Soderstrom is hitting just .156/.224/.338 with three homers, 10 RBI and eight runs across 22 games for High-A Lansing.

EDGE Analysis

After wreaking havoc at Low-A Stockton last year, Soderstrom came into 2022 with great expectations and lofty rankings on a lot of prospect lists. However, the 2020 first-rounder has been lost at the plate to open the season, having collected just a single multi-hit game (in which he hit two of his three home runs) while seeing his walk rate sink to 7.5 percent and his strikeout rate climb to an alarming 30 percent. It's worth noting that Soderstrom, who was drafted as a catcher and mostly played behind the plate last year, has been used as the first baseman or DH in five straight games now. It's possible that this year's issues have to do with the strain of catching (which likely was responsible for ending his season prematurely last year) catching up to him. Most analysts agree that his future isn't behind the plate, and perhaps making that move to a less stressful position will lead to better results. He did hit a 111 mph double while starting at first base on Thursday, according to Lansing broadcaster Jesse Goldberg-Strassler, so perhaps that's a sign that he's starting to come around.