Ranking the 5 worst leadoff hitters in the MLB 2022 season

There are two factors that make a leadoff hitter effective. At the MLB level, your obvious task, first and foremost, is to get on base by any means possible. Whether it be a bunt, a walk, or even a hit-by-pitch, your actions in the first at-bat set the tone for the rest of the inning. The secondary task for a leadoff hitter is to be smart and effective on the basepaths. The leadoff hitters on this list must have missed that memo. Here's the worst of the worst to start off in the batter's box in the 2022 MLB season.

Worst leadoff hitters in the 2022 MLB season

#5 Jesse Winker: Seattle Mariners

Jesse Winker of the Seattle Mariners

Jesse Winker went from a career MLB season in 2021 to being on this worst-of list in 2022. Winkler boasted the best numbers of his career before an injury sidelined him in 2021. Since his return, Winker has done very little as a member of the Mariners organization.

"Jesse Winker has hit 4 home runs in less tahn 24 hours" - @ Cincinnati Reds

Swings like this seem like a thing of a very distant past since he's suited up in a Seattle uniform. Yes, his 30 walks are the sixth most in baseball, but don't expect him to go anywhere as he's no threat to swipe a bag. The only number greater than his walk numbers are his 35 strikeouts across 30 games. His .211 batting average and three home runs are almost irrelevant with nobody being on base. It's a far cry from his 24 home runs and .305 from last season. For a player who had high expectations going into the 2022 MLB campaign, the Mariners need him to turn it around if they wish to turn the tide on their season.

#4 Tony Kemp: Oakland Athletics

Tony Kemp of the Oakland Athletics kneels at first base after he was picked off

As we all know, the Oakland A's are one of the greatest disasters of the MLB season. While Tony Kemp has a not-too-good/not-too-bad .238 average, his 26 strikeouts in 30 games reflect his team's struggles at the plate. Despite his potential speed on the basepath, he's been one of the worst decision-makers when on base, getting picked off twice already this season. Though Kemp is not the main problem in Oakland, he's certainly not one of the solutions.

#3 Marcus Semien: Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers v Oakland Athletics

There's no question Marcus Semien is a threat with his legs on the basepaths. The problem is you have to be on base to be that threat, and the Rangers' leadoff hitter does very little of that. His abysmal .197 batting average is a product of his whopping 38 strikeouts in just 31 games played at the MLB level. Despite his deplorable .257 OBP, he's somehow managed to swipe eight steals in nine attempts. Those stolen base numbers would be much higher if he could figure things out in the batter's box.

#2 Enrique Hernandez: Boston Red Sox

Enrique Hernandez of the Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have been surging in the MLB standings of late. But one of the weaknesses of this team is their leadoff spot in the lineup. For a player who showed flashes of promise in 2021 with 20 HRs, Enrique Hernandez has regressed in the worst of ways in his second season in a Red Sox uniform. Not only is Hernandez not a threat with his legs, his .210 average shows he has trouble getting to first base to begin with. His 36 strikeouts in just 30 games played shows he's not seeing the ball well. It's a good thing the rest of Boston's batting order is stacked because they need it to be to pick up their atrocious numbers at the leadoff position.

#1 Nick Senzel: Cincinatti Reds

Nick Senzel of the Cincinatti Reds

In a position that requires a high OBP and smarts on the basepaths, Nick Senzel displays neither. That's what earns him number one on this list of MLB's dishonorable mentions. He's struck out 24 times in his 30 games played while only drawing seven walks en route to a .217 batting average.

"Picks up his 4th strikeout of the game here against Nick Senzel" - @ Just Baseball

This look has become all too common for the 26-year-old outfielder. What's even more dismal is his baserunning ability, having stolen only one base in three attempts. He was 0-for-2 in such attempts until June 5. Unfortunately for Nick and the Cincinnati Reds, his leadoff numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. You know how they say you can't judge a book by its cover? Well, in Senzel's case, as the first hitter of the game, he's pretty much a classic first impression of how bad the rest of this Reds team is all-around.