As the spring training camps open and the excitement builds for the upcoming baseball season, it's a great time to reflect on the best pitches of last season. In this annual 'Best Pitches' series, we will analyze the arsenals of starting pitchers who threw 135 or more innings in 2023 and determine the game's best - and worst - offerings. Our evaluation will be based on each pitch's ability to generate swings and misses and manage contact. So, let's dive into the changeups!
The changeup, once again, proved to be the most effective core pitch in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2023. With an average Adjusted Contact Score of 84.6, it surpassed splitters which had an average score of 84.9. Among the qualifiers, changeups boasted a swing-and-miss rate of 14.1%, ranking third behind splitters (17.1%) and sliders (14.9%). Out of the 44 pitchers who met the pitch and batted ball requirements for grading, our focus will be on the five pitchers who received either an 'A' or 'A+' grade for their changeups.
