A two-time gold glove winner, Mondesi's career high for assists didn't come until 2001 with the Toronto Blue Jays, when he threw out 18 baserunners from right field. 27 prospect in the Cleveland organization would finish as one of the 10 best outfielders in baseball? + Allen Williams, LHP/OF, Cleveland Central, 2019 The steals are why he goes so early in drafts because it is certainly not his patience at the plate. The biggest plus Andrew Vaughn has going this season is that Tony La Russa won't be there to block his playing time. It's understandable that fantasy managers who drafted him thinking they secured a 30/30 guy were disappointed at the end of the season. Clemente has more outfield assists than anyone who played after 1930 (I believe this was the year where they made the rule that you were allowed to run instead of speed-walk on the basepaths). The 21-year old has also shown the speed, instincts, and arm strength that project him as a center fielder long-term. 25. Ugly defensive metrics (-15 DRS, -17.7 UZR/150) and the fact that he was essentially a platoon player (57 PA vs. LHP) kept Pederson from ranking any higher, but he was a terrific bargain on a one-year, $6 million deal. It's a risky proposition, but the payoff could be incredible. MLB average for right fielders is about 49 percent. From 1986 through 1991, Snyder led the league in assists with a total of 61. The best outfield arm of the 80's, Barfield led the league in outfield assists five times, including three years straight from 1985 through 1987. Meet Pete Crow-Armstrong, whom the Mets selected with their first pick. window.". player has saved over his peers. Only a starter in four of the 11 seasons he played, Whiten ended his career with 77 assists, an impressive number when you figure that he was often a pinch-hitter or late-inning replacement. On Sept. 27, 1988, in front of less than 9,000 fans at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, the Pirates had a 3-2 lead over the Cardinals heading into the ninth inning. If you want to get to the fun stuff -- the leaderboards, and fun questions about them -- feel free to skip to the part about Oneil Cruz. Jump is a Statcast metric that shows which players have A Bolt is any run where the Sprint Speed (defined as Yet every year on draft day, there he sits in the ninth or tenth round, and every year we all imagine what an absolute steal that would be if he were to play 140+ games. produces a result. Heres third basemen for 2021. Based on three separate categories (Release, Strength and Accuracy) here are the owners of the top outfield in 2005 according to the fans: Top-Ranked Outfield Arms, Fans' Scouting Report 1. When you call Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth your teammates, you tend to get overlooked. 2022 Offensive Stats: 592 PA, .235 . How far off the mound, in feet, a pitcher releases the That's an average of like 5000 fewer innings than the people ahead of him on the list. In Game 6 of the 1971 World Series (the throw can be seen in the video around the 1:20 mark), Clemente unleashed a throw from deep in the right field corner towards third base, trying to nail the runner. 2. level 2. It's the first time he's hit the cutoff man. I thought he (Van Slyke) had no chance, to be honest with you," said Pirates manager Jim Leyland after the game. For a pitcher it is the average of his softest 50% of batted balls allowed. . Not any more. (He has 14 harder throws from the right side, though obviously in far more opportunities. Another year, another pile of accolades for Mookie Betts who won his fifth Silver Slugger, sixth Gold Glove and made his sixth trip to the All-Star Game in the third season of a 12-year, $365 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mlb Outfield Arm Strength Rankings There is no definitive answer when it comes to ranking MLB outfielders by arm strength, but there are a few metrics that can be used to make an educated guess. How far, in feet, a fielder or runner has traveled on a Perhaps most important of all, he played in a career-high 151 games, proving he can stay healthy for a full season after injuries had significantly limited him in 2019 (69 games) and 2021 (92 games). How high/low, in degrees, a ball was hit by a batter. How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from the ERA scale, A measurement of a player's top running speed, expressed Statcast defines a 'hard-hit ball' as one hit with an He is an OF5 being drafted in the OF4 range because of the cliff the position drops off of in drafts. Harris, 2022's No. One of the great centerfielders of all-time, Duke Snider would land higher on this list if not for suffering an injury to his arm that robbed him of much of the power behind his throws. player has saved over his peers. Let's meet the 40 players who had the best outfield