The empirical evolution of analytics and sabermetrics in baseball is rapidly changing the difference between perceived value and actual value on the field. Player contracts, player development, the amateur draft… essentially anywhere one might examine today’s meta for modern baseball, you’ll find quantitative analysis. Never before has it been so important a player bring multiple tools to the table.

The idea is simple -- the more ways a player can help a team on the field, the more valuable he becomes. Alternatively, if the player or organization fails somewhere along the player development process, hopefully, his additional tools will lessen the blow and help buoy that player’s value in some other way. Essentially, in granular physics terms, if you’re a player that possesses plus force and plus momentum, you’re less likely to fail. That’s baseball now.

These days front offices are scouting players differently than ever. Most top 10 draft picks are headlined by high-ceiling, modest-floor athletes that are almost assuredly going to bring some semblance of worth to their organization’s big league ball club when the time comes. Rarely will you see a team buying high on a player with the potential to hit 50 dingers in a season, but a floor of a .190 hitter who can’t get on base.

Tooled up prospects are the new currency in major league baseball, and they’re one of the most valuable commodities an organization can hold.

I decided to dig in and try to identify a data set that could filter players who were not only providing plenty of pop at the plate, but also stealing bags when they got on base. Furthermore, I wanted the most polished, mature hitters only -- hitters that would draw their walks and avoid striking out -- essentially, guys with loud tools that refuse to let an at-bat or opportunity go to waste.

What I settled on was a:

slugging percentage (SLG) percentage of .500 or higher

a strikeout percentage (K%) of 23% of lower

a walk percentage (BB%) of 9.5% or higher

as well as having stolen 15 bases or more in 2019.

To qualify, players had to be 23 years of age, or younger. These guys are hitting the ball with authority, but aren’t sacrificing the quality of the at-bat to do so. They have an advanced approach at the plate and rarely fail to contribute in one way or another during a ballgame.

Put quite simply, age aside, only Christian Yelich, Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger would have qualified for this list in 2019.

These guys have the potential to be special.

Kyle Tucker - OF - Houston Astros