Baseball is a weird game. One day you’re getting designated for assignment by a team that lost 97 games, and the next, you’re the centerpiece of an All-Star debate.
Ryan O’Hearn is the living embodiment of that volatility.
If you just glance at the surface-level Ryan O'Hearn stats, you see a guy who finally "figured it out" in his 30s. But looking closer at the numbers—especially the shift from Kansas City to Baltimore and his 2025 stint with the Padres—reveals a much more surgical transformation. It wasn't just luck. It was a complete overhaul of how he sees a baseball.
The Baltimore Resurrection
Let's be honest: O'Hearn's career in Kansas City was... rough. Between 2019 and 2022, he didn't post an OPS+ above 73 once. In baseball terms, that’s basically a black hole in the lineup. Most teams would have moved on forever.
Then came 2023 in Baltimore.
The Orioles saw something in his exit velocity that the Royals couldn't unlock. He finished that year with a .289 batting average and 14 home runs in just 112 games. That wasn't a fluke. In 2024, he proved it by appearing in 142 games—a career-high—and maintaining a .761 OPS.
But 2025 was where the "stats" became a statement.
Splitting time between the Orioles and San Diego, O'Hearn posted a season-high 17 home runs and a .281 average. He wasn't just a platoon bat anymore; he was a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat.
Breaking Down the 2025 Splits
- Total Games: 144
- At Bats: 474
- Hits: 133
- OPS: .803
- WAR: 2.4
That 2.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) is significant. It’s the highest mark of his career. For context, he was a negative WAR player for four straight years in Kansas City. You don't see that kind of turnaround often in the modern era.
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Why the Exit Velo Matters
If you're into the "nerd stats," O'Hearn is a fascinating case study. In 2023, he ranked in the 94th percentile for hard-hit percentage (51.5%). Basically, when he makes contact, the ball screams off the bat.
He stopped trying to pull everything.
In his early years, O'Hearn was a "dead pull" hitter who got eaten alive by the shift. Once the shift rules changed and he started using the whole field, his BABIP (Batting Average on Balls In Play) stabilized.
His 2025 season saw him cut his strikeout rate to roughly 20%, a far cry from the nearly 30% mark he carried as a rookie. He basically traded raw, undisciplined power for "professional" at-bats.
The $29 Million Bet in Pittsburgh
As we head into 2026, O'Hearn has a new home. The Pittsburgh Pirates just handed him a two-year, $29 million contract.
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It's a massive deal for a guy who was once an afterthought.
The Pirates are betting that the Ryan O'Hearn stats we saw in Baltimore and San Diego are the new baseline. They need that left-handed thump at PNC Park, especially with the short porch in right field.
Is he an All-Star every year? Probably not. But the metrics suggest he’s no longer the guy who struggles to stay above the Mendoza line. He’s a guy who hits the ball 92 mph on average and doesn't chase bad sliders anymore.
What to Watch in 2026
If you're tracking O'Hearn this season, keep an eye on his performance against left-handed pitching. Historically, he’s been a "platoon" player—meaning managers only let him face righties.
However, in 2025, he started to buck that trend.
He hit .279 against lefties last year in limited action. If he can maintain that over a full season in Pittsburgh, he might actually justify that $14.5 million annual salary.
For fantasy owners or stat-heads, the key numbers aren't just HRs and RBIs. Look at the Walk-to-Strikeout ratio. In 2025, he walked 58 times against 109 strikeouts. If that ratio stays under 2:1, he’s going to be a productive big-league hitter for the duration of his new contract.
Actionable Takeaways for Following O'Hearn
- Monitor the Hard-Hit Rate: If his exit velocity dips below 90 mph, the batting average will likely crater. He relies on "smoking" the ball to get hits.
- Watch the Home/Road Splits: PNC Park is friendly to lefties, but O'Hearn has historically performed better on the road (.273 road AVG in 2024).
- The "Age 32" Factor: O'Hearn is now 32. Most power hitters start to see a decline in bat speed around now. His ability to adjust his launch angle (currently around 12-14 degrees) will determine if he hits 20 homers or 10.
The career trajectory here is wild. From a DFA in 2023 to a $29M contract in 2026, O'Hearn has proven that "post-hype" breakouts are real if the underlying Statcast data supports it.