It needs almost no comment:
Kyle Schwarber v. Kris Bryant through 1st 45 AA games. Schwarber has a higher OBP, SLG & OPS, and same amount of HRs. pic.twitter.com/TUYZYMsv4S
— Andrew Green (@andruwgreen) June 1, 2015
But I’ll present at least a little comment. Through those 45 games at AA (each in his first full professional season, and each age 22), Schwarber has been unquestionably the better hitter, hitting for more power, walking more, striking out less, etc.
From that point on, though, Bryant went on a 23-game tear, upping his line to .355/.458/.702. I guess it’s possible Schwarber does the same thing …
The idea here, of course, is not to argue that Schwarber is a better hitter than Bryant. It’s really hard to imagine that being the case. But this context is definitely worth noting, because it’s easy to lose sight of just how absurdly good – and polished – Schwarber has been this year, given the turning tide at the big league level, and the huge performances of other Cubs minor leaguers in recent years.
Whether he sticks behind the plate or not (even part-time), Schwarber is a very special hitter. With the draft just a week away, it’s a nice reminder of how thoroughly the Cubs knocked that pick last year – questioned by many when they made it – out of the park.