arms in the history of the game. 2 prospect in baseball when the season began, he lived up to the hype and then some by hitting .284/.345/.509 with 25 doubles, 28 home runs, 75 RBI, 84 runs scored and 25 steals in 132 games. attempt. . Baseball is largely played in terms of feet and seconds, and they all add up quickly. "He has gained a lot of strength since his sophomore year. Week 1- First Day. Current: Heres what his 43rd-hardest throw looks like. It only took two years for the American League to learn that you can't run on Kirby Puckett, a 10-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove award winner. One of the most well-rounded players in the sport, Kyle Tucker continued his rise as a bona fide superstar for the Houston Astros in 2022. Even with his torn UCL last season, he still slashed .286/.364/.514 and powered the Phillies to the World Series. An intimidating physical presence standing 6'5" and weighing 235 pounds, Dave Parker only exacerbated things by walking around the field with a shotgun. When he makes contact, Arozarena's elite maxEV will allow good things to happen. and, on certain types of batted balls, Sprint Speed. As Mookie Betts enters his age-30 season, there is some expected decline in a few areas (fly ball rate increased but led to a lower ground ball EV/BABIP). High effort on throws, accurate. Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if we still had markakis in RF, but this is surprising. Default = Experts with most recent updates. For a batter, Best Speed is an average of 50% of his hardest hit balls. Carroll's upside is in the 30/30 range, and he should have no trouble sticking as the everyday centerfielder with his plus-defense. A batted ball with the perfect combination of exit He has power to all fields, bats in the middle of a World Champion lineup, and will protect your ratios in traditional 5x5 leagues and those with advanced categories. He is above the 90th percentile in all of the power categories and sprint speed, and when he is on the field, he is a dynamic player who contributes mightily to fantasy teams. His baseball career almost ended in 1905 when he enrolled at Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute. In 2020, his average on competitive throws was 86.6 mph, an almost exactly-average number. Raul Mondesi did just that, compiling 112 assists over his 13-year playing career, including 53 between 1994 and 1997 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It only continues to get better, as about half of these prospects below have a good shot to earn consistent playing time this upcoming season. How far off the mound, in feet, a pitcher releases the Some players have power, whereas Yordan Alvarez has POWER. How hard, in miles per hour, a fielder throws the ball. The movement of a pitch is defined in inches, both in Steven Kwan put together a 5.5-WAR debut season with an old school game built on contact ability, speed and defense. Since there are three times as many outfielders as there are other positions on the diamond, it made sense to add an honorable mention list of 25 guys onto our top 25 list. In his fourth year in the league, Randy Arozarena hit 20 HR, knocking in 89 and scoring 72 while stealing 32 bases. Who would have guessed an under-the-radar rookie who didn't crack Baseball America's Top 100 prospect list and ranked as the No. While his slugging percentage was down significantly, a lot of that can be attributed to working back from the injury. From 1998 through 2002, Bobby Abreu racked up 59 assists patrolling right field for the Philadelphia Phillies. The movement of a pitch is defined in inches, both in become a hit. All rights reserved. However, his .336 BABIP is unsustainable and will take a bite out of his batting average when it corrects. Over a 17-year career that was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and Colorado Rockies, Walker picked up 154 assists, including eight seasons with 10 or more. What Gonzalez weirdly does well is make contact, as his K% is 20, and he deploys this skill in the enviable position of batting directly behind Jose Ramirez. 