Michael Brantley entered the 2014 season as a slightly above average player with the ability to steal bases and provide an occasional extra base hit. Now as the season comes to a close, Brantley has recorded extremely impressive numbers, solidifying himself as a candidate for the American League MVP award, and helping his team, the Cleveland Indians, stay in the playoff hunt for virtually the entire season.

How Did Brantley Do It?

Brantley, hitting to a .325/.384/.506 clip over 657 plate appearances this season, has proven that he should be taken very seriously as a player, and a future perennial All-Star in the MLB. When asked by Paul Hoynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group about what has helped him the most offensively, Brantley credits his mindset and approach at the plate.

“It’s the mindset that I brought into this season and have kept right up until now. My mindset hasn’t changed since the first time I stepped in the batter’s box this spring. I came in with a different approach. I wanted to be more aggressive and do more damage. I’m going to continue to try and do that the rest of the season.”

The 27-year-old, outfielder has certainly taken a more aggressive approach at the plate, posting career-highs in Swing% (42.2%), Outside the Strike Zone Swing% (25.4%), and Inside the Strike Zone Swing% (63.9%), while also striking out a career-low 8.4% of the time. This decrease of his strikeout rate, along with a more aggressive plate approach, has helped Brantley immensely this season.

The biggest surprise about Brantley’s breakout season, however, has been his consistent power production. Hitting to a .396 slugging percentage with 10 home runs last season, Brantley has made large strides in the past year, now ranking 12th in slugging percentage (.506) and increasing his home run total to 20 this season. This inflation of Brantley's power numbers could be because of many different reasons, such as the sudden spike of his HR/FB ratio (6.2% increase), or the fact that he has hit five “just enough” home runs according to ESPN’s Home Run Tracker, but fellow Indians’ outfielder Michael Bourn believes that he is just swinging the bat with a little more authority.

“I had to convince him a little bit,” Bourn said. “It’s all about believing that you can do it. When you come up here first, you might just want to stick with what you’ve been doing the whole time. You might not want to take a chance of swinging the bat with a little authority. He’s done that now.”

What Does The Future Hold For Brantley?

After signing Brantley to a 4-year, $25 million extension last February, the Indians have already received a substantial return on their investment. At just 27-years-old, Brantley is entering his prime, and it is unlikely that he is going to slow down any time soon. Only five players in the MLB, including Brantley, have joined the 20-20 club (20 home runs and 20 stolen bases) during the 2014 season, making him a very valuable asset. Brantley has a bright future ahead of him, and could potentially be the most underpaid superstar in the MLB.