Archie Bradley has yet to even appear in a Grapefruit League game with the Philadelphia Phillies, but the veteran reliever is already establishing himself as a fan favorite.
Bradley – who inked a one-year/$6 million deal with the Phillies in January – appeared on MLB Network this past weekend, and was asked to make a bold prediction about any player on his new team.
“I hate doing this because pressure is privilege, but I’m going to say Alec Bohm [hits] 30 home runs this year,” Bradley said. “…I faced him yesterday in live [batting practice] – he about took my forehead off and also put one to the warning track off me. So, firsthand experience, I’m gonna say that Bohmer is going to hit about 30 this year.”
It’s becoming difficult to keep track of all the veterans blown away by how advanced Bohm is at such a young age. Bryce Harper compared him to Jayson Werth last year, and said he believes he could win an MVP in the future. J.T. Realmuto couldn’t help but smile when talking about Bohm earlier this spring. Rhys Hoskins raved about Bohm last week as well. Bradley is just the latest in a long line of established players that think Bohm has superstar potential.
The 30 home run prediction isn’t outlandish, but it would take quite the year-over-year jump.
Bohm was an excellent run producer in his rookie season, hitting .452 with runners in scoring position and driving in 23 total runs in 160 at-bats. However, Bohm only homered four times in 2020, and 21 times in 614 minor league at-bats.
Still, Bohm is up to 225 pounds after playing last year at 215. The 24-year-old is 6’5, so he absolutely has the body to become someone that hits for power. It’s seemingly not insignificant that the four home runs that he hit in 2020 traveled an average distance of 411.5 feet. Bohm probably isn’t going to be a Harper-type home run hitter ever, but could he eventually hit the ball out of the park at a similar rate to what the aforementioned Werth did in his prime? That seems plausible.
For what it’s worth, ZIPS projects that Bohm will slash .280/.344/.449 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs in 2021.
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