Field of Data Dreams

January 2025

When Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers took the field for a 2023 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, BYU PhD student Will Melville watched with rapt attention. Yes, he was a fan, but this wasn’t just another game; it was the first in which the Rangers were using a new outfield defensive positioning strategy based largely on Melville’s scholarly research.

“During my freshman year, one of my professors mentioned that working in baseball and statistics would be an option for me,” says Melville, who began conducting baseball research as a junior. “Until that point, I didn’t even know that type of career path existed.”

Watching that Rangers game was nerve-racking.

“Making significant adjustments to defensive strategies mid-season isn’t something championship-level teams usually do,” says Melville. But the data he generated looking at every game predicted that adjusted positioning would allow fewer runs.

The gamble paid off. The Rangers’ coaches adopted the recommendations, which helped the team finish the year tied for first in the American League West division.

They went on to clinch the World Series. After finishing his dissertation, Melville plans to return to the Texas Rangers organization.

Check out the video and read the full story at BYU News.