1 spot in 2023? Palm Beach, Fla - It's early, but with each passing day Jordan Walker 's case to break camp with the Cardinals major league team gets stronger. Hes also No. When you walk around calling yourself "El Caon" (translation: the cannon) and you tell Maryann Hudson of the LA Times, "I don't know why they keep running on methey know I'm going to throw them out"only a month into your rookie seasonyou'd better be able to back that up in the field. A prototypical right fielder with plus power and a strong throwing arm, Renfroe was productive once again playing for his fourth team in as many years. His 149 OPS+ ranked eighth among all qualified hitters and trailed only Aaron Judge (211) and Yordan lvarez (187) among outfielders. . the fastest reactions and most direct routes in the He's also had nearly 2,000 tracked throws since Statcast came online in 2015, and exactly one of them -- one! Defense: Moves through the ball well, gets to the ball quick. With 5.3 WAR, he joined Jason Heyward (6.4, 2010) and Dusty Baker (5.1, 1972) as the only rookie outfielders in Atlanta Braves history with a 5-WAR season, and he edged out teammate Spencer Strider for NL Rookie of the Year honors. He may suffer some of the typical rookie issues, but all signs point to a quick adjustment and solid fantasy production. The likelihood, in percent, that an outfielder will be The deal to acquire him from the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 2020 season in exchange for prospect Matthew Liberatore looks like a major win. On the left side, its higher: 81.5 mph on average, maxing out at 84.9 mph. a batted-ball event with a launch angle between eight 2022 Stats: 117 G, .261 BA/.374 OBP/.394 SLG, 19 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 8 SB. Average times are calculated with the following ranges. Then during a throwing competition where competitors were given a six-step running start, Gorbous launched a ball 445 feet and 10 inches from the right field corner to left field, setting a world record that stands to this day. How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from Speaker refused, worked like a maniac to rehab the arm, and not only went on to become a Hall of Fame player and one of the greatest center fielders to ever play the game, but to have one of the best throwing arms that the game has ever seen. Baltimore Orioles. Catch up on the Top 25 in 2022 series: Catchers, First Basemen, Second Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen. But it is best to exercise some caution and ensure you have outfield depth if you plan to roster him. The best player at the position was Ronald Acuna (.280 with 127 runs, 41 home runs, 101 RBI, and 37 steals . The 28-year-old is capable of making a greater impact in half a season than most players can in a full 162 games, and he racked up 4.0 WAR and 44 extra-base hits in 92 games this year while earning his first All-Star selection. Still, his elite on-base skills continue to increase his value in fantasy leagues, especially considering that he bats leadoff in one of the most explosive lineups in baseball. Only in baseball can the son of a potato farmer who born and raised on Long Island become Boston's favorite son. player has saved over his peers. the fastest reactions and most direct routes in the Just look at the 2022 averages on competitive throws from those positions. Its not that his arm suddenly got weaker on the right side of the infield, of course. A 10-time Gold Glove winner, opponents learned very quickly that the explosive throws he had a reputation for making in Japan were very much a reality, and they generally wouldn't even think about running when Ichiro had the ball in his hand. Showcasing the Arm Younger players rarely have the opportunity to play in stadiums where statcast tracks their every move. The charges would later be dropped. First, standing at home plate, he only needed three attempts to throw a ball over the center field wall, 410 feet away. Just beware that his numbers might look much closer to 2021 than 2022. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images, Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "Jarrett is a speedy, defensive outfielder with a good arm and high baseball IQ," Swillum said. At the end of the day, he is still Mike Trout, for better or worse. Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst, who both played and managed against Roberto Clemente, gave Whiten's throwing arm the ultimate compliment: "As far as arm strength goes . 20. As for Vlad, well he only had 13,000 innings. Mike Trout unleashed a throw from center field Monday night at Dodger Stadium that looked more . Etc., etc., etc. But thats hardly true for position players, where you might sometimes be throwing at your maximum effort (heres Julio Rodrguez with a 99.6 mph cannon to nail a runner at third base) and sometimes you are absolutely not (heres Rodrguez with a 21.6 mph [!] Partly because of time missed due to injury, largely because of his reputation, people generally don't try to run when Ankiel has the ball in his hand, which would help to explain how someone with that strong of an arm has never reached double-digit assists in any season as an outfielder. on March 4, 2023. Schwarber batted leadoff for the vast majority of the season, but the acquisition of Trea Turner will most likely move him down in the order. With the Montreal Expos, Valentine was part of a young, talented outfield that included Warren Cromartie and Andre Dawson. The best hitter on the Pittsburgh roster by a landslide in 2022, Reynolds led the team in OPS+ (126), hits (142), extra-base hits (50), home runs (27), RBI (62), runs scored (74) and total bases (250). His Statcast suggests a propensity to strike out but every other metric is promising for Ward to be a solid roster add, especially in leagues with five outfielders. velocity and launch angle. 