Steven Kwan Isn’t Just A Contact Hitter, Guardians Breakdown

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan is averaging career-highs in power stats.

Jun 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) hits a home run during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Steven Kwan is trying to do something only a few players have done in MLB history. He’s currently hitting .397 and is chasing the ever-impressive .400 batting average which hasn’t been done since Artie Wilson (.435) in 1948.

As impressive as his hitting streak has been, pitchers can’t look at Kwan as just a player who hits for average and contact. Kwan has evolved to a phenomenal all-around hitter who can also hit for power.

Just look at his stats from this season compared to last.

Kwan hit his fifth home run of the season on Wednesday evening against the Seattle Mariners. The two-run homer has an exit velocity of 96.9 and traveled 358 feet before banging off the right field foul pole.

This homer is significant because it already ties Kwan’s home run total from 2023. It’s even more impressive when you remember that he missed a month’s worth of games due to a hamstring injury. (Kwan even hit a homer in one of his rehab games with the Lake County Captains.) 

It took Kwan 638 at-bats to hit his five homers in 2023 and he’s already tied that in just 182 in 2024.

Steven Kwan has 25 hits in his last 49 at-bats!

His 5th home run of the year extends the @CleGuardians lead. pic.twitter.com/fW7tTo76sW

— MLB (@MLB) June 19, 2024

Kwan is averaging career highs in power stats all across the board. He currently has an OPS of 1.010 and is slugging .555 on the season. 

Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) is welcomed back to the dugout after scoring on a hit by José Ramírez during the first inning of an MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field, Wednesday, June 19, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

The holes in Kwan’s game become smaller and smaller with each game he plays. This increase in pop has made him become one of the Guardians' best players and one of the top hitters in the game.