The Giants’ shortstop is discovering a power-oriented formula to sustain multi-year success
For years, Willy Adames flew under the radar as one of the MLB’s most reliable shortstops. Adames played in two small markets, spending three and a half seasons with both the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. It’s logical that he doesn’t see the spotlight very often.
However, Willy Adames is quietly establishing himself as one of the game’s premier power threats. In three of the past four seasons, Adames reached 30 home runs. That’s more than Matt Olson, Ketel Marte, Manny Machado, and Bryce Harper posted in 2025.
The thirty-homer season isn’t rare by any means. In recent years, several unexpected names have exploded for 30 homers. Examples include George Springer in 2025 and Ozzie Albies in 2023, among many others.
However, sustaining 30 home runs over multiple years is incredibly tough and is much less common. Injuries, random power slumps, new home ballparks, and even playing time can get in the way of sustaining one’s power output.
Willy Adames is deserving of major credit for not just his success in the past, but his strategy to maintain success in the future. Thanks to his swing data, we now know exactly what Adames is trying to do in every at-bat. Entering his age-30 season, Adames’ home run total should eclipse his age, and solidify his status as a premier infielder.
Unique swing dynamics
As Bat Speed takes center-stage in player analysis, Willy Adames doesn’t strike evaluators as a pure power threat. His 2025 Bat Speed hovers just above the major league average and actually falls under the league median.
However, don’t let the simple 72.1 MPH mark fool you. Adames’ swing is much more powerful than the typical MLB player, and the data backs it up.
With a Swing Length of 8.1 feet, Adames takes one of the longest hacks in the league. On top of that, his swing makes contact at a massive upwards angle of 18°. The typical MLB swing only makes contact at a 10° upwards angle.
It doesn’t end there either. In 2025, Adames pulled a massive 44.2% of his batted balls. Thanks to his super-uppercut swing, half of these pulled balls were fly balls. In the modern MLB, pulled fly balls are the key to putting up big power numbers. Now with 180 career home runs in eight seasons, Adames certainly understands this.
An important detail is that Bat Speed increases as the swing progresses. As the swing reaches the pull side, Bat Speed reaches its peak. Keep in mind, Bat Speed is not measured by the point of contact— it’s actually measured in a 6-inch-long zone just over the plate.
Adames’ swing length and pull side tendency both suggest that his Bat Speed is even faster at the point of contact. Because of that added bat speed, Adames consistently ranks in the top 20% of hitters in Barrel Rate. His ability to barrel the ball up frequently is ultimately how he’s able to stack 30-homer seasons.
Balancing whiffs with patience
With a power hitter like Adames, it’s almost a given that the contact numbers will drop off in some capacity. This case is no different, as Adames strikes out 26.1% of the time, while whiffing 29.2% of the time. This flaw brought Adames’ batting average down all the way to .225 in 2025.
However, in the modern MLB there’s little to no problem with that. According to Statcast, Adames posted a +13 Batting Run Value in 2025, which ranked just outside the top 25% of qualified hitters. Statistically, striking out over a quarter of the time is actually beneficial for Adames.
Now, while Adames does strike out often and struggles to pick up hits at a solid rate, he does have a remedy. Adames is a patient hitter, and as a result he walks 11.7% of the time. He’s optimally selective, swinging at in-zone pitches more than the average hitter, but also laying off of more out-of-zone pitches.
Adames’ 26.7% Chase Rate is good, but extremely good for a prototypical power hitter. Thanks to his patience, his OBP ranks close to league average. This is where evaluators move Adames from solid player to impact player.
Adames’ future outlook
With the combination of clever swing mechanics and patience at the dish, Adames is a safe bet to go for 30 home runs again in 2026. His Barrel Rate, Walk Rate, and Pull-Air Rate provide a sturdy floor for maintaining production.
A key piece to Adames’ success is his reliance on swing mechanics, and not pure swing speed. His minimal reliance on strength itself suggests that he won’t regress on the typical age curve. Adames’ big uppercut swing is here to stay and, barring an injury, should continue to produce for years.
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