Ryan Fitzgerald is off to a scorching hot start to the plate

Photo Credit: Katie Morrison

The Red Sox's top prospects have provided optimism for the future through the first month and a half of the 2023 campaign. Ceddanne Rafaela has been stealing bases at a high rate, and Marcelo Mayer has posted a .315 batting average. One player flying under the radar is Ryan Fitzgerald. While Fitzgerald isn't on the Red Sox's top 30 list, his performance has been hard to ignore.

Through 106 at-bats, the 28-year-old is batting .311 with 26 runs batted in. Like in years past, Fitzgerald has done a lot of damage with his power, as 15 of his 33 hits have gone for extra bases. However, what has made Fitzgerald's start so impressive is that he is improving as the games pile up.

During May, Fitzgerald has only gone hitless in three games. His strikeout rate compared to last season, and his on-base rate is up. While his numbers at this point compared to last year are similar, he is having more productive at-bats, especially against left-handed pitching.

Entering play on Thursday, Fitzgerald was second on the WooSox in home runs and first in runs batted in. That is impressive, considering his 32 games played are the fifth most on the WooSox roster. The only question that remains is if Fitzgerald can sustain his current success for the remainder of the season.

In the past, the Illinois native has gotten off to a hot start only to go through a major slump. During the 2022 campaign, he hit .175 over the final 81 games of the season. That is partly why Fitzgerald didn’t receive a promotion to the majors, even as the Red Sox struggled.

While the season is far from over, Fitzgerald is hitting .348 through 46 at-bats in May. His new approach against lefties is encouraging and eliminates a significant weakness he had before the season began. In 2002, he hit under .200 against lefties.

If the Creighton product can avoid a significant slump, he might be in Boston later this season if the Red Sox need help in the infield or a spark offensively.

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