5 things we learned about the Mariners after the opening series

Mariners learning no. 5 – Ty France’s Spring Training was no fluke

The 26-year-old infielder was one of the best hitters during Mariners Spring Training and he’s proving that it wasn’t just a fluke. In three games, France is barreling 16.7% of balls and has hit the sweet spot 50% of the time. He’s also posted these stats:

• .279 xBA
• .432 xSLG
• .489 wOBA
• .399 xwOBA

France’s exit velocity currently ranks in the bottom 22nd percentile of the MLB, but he’s never been a guy who hits the ball consistently hard. Last season, he hit balls 85.7 mph on average (bottom 8% of league), but he still posted a .285 xBA and a .362 wOBA. He’s one of those rare cases that defy the trend of harder hit balls = more hits and runs.

Although his overall exit velocity isn’t very high, France crushed his first home run of the regular season yesterday. The former Padre hit the ball 111.1 mph and the ball traveled 403 feet.

France led the team in home runs during the Cactus League with five, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he leads the team during the regular season. France is one of my candidates to be an All-Star this year and he’s on track.