There is nothing that is more intriguing or exciting than seeing players break out of their shell. When you know a player has true potential and has the tools to be better than their current state, it has you starving for more. When it comes to Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll, this fits him like a glove, as he is breaking out of his shell and forming himself into a truly elite hitter.

Corbin Carroll’s Adjustments are Paying Off

Carroll is a special talent and there is a reason why the front office jumped the gun and extended him almost immediately. 2022 was a glimpse of what he could do and 2023 you really saw the true potential he put on full display, in what was more of his true first season. There’s plenty to love about his game. He is an exceptional defender in the outfield, electric on the base paths, and is a reliable batter at the plate.

The first half of 2024 was a rocky start for Carroll and many wondered where the 2023 version of him was and if he would ever reach that true full potential.  First half of 2024 was quite ugly, as he was hitting .212 with a .635 OPS and a 79 wRC+. A player with that much talent shouldn’t be a below league average hitter. Fast forward to the second half and the surge came, as he was hitting .258 with a .919 OPS and his wRC+ was sitting at 147. Huge improvement and could only mean more is to come.

This is where you see the truly elite hitters and players shine the most. They go ahead and make adjustments and aim to improve their craft. Carroll has gone on to make adjustments and he has been one of the best players in the game of baseball because of it.

As stated earlier, you know the full potential that Carroll has as a player, it’s just about tapping into that potential and seeing it come to light. Over the offseason, he made adjustments to his batting approach. Carroll ditched the toe tap that he was doing and has adjusted his batting angle and adding more tilt. What does this mean you ask? Well, adding swing tilt can increase bat speed and give you more efficiency when swinging.

Comparing to 2024, he had a 6 degree attack angle and a zero degree attack direction. Both of these things pertain to the direction in which the sweet spot of the bat impacts the ball. Also, he had a 22 degree swing path tilt. The adjustments he made has helped him enormously.

One of the biggest keys to his change was adjusting the distance between hit feet. He shortened that distance by three inches, while also adjusting his hand placement on his bat. This has allowed him to have a steeper swing path and bring power to that bat. His attack angle is set to 11 degrees, so he’s added 5 degrees towards that. Furthermore, his swing tilt is at 26 degrees, so he’s added 4 degrees towards that and his pull degree is set at 4, a massive step from zero.

The results have been quite noticeable for Carroll and he has been a rockstar for the Diamondbacks offense. As it currently stands, Carroll is hitting .271 with a .924 OPS and his 151 wRC+ puts him well above the league average hitter. He’s been sensational.

Due to his adjustments, Carroll has seen his bat speed rise 1.3 MPH. This has led to him making harder contact, having higher exit velocity, and being able to barrel the ball harder. The results now speak for themselves.

Carroll is playing at an MVP type level for the Diamondbacks this season, given the value presented above. He has hit 15 home runs this season, which is seven away from what he hit all of last year. The adjustments are paying off in that regard. His 2.7 WAR has him tied for sixth overall.

The best of players make adjustments to get better and that’s what Carroll did and it’s paying off. He’s been an absolute delight to watch this season and is a huge part of their offensive success.