D-backs Gold Glove Catcher Finally Having His Offensive Breakout

Gabriel Moreno has been the Diamondbacks' primary catcher since the start of the 2023 season. In his first two seasons, he's been exactly what they've wanted: a strong defensive catcher and a tough out at the bottom of the order. In 2025, it appears his bat is taking the next step.

His season got off to a slow start, as he started off hitting .230 with a .578 OPS through the month of April. Despite the tough numbers, one notable trend was a dramatic improvement in his exit velocity metrics. He was averaging 92.0 MPH on the balls he put to play, and 45.0% of them were hit 95.0 MPH or harder.

While they didn't translate into good results on the field, it was an encouraging sign. The next step was taking those exit velocities and producing the right amount of contact. That meant adding the ability to turn on inside pitches for power to complement the line drive to right field approach that's worked well for him over the years.

Since the start of May, Moreno has been pulling the ball more with authority. In his last 28 games, he's pulling the ball at a 39.0% rate. Add in a hard-hit rate of 48.8% and his batted balls are turning into more extra-base hits and barrels.

The improved quality of contact has shown up in his bottom-line numbers. He's hitting .300 with five home runs and a .530 slugging percentage. Nine of the 82 balls (11.0%) he's put into play have been marked as barrels, a subset of batted balls with specific exit velocities and launch angles that lead to extra-base hits and home runs.

His offense has been 36% better than the average hitter, considering league and park factors, with a 136 wRC+. That's brought his season average up to 106, which ranks third among National League catchers with 180 or more plate appearances.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo explained what's been going well with Moreno.

"The balls that he's barreling up, even the swings and misses, there's a lot of force that's being created, and he's not missing the pitch he's looking for. I think early on, he was just feeling his way around the box, maybe getting bullied around the box, and I think he's made his stand.

"He's put two feet in the box and controlling the climate and the temperature as to what's going on pitch-by-pitch and making good adjustments."

Lovullo also noted that Moreno understands that a good two-strike approach is the difference between a good and great hitter. MLB hitters are hitting just .177 with a .263 slugging percentage. Moreno, on the other hand, has excelled in such counts, batting .268 and slugging .500 since May 1. Three of his five home runs have come in two-strike counts.