Very early command sub-indicator surgers, 2026

It's still risky to put significant stock into early-season skills, especially aggregate measures like strikeouts and walks. But looking into the components that drive them can be a helpful early-season exercise, since they represent larger sample sizes.

These starting pitchers have increased their swinging strike rates the most from 2025 to 2026 (min 20 IP each season):

		2025			2026			Δ
Name	Lg	SwK%	FpK%	Ball%	SwK%	FpK%	Ball%	SwK%	FpK%	Ball%
Randy Vásquez	NL	6.5%	61%	36%	13.3%	61%	36%	6.8%	0%	-1%
Cameron Schlittler	AL	11.1%	63%	34%	16.5%	69%	29%	5.4%	6%	-5%
Jack Leiter	AL	10.6%	59%	37%	14.6%	55%	36%	4.0%	-3%	-1%
Jacob Misiorowski	NL	13.1%	59%	34%	15.9%	60%	37%	2.8%	2%	3%
Shota Imanaga	NL	11.9%	63%	32%	14.6%	57%	35%	2.7%	-5%	2%
Sandy Alcantara	NL	9.3%	63%	34%	11.8%	64%	35%	2.5%	1%	1%
Max Meyer	NL	11.9%	63%	36%	14.4%	64%	34%

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