Bryson Stott
Bryson Stott took a major step backward at the plate this season. A well-rounded hitter when he's at his best, Stott never seemed to reach the level of consistency he previously flashed during a breakout 2023 sophomore campaign. Baseball is a game of adjustments, and it became pretty clear the league had the upper hand on Stott in 2024.
Stott saw a 35-point decline in his batting average this season with a drop from .280 last year to .245 in 2024. His slugging percentage also took a nosedive, falling from a career-high of .419 in his second season to .356 this year. Stott has shown the ability to hit for power in the past, but this year saw a decline in power as well, only going yard 11 times in 506 at-bats.
Like teammate Brandon Marsh, Stott also struggled mightily against left-handed pitching this season. In 112 at-bats, Stott could only manage a .223 batting average, with 25 hits, one home run, and 10 RBI while striking out 26 times against southpaws. Unlike Marsh, whose struggles against left-handed pitching were a known problem, Stott had posted a batting average of .282 with 42 hits, three home runs, and 18 RBI in 149 at-bats last season. Stott's rapid decline came as an unwelcome surprise in 2024.
Considering his struggles against left-handed pitching this season, a platoon between Stott and Sosa probably should have become a common occurrence by midseason. In another example of too little too late, Thomson started paying attention to the splits towards the end of the season, and by that time, the damage to Stott's stat line was already done.
While Stott's season at the plate was clearly a letdown, he made up for that inconsistency by playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at second base, in addition to swiping a team-high 32 stolen bases in 35 attempts.
Only 27 years old, Stott likely found himself battling with a learning curve this season, and his 2024 production was more likely an anomaly than a sign of things to come. There's clearly some work to do this offseason for the talented youngster in order to return to the vast offensive potential he flashed in 2023.