#7. Logan Forsythe, Tampa Bay Rays
2015 WAR: 5.0
2014 WAR: 0.8
WAR Improvement: 4.0
Was Logan Forsythe’s massive jump in WAR proof that he’d actually made a significant leap in ability, or the byproduct of a vastly expanded role? With Ben Zobrist leaving behind a hole at second base for the Tampa Bay Rays, Forsythe took advantage of the opportunity and logged 265 more plate appearances than he ever had in a single season.
In 2014, he registered 336 plate appearances en route to 0.8 WAR, which gave him 0.24 WAR per 100 plate appearances. In 2015, that rate jumped all the way to 0.8.
So yes, Forsythe improved.
An unsustainable BABIP could result in a bit of regression during his second season as a full-time starter, but his improving eye should help keep him afloat. He posted the best walk percentage of his MLB career in 2015 while simultaneously logging his second-best strikeout percentage — worse than only his 2012 season with the San Diego Padres.
Don’t expect Forsythe to come up just short of the top 10 American League position players in WAR again, but it’s not like he’s about to experience an Icarian fall from grace.