Josh Bell
- Free agent est. 1 yr × $1.6M ($812K–$4M) if his mutual option is declined
1 caution
- Holds a $10.0M mutual option for 2027; one side almost always declines.
Hitting · 2026 percentiles
vs. MLB hitters with 300+ PA · 631 PA
Platoon splits · swing path
By pitcher handedness
| vs | PA | wOBA | xwOBA | K% | BB% | Chase | Decisions | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHP | 209 | .320 | .302 | 19% | 6% | 29% | +0.39 | −0.76 |
| RHP | 422 | .332 | .353 | 20% | 9% | 30% | +0.58 | +0.94 |
- Attack angle
- 9.6° (57% in 5–20°)
- Attack direction
- −2.0°
- Swing length
- 7.9 ft
- Fast-swing rate
- 24%
- Pull-air %
- 18.7%
- Hard-hit %
- 42.1%
- Slash · wRC+
- .255/.319/.419 · 106
Zone map · 2026
Where he does damage, and where to pitch him
Does the most damage up and away (+3.3 vs. league per 100; 1.5 standard errors on 53 pitches, inside the noise for the best of nine cells).
Weakest down and in (−2.8), but only 1.3 standard errors from average on 78 pitches: no in-zone spot to attack yet.
Runs per 100 pitches vs. an average LHB: better · worse. Catcher’s view · 1,543 pitches · faded cells are within one standard error of average. A spot is called only when it is farther from average than the best or worst of nine average cells gets 95% of the time (set from the league’s own pitches: about 3 standard errors above, 2 below).
Most similar hitters
Swings like Bell: bat path, contact quality and approach
| Similarity | Player | xwOBA | ’26 WAR | ’27 proj | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Ty France SD · ’94 | .328 | 3.6 | 1.0 | Free agent |
| 62 | Victor Mesa Jr. TB · ’01 | .331 | 2.6 | 2.3 | Pre-arb |
| 61 | Andy Pages LAD · ’00 | .343 | 4.5 | 3.3 | Arb |
| 60 | George Springer TOR · ’89 | .309 | 0.9 | 0.7 | Free agent |
| 60 | Iván Herrera STL · ’00 | .335 | 1.4 | 2.2 | Arb |
Ty France (similarity 65, 1.0 WAR projected for 2027), George Springer (similarity 60, 0.7 WAR projected for 2027) are free agents this winter: a similar swing available without trading talent, at a free agent’s price. Opportunity Finder →
Nearest neighbours on bat speed, swing length, attack angle, squared-up and blast rates, EV90, barrels, pull-air, chase, zone contact, K% and BB%. 2026 regulars only.
Fielding
2027 rating at every position he can play · OAA by position · range by direction · tools. Same engine as the Fielding Lab and the Winter Plan.
| Season | Pos | OAA | Range | Arm, DP | Runs | Batters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1B | −1 | −1 | −0.1 | −1.1 | 640 |
| 2025 | 1B | −4 | −3 | +0.2 | −2.8 | 1,116 |
| 2024 | 1B | −9 | −7 | +1.7 | −5.3 | 3,490 |
| 2023 | 1B | −3 | −2 | −3.2 | −5.2 | 2,073 |
Runs = range plus his arm and double-play runs spread over his positions by outs (Fielding Run Value, from 2023): what the rating counts.
| Season | Zone | Balls | Outs vs. exp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1B | 71 | −6.2 |
| 2024 | 1B | 163 | −2.3 |
The zone rating counts every ball hit to his part of the field while he played there, his club’s positioning included; Savant OAA uses his actual starting spot and is the better individual grade. They agree best in the outfield. See the model card.
Contract & projection
Club control (RosterResource) · Keystone projected WAR
His 2027 is a $10.0M mutual option, decided ≈ Nov 1–5 (either side can decline it). The Free-Agent Board expects it declined, so it prices him as a free agent. Contract Studio →
ABS challenges · 2026
Baseball Savant