After an impressive 2024, Lawrence Butler hopes to shine in Sacramento’s searing heat. How will the 24-year-old be able to do so?
Analysts Expect Emerging Star to Blossom in Sacramento This Year
A team that dominated the news for all the wrong reasons last year, the Athletics had some big positives on the diamond. Brent Rooker rightly took a lot of the plaudits, leading to him signing a 5-year extension recently. Outside of Rooker, though, no one was as impressive in Oakland as Butler. Across 125 games, he hit .262/.317/.490. This gave him the fifth-best OPS among players 23 or under. You can see why Jim Bowden of The Athletic mentioned him as a breakout candidate in 2025.
Lawerence Butler’s Skill Set
Butler boasts a mature skill set for a young man. Despite striking out more than average at 23.9%, he still can hit .260 with his xBA, which is also impressive at .261. His power is where he shines, though, since he can consistently hit the ball hard. Barreling the ball 11% of the time is a great start, combined with 83rd-percentile bat speed, which makes it a deadly combination. Not only that, but he can also hit any pitch that comes at him. He slugged .515 against fastballs and .580 against breaking balls and only struggled against off-speed pitches, where he was unlucky to underperform his xSLG by nearly 80 points (.313 instead of .392).
He’s also impressive on the bases; despite average sprint speed, he ranks 91st-percentile base runner. Lawrence also stole 18 bases without being caught, leading the MLB. There is also no doubting the influence his baserunning has on his slugging either. He outperformed his xSLG by 19 points, and whilst luck is a major factor, he can turn singles into doubles.
LAWRENCE BUTLER, THREE-HOMER GAME TO TIE IT
pic.twitter.com/0g1pORJ6NX
— MLB (@MLB) August 29, 2024
He’s limited to the corners in the field but still holds his own. His average arm and range have led to the Athletics playing him in center field. Across 285 innings in 2023, he did not commit an error, but with JJ Bleday seemingly the first-choice center fielder, we may not see him there for the foreseeable future.
Butler’s role for the Athletics
Undoubtedly, the next few years may be hard for the Athletics organization, but they continue to improve on the field. The major signings of Luis Severino on a three-year deal and José Leclerc on a one-year deal bolstered a weak staff. The offense remains much the same outside of the signing of Gio Urshela, with the outfield appearing particularly thin. Bleday and Lawrence seem to be the two everyday guys, with Seth Brown and Miguel Andujar expected to form a platoon on the left field. Esteury Ruiz would be a fun option, but he must improve offensively to become a viable everyday player.
For this reason, projections expect Butler to take nearly 650 PAs in 2025 and start in the right field. Analysts predict slight offensive regression, though projection systems often play it safe when forecasting breakout seasons. Many think the 24-year-old could be a 30-30 threat this coming year, and you’d be a fool to discount that chance. He may have flown under the radar in 2024 but expect him to make headlines this coming season.
Main Photo Credits: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
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