When it comes to sluggers, there’s been no match for Boston Red Sox designated hitter and first baseman David Ortiz in 2016.
Big Papi leads all big leaguers in slugging percentage, doubles, extra-base hits and Isolated Power (ISO). It’s that final category that carries the most significance in this debate.
When it comes to judging power, there’s no better stat for doing so than ISO. Just consider how FanGraphs defines it: “Isolated Power (ISO) is a measure of a hitter’s raw power and tells you how often a player hits for extra bases.”
According to FanGraphs, the average MLB player clocks in with an ISO of .140, and a mark of .250 is considered “excellent.” On this list, everyone has an ISO of .278 or higher.
Using ISO as our measuring stick, let’s take a look at the mashers who join Ortiz in the rankings of the top power hitters of 2016.