Swinging for the fences: Cubs slugger Kyle Tucker continues to impress new teammates

“He’s just a great hitter,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told the media. “It’s just different. He's on every pitch. He's confident on every pitch.”

While his slugging ability is worthy of praise, Counsell has been equally impressed by Tucker's plate discipline.

"He's aggressive, but he doesn't swing at balls often," Counsell said. "It's just what great hitters do."

So far this season, Tucker is slashing .324/.444/.784. He also leads the National League in doubles (five) and RBI (11), while his four homers are the second-most in the majors. 

A historically good fastball hitter, Tucker has also been exceptional against secondary offerings this season — batting .500 against off-speed pitches — making him an arduous task for opposing pitchers. 

According to Counsell, Cubs teammates and Tucker himself, the hard-hitting outfielder isn't doing anything novel at the plate. Instead, he's stayed true to the proven method of laying off balls and punishing pitches over the plate. 

"He literally wants to swing at strikes and take balls,” Justin Turner said, per MLB.com's Theo DeRosa. “He’s fine with taking his walks. You sprinkle a little talent on that, and it’s a pretty good recipe.”

After a shin injury limited him to just 78 games last season, it's encouraging to see Tucker back in action. Tucker, too, expressed joy in returning to the diamond and discussed his comfort level at the plate.

"I just feel like I'm in a good place right now," Tucker said. "I'm not chasing a whole lot. Just trying to stay within myself and drive balls [all over] the field.

"I just try to pick out pitches that I can handle the best, attack those and lay off the rest. Obviously, you're gonna chase sometimes. But if you can [focus on hitting strikes] as consistently as possible, I feel like you're gonna end up in a good spot."

When he's rolling, Tucker is one of the best hitters in baseball. Should the former first-round pick continue his torrid pace, Tucker could be in line for an All-Star season in the Windy City.