What changed for Carlos Cortes.
From 2025 to 2026, Carlos Cortes's BB% moved from 3.0% to 10.0%. Here's everything else the data sees that changed.
Something has changed for Carlos Cortes, now 29, between 2025 and 2026. We went through what the data can actually measure, including contact, plate approach, swing shape, and the results they produce, to separate the signal from the noise. The clearest gain: BB% moved from 3.0% to 10.0%, which now sits in the 61th percentile leaguewide. It hasn't been all one direction. Launch Angle has slipped from 16.3° to 9.0°, but the trade has largely worked so far.
The Results
On the bottom-line production (what it all adds up to), it's a genuine mix. Cortes has gained ground on xwOBA (0.314→0.363) and wOBA (0.365→0.371), while slipping on OPS (0.848→0.778) and xSLG (0.563→0.513). The net picture is a real shift in profile, not a simple up-or-down.
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 | Change | League now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| xwOBA | 0.314 | 0.363 | ▲ +0.049 | 77th |
| wOBA | 0.365 | 0.371 | ▲ +0.006 | 56th |
| xSLG | 0.563 | 0.513 | ▼ -0.049 | 37th |
| OPS | 0.848 | 0.778 | ▼ -0.070 | 55th |
The biggest move is OPS, down from 0.848 to 0.778 (-0.070).
Contact Quality
On the quality of contact (how hard and how flush he's hitting the ball), it's a genuine mix. Cortes has gained ground on Exit Velo (89.8 mph→90.0 mph), while slipping on Hard-Hit% (44.7%→41.0%), Sweet-Spot% (40.8%→37.2%), and Barrel% (6.9%→6.2%). The net picture is a real shift in profile, not a simple up-or-down.
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 | Change | League now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exit Velo | 89.8 mph | 90.0 mph | ▲ +0.2 | 59th |
| Barrel% | 6.9% | 6.2% | ▼ -0.7 pts | 51th |
| Hard-Hit% | 44.7% | 41.0% | ▼ -3.7 pts | 37th |
| Sweet-Spot% | 40.8% | 37.2% | ▼ -3.6 pts | 60th |
The biggest move is Exit Velo, up from 89.8 mph to 90.0 mph (+0.2).
Plate Approach
On his approach at the plate (what he swings at and how often he misses), the arrows point the right way. Cortes has improved on K% (20.8%→12.0%), BB% (3.0%→10.0%), and Chase% (31.5%→24.7%), with nothing here moving meaningfully against him.
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 | Change | League now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase% | 31.5% | 24.7% | ▲ -6.7 pts | 77th |
| Whiff% | 19.4% | 19.0% | ▲ -0.3 pts | 64th |
| K% | 20.8% | 12.0% | ▲ -8.8 pts | 93th |
| BB% | 3.0% | 10.0% | ▲ +7.1 pts | 61th |
The biggest move is K%, down from 20.8% to 12.0% (-8.8 pts). It's been a clean step forward here.
Swing & Batted-Ball Shape
On his swing and batted-ball shape (the mechanical fingerprint behind the changes above), it's a genuine mix. Cortes has gained ground on Bat Speed (68.4 mph→68.7 mph), Oppo% (22.4%→30.8%), and Swing Length (7.0 ft→6.9 ft), while slipping on Launch Angle (16.3°→9.0°), Ground-Ball% (39.5%→49.4%), and Pull% (40.8%→39.1%). The net picture is a real shift in profile, not a simple up-or-down.
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 | Change | League now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch Angle | 16.3° | 9.0° | ▼ -7.4 | 14th |
| Pull% | 40.8% | 39.1% | ▼ -1.7 pts | 21th |
| Oppo% | 22.4% | 30.8% | ▲ +8.4 pts | 79th |
| Ground-Ball% | 39.5% | 49.4% | ▼ +9.9 pts | 12th |
| Bat Speed (2024+) | 68.4 mph | 68.7 mph | ▲ +0.4 | 34th |
| Swing Length (2024+) | 7.0 ft | 6.9 ft | ▲ -0.0 | 77th |
The biggest move is Launch Angle, down from 16.3° to 9.0° (-7.4).
The takeaway
Bottom line: between 2025 and 2026, the broad picture is a step forward, and the results are following the process. More of Cortes's underlying markers are pointing up than down. It's worth re-checking as the sample grows, but the direction is already readable in the numbers.
How to read this
- Sample sizes are modest (2025 101 PA, 2026 209 PA), so read the magnitude of these changes with some caution.
- This compares what the data can measure (contact, approach, swing and batted-ball shape). Stance, hand position, and leg-kick changes are not in the public data and are not claimed here.