I think it's pretty clear that something in their advance analytic research suggests a market inefficiency in barrels and exit velocity stuff over contact. It might just be that if you're going to take a flyer on a marginal prospect - you're more likely to 'hit' on someone with those characteristics over someone who makes good contact (without the power profile). ie, it's easy to take someone who hits the ball hard and improve their contact, than take a contact hitter and teach them to hit with more power.
I think with guys like Grichuk, Teoscar, etc. they thought if they could improve their eye/patience, they could get them swinging at more balls they can hit....and when those guys hit the ball, they hit it hard.