Astros Countdown: Top Five Players to Watch in July

Alex Bregman

Bregman took a bit of a step back in the month of June. In 25 games, he hit .215 with a .682 OPS. However, there are two areas that could show that he is on the verge of a monster month.

Breaking out?

First, Bregman is seeing the ball remarkably well. Yes, he has not made contact very well, but he has shown an increased amount of patience at the plate. With a .340 on-base percentage, tying April for the highest of the year for him, he walked 14 times and struck out 11 times. To put that into perspective, he walked only 14 times in the 51 games in April and May compared to his 14 walks in the 25 games in the month of June.

Second is the amount of success he has had with runners in scoring position. In 65 at bats, Bregman is hitting .292 with a .798 OPS with RISP, scoring himself 19 times and driving in 19 RBIs. With the increased patience at the plate, his strikeout numbers may decrease a bit. He has struck out 15 times with RISP in 65 at bats.

Bregman has embraced the role of being a table setter at the bottom of the lineup. Now, with that patience at the plate, that is another aspect of his game that will make him a very good offensive force in this league.