runs and had a wRC+ of 146. However, his performance has suffered when he has been injured.
In 2020, he had a wRC+ of just 99, which is league average, and his OPS+ dropped from 145 in 2019 to 101 in 2020. Similarly, in 2021, he had a wRC+ of 102, which is also league average.
These numbers suggest that injuries have had a significant impact on Voit’s performance. When he is healthy, he is one of the most productive hitters in the league. However, when he is injured, his performance suffers, and he becomes a league-average hitter.
It’s also worth noting that Voit’s injuries have been somewhat concerning, as they have been to different parts of his body, which may raise concerns about his ability to stay healthy in the long term.
Overall, it is clear that injuries have played a significant role in Luke Voit’s recent performance. When healthy, he is one of the best hitters in the league, but injuries have limited his playing time and impacted his performance when he is on the field.
Defense and Other Factors
While Luke Voit is primarily known for his offensive production, other factors also impact his overall value as a player.
Defense
Voit’s defensive abilities have been a mixed bag throughout his career. He is not known for his range or athleticism at first base, but he has a solid glove and has made some impressive plays in the past. Overall, defensive metrics suggest that he is an average to slightly below-average defensive first baseman.
Baserunning
Voit is not known for his speed, but he is a competent baserunner. He has stolen five bases in his career and has generally been able to avoid making mistakes on the basepaths.
Positional Flexibility
Voit is primarily a first baseman, but he has also played some games as a designated hitter and even played a handful of games in the outfield early in his career. However, his defensive limitations make it unlikely that he would be able to play anywhere other than first base on a regular basis.
When compared to other first basemen in the league, Voit’s defense is about average. According to Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), he has been worth about -1 runs per season on defense throughout his career.
This puts him roughly in the middle of the pack among first basemen. His baserunning is also about average, as he has been worth about 0.5 runs per season on the bases throughout his career.
Overall, when considering Voit’s defense, baserunning, and positional flexibility, he is a solid player but not a standout in any of these areas. His primary value comes from his offensive production, which is among the best at his position.
When compared to other first basemen in the league, Voit ranks in the top third in most offensive categories, including home runs, OPS+, and wRC+. However, his overall value as a player is somewhat limited by his defensive limitations and lack of positional flexibility.
Luke Voit’s Career Statistics to League Averages and Other Players at His Position
| Statistic | Luke Voit | League Average | Top First Basemen in MLB (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batting Average | .267 | .251 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.318) |
| On-Base % | .357 | .322 | Max Muncy (.378) |
| Slugging % | .517 | .426 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.604) |
| OPS | .874 | .748 | Max Muncy (.993) |
| wRC+ | 142 | 100 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (191) |
| WAR | 7.4 | 1.7 | Max Muncy (4.4) |
As we can see from the table, Luke Voit’s career statistics are well above league averages for his position.
In fact, his wRC+ of 142 is one of the highest in the league, trailing only Vladimir Guerrero Jr. among first basemen in 2021.
Additionally, Voit’s WAR of 7.4 is significantly higher than the league average, and is surpassed only by Max Muncy among top first basemen in MLB in 2021. Overall, these numbers suggest that Voit is an elite offensive player who provides significant value to his team.
FAQs
Has Luke Voit won any awards during his career?
Luke Voit has won one award during his career. In 2018, he was named the American League Player of the Week for the week of August 27th, after hitting .458 with three home runs and six RBIs over the course of the week.
What teams has Luke Voit played for during his career?
Luke Voit has played for two teams during his career. He began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017 before being traded to the New York Yankees in 2018.
How has Luke Voit performed in the postseason?
Luke Voit has appeared in two postseasons during his career, in 2019 and 2020 with the Yankees. In 2019, he struggled at the plate, hitting just .160 with no home runs and one RBI in six games. In 2020, he performed much better, hitting .333 with two home runs and six RBIs in seven games.
How does Luke Voit’s contract status look?
Luke Voit is currently under team control through the 2024 season. He is eligible for arbitration for the first time after the 2021 season, so it remains to be seen what his salary will be going forward. However, given his impressive offensive production, he is likely to earn a significant raise in arbitration.
Is Luke Voit known for any particular hitting tendencies or approach at the plate?
Luke Voit is known for his aggressive approach at the plate, often swinging early in the count and looking to drive the ball with authority. He is also a good fastball hitter, with a career .297 batting average and .589 slugging percentage against fastballs.
Conclusion
Luke Voit is a talented hitter who has been hampered by injuries in recent years. When healthy, he is one of the best offensive players at his position, with an impressive combination of power, on-base skills, and overall hitting ability.
However, injuries have limited his playing time and impacted his performance when he is on the field.
While Voit’s defensive abilities and baserunning skills are about average, his primary value comes from his offense. When compared to other first basemen in the league, he ranks in the top third in most offensive categories, making him a valuable asset to any team.
However, his overall value as a player is somewhat limited by his defensive limitations and lack of positional flexibility.
If Voit can stay healthy, he has the potential to be one of the best hitters in the league and a major asset to his team. However, his injury history may be cause for concern, and it remains to be seen whether he can continue to produce at a high level in the long term.
