Victor Caratini
- Minnesota’s roster as it stands starts at C · 405 PA · 1.3 WAR in the role
- Trade read Unlikely to be traded: Signed in Jan 2026 (2 yr, $14M (2026-27), 2028 mutual option): clubs rarely move a player they just committed to.
Hitting · 2026 percentiles
vs. MLB hitters with 300+ PA · 382 PA
Platoon splits · swing path
By pitcher handedness
| vs | PA | wOBA | xwOBA | K% | BB% | Chase | Decisions | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHP | 126 | .259 | .300 | 32% | 8% | 29% | −0.34 | −0.47 |
| RHP | 256 | .303 | .307 | 16% | 9% | 25% | −0.17 | −0.79 |
- Attack angle
- 11.8° (53% in 5–20°)
- Attack direction
- −1.7°
- Swing length
- 7.0 ft
- Fast-swing rate
- 12%
- Pull-air %
- 15.3%
- Hard-hit %
- 38.0%
- Slash · wRC+
- .220/.311/.315 · 79
Zone map · 2026
Where he does damage, and where to pitch him
Does the most damage up and away (+5.9 vs. league per 100; 2.6 standard errors on 41 pitches, inside the noise for the best of nine cells).
Weakest down over the middle (−3.8), but only 1.7 standard errors from average on 62 pitches: no in-zone spot to attack yet.
Runs per 100 pitches vs. an average LHB: better · worse. Catcher’s view · 918 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 Caratini: bat path, contact quality and approach
| Similarity | Player | xwOBA | ’26 WAR | ’27 proj | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | Jacob Young WSH · ’99 | .317 | 2.3 | 1.9 | Arb |
| 70 | Carson Kelly CHC · ’94 | .310 | 1.6 | 1.7 | Free agent |
| 65 | Bryson Stott PHI · ’97 | .332 | 3.8 | 2.5 | Arb |
| 65 | Andruw Monasterio BOS · ’97 | .289 | −0.8 | −0.2 | Arb |
| 63 | Andrew Vaughn MIL · ’98 | .329 | 1.3 | 0.6 | Arb |
Carson Kelly (similarity 70, 1.7 WAR projected for 2027) is a free agent this winter: a similar swing available without trading talent, at a free agent’s price. Opportunity Finder →
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.
| Season | Pos | OAA | Range | Arm, DP | Runs | Batters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1B | +1 | 0 | +0.3 | +0.3 | 813 |
| 2025 | 1B | −1 | 0 | +0.1 | +0.1 | 425 |
| 2024 | 1B | 0 | 0 | +0.7 | +0.7 | 332 |
| 2023 | 1B | 0 | 0 | +0.2 | +0.2 | 37 |
Runs = range plus his arm and double-play runs spread over his positions by outs (Fielding Run Value, from 2023): what the rating counts.
At 1B in 2026, the biggest loss came toward 3B line (−2 outs): a coaching target, though he plays C in 2027.
Tools (percentile among MLB fielders)| Season | Zone | Balls | Outs vs. exp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1B | 46 | +3.6 |
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.
Contract & projection
Club control (RosterResource) · Keystone projected WAR
ABS challenges · 2026
Baseball Savant