Players / Player profile
TEX · C

Kyle Higashioka

Age 36 B/T R/R 6′1″, 202 lb USA MLB debut 2017
40-man
  • Free agent est. 1 yr × $2.5M ($1M–$6M) if his mutual option is declined
    1 caution
    • Holds a $7.0M mutual option for 2027; one side almost always declines.
  • Injured list 2026: (Apr 16–Apr 18)
xwOBA .295 wOBA .317
2026 fWAR 0.4
Projected 2027 WAR 0.2 Keystone Marcel+ at 214 PA

Hitting · 2026

186 PA: percentiles need 300+, so values only

xwOBA .295 xwOBA: .295
Swing decisions 0.00 Swing decisions: 0.00
Contact value −0.29 Contact value: −0.29
Bat speed 70.8 Bat speed: 70.8
Squared-up / swing 23% Squared-up / swing: 23%
Blasts / swing 7% Blasts / swing: 7%
EV90 103.5 EV90: 103.5
Barrel % 8.5% Barrel %: 8.5%
Chase % 31.1% Chase %: 31.1%
Zone contact 87.0% Zone contact: 87.0%
Strikeout % 25.3% Strikeout %: 25.3%
Walk % 10.2% Walk %: 10.2%

Platoon splits · swing path

By pitcher handedness

vsPAwOBAxwOBAK%BB%ChaseDecisionsContact
LHP54.365.33522%11%36%−0.24+0.95
RHP132.297.27927%10%29%+0.10−0.81
Attack angle
12.5° (49% in 5–20°)
Attack direction
−9.0°
Swing length
7.3 ft
Fast-swing rate
10%
Pull-air %
17.9%
Hard-hit %
38.1%
Slash · wRC+
.218/.306/.370 · 94

Zone map · 2026

Where he does damage, and where to pitch him

+0.1−1.2+0.7−0.2+0.2−0.3+0.8+3.5+1.1+0.5+0.2−2.6+2.0−1.2−0.3−0.2−0.3−3.7+1.0+1.4−0.6+0.2−0.9+0.5−1.3RHB

Does the most damage up over the middle (+3.5 vs. league per 100; 1.5 standard errors on 32 pitches, inside the noise for the best of nine cells).

Weakest down over the middle (−3.7), but only 1.6 standard errors from average on 43 pitches: no in-zone spot to attack yet.

Runs per 100 pitches vs. an average RHB: better · worse. Catcher’s view · 689 pitches · faded cells are within one standard error of average. A spot is called only when it is farther from average than the best or worst of nine average cells gets 95% of the time (set from the league’s own pitches: about 3 standard errors above, 2 below).

Most similar hitters

Swings like Higashioka: bat path, contact quality and approach

SimilarityPlayerxwOBA’26 WAR’27 proj2027
72Ryan O'Hearn PIT · ’93.3130.61.0Signed $15.0M
70Mike Yastrzemski ATL · ’90.3090.60.4Signed $10.0M
66Justin Foscue TEX · ’99.3251.71.0Pre-arb
62Logan O'Hoppe TEX · ’00.268−0.90.2Arb
61Hunter Feduccia LAD · ’97.3150.50.1—

Nearest neighbours on bat speed, swing length, attack angle, squared-up and blast rates, EV90, barrels, pull-air, chase, zone contact, K% and BB%. 2026 regulars only.

Fielding

2027 rating at every position he can play · OAA by position · range by direction · tools. Same engine as the Fielding Lab and the Winter Plan.

2027 rating by position · best fit first, on the total with the position’s worth
C −6.1 +6.4
1B −2.0prior −17.5
Outs Above Average by position
SeasonPosOAARangeArm, DPRunsBatters
No MLB fielding yet.

Runs = range plus his arm and double-play runs spread over his positions by outs (Fielding Run Value, from 2023): what the rating counts.

Range by direction (OAA)

No directional data (needs a qualified season at one position).

Tools (percentile among MLB fielders)
Arm strength —
Sprint speed 24.6 ft/s · 3rd
Zone rating (Keystone expected outs)
SeasonZoneBallsOuts vs. exp.
Too few balls in his zone.

The zone rating counts every ball hit to his part of the field while he played there, his club’s positioning included; Savant OAA uses his actual starting spot and is the better individual grade. They agree best in the outfield. See the model card.

Compare in the Fielding Lab →

Contract & projection

Club control (RosterResource) · Keystone projected WAR

2027 0.2 WAR Mutual option $7.0M
2028 −0.2 WAR Free agent
2029 −0.6 WAR Free agent
2030 −0.9 WAR Free agent

His 2027 is a $7.0M mutual option, decided ≈ Nov 1–5 (either side can decline it). The Free-Agent Board expects it declined, so it prices him as a free agent. Contract Studio →

Minor leagues

MLB Stats API · public box-score data

SeasonLevelLevelTeamAgeGPA / IPPA / IP ·Line
2026AAAAAARound Rock Express361152 PA 52 PA · .239/.327/.413 · 2 HR · 17.3% K · 11.5% BB
2025AAAAAARound Rock Express3528 PA 8 PA · .250/.250/.500 · 0 HR · 50.0% K · 0.0% BB

ABS challenges · 2026

Baseball Savant

As batter 67% 2/3 won · 0.0 runs
As catcher 70% 30/43 won · +0.2 runs
Keystone is an independent portfolio project. It is not affiliated with Major League Baseball or any club. Data: MLB Stats API, Baseball Savant, FanGraphs. Used under their terms for individual, non-commercial use.