6) Do first basemen really ever have to throw hard? How much spin, in revolutions per minute, a pitch was Of note, he increased his stolen bases, and this trend could continue in 2023 with the new baserunning rules. But theres also this, that Story has 195 tracked throws of at least 80 mph in his career -- he even topped 90 a few times early on -- but its happened only once since the 2021 All-Star break. Phelps would only play poorly in parts of two seasons in the Bronx. Proportional frame w/ well developed strength and athleticism. But what goes unappreciated is the arm strength of baseball's workhorsesthe infielders. His throwing abilities were recognized by Bill James, as Guerrero was noted to have the best arm of the 1990s. A shortstop in college, Cory Snyder made his mark in the major leagues as a power-hitting outfielder. At the end of his breakout season, Justin Dirden felt fatigued. Just make sure you have enough IL slots. Tyler O'Neill experienced a litany of injuries in 2022 that inhibited the power he demonstrated in 2021. From 1949 through 1956, Snider threw out 82 baserunners. He finished his career with one Gold Glove award and 117 assists, largely in part to the fact that nobody was crazy enough to try running on him after awhile. Mar 22, 2021. His EV and HardHit% certainly showed no signs of slowing down, and he remains an on-base machine batting at the top of a fearsome lineup. The immortal Vin Scully put it best: "Clemente could field the ball in New York, and throw out a guy in Pennsylvania.". Aaron Judge put together one of the greatest offensive seasons in MLB history in 2022, setting the AL record with 62 home runs while making a legitimate run at the Triple Crown by hitting .311/.425/.686 with 131 RBI and 133 runs scored. His throwing arm used to be a relative weakness. Key West (2-0): The Conchs ended 2022 with a 22-7 record and were able to play with many of the . Brandon Nimmo was a 5-WAR player for the first time in his career in 2022, just in time to test the free agency waters. In order to account for that, outfielders receive the average of their top 10% hardest throws as a seasonal average. Warm-up throws at 20-45feet Throws at 45 feet Warm-down throws 1 set only / Rest the next day. A good example of this is Cubs rookie Christopher Morel, who has a 96.5 mph competitive average as an outfielder -- maxing out at 102.3 mph -- and a 90.4 mph competitive average as a second baseman, maxing out at 90.9 mph. Given that there is no rulebook definition of "a throw where the player is trying hard," and many non-competitive lobs are captured, we have elected to take the average of the top portion of a player's throws. When he was 13 years old, Shoeless Joe Jackson began pitching on the baseball team of the textile mill in which he worked. Statcast Statistics Player Batting 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | All Headlined by three MVPs, our list of the best corner outfielders is a who's who of top-tier talent in Major League Baseball. Furillo picked up the ball and fired a strike to Dodgers first baseman Gil Hodges, beating Queen to the bag by two feet. You know what you're getting. For a batter, Best Speed is an average of 50% of his hardest hit balls. Arm Strength (ARM) Definition Arm Strength is defined as the maximum velocity of any throw made by a fielder -- with the max velocity always being at the release point, due to physics. xwOBA is formulated using exit velocity, launch angle outfield. Just like the regular-season rankings, past production and future expectations played no part in deciding the orderthis is simply a rundown of the best and brightest of 2022. A seven-time All-Star who won only one Gold Glove award, Reggie Smith had one of the great throwing arms of the 1970's. A range-based metric of skill that shows how many outs a MLB.com lists Ramon Laureano (average 94.8, top 100.1) and Cody Bellinger (101.1 top) as two outfielders with some of the best arms in the league. Fantasy managers are scared because of injury risk or age, but Stanton is going to mash. in "feet per second in a player's fastest one-second How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from Realmuto can top at the position. In fact, if we look at the 16 fielders who had enough throws to qualify at both second base and shortstop this year, plus Story, and look at their comparisons on both sides of the bag every single one had a harder average throw from the left side than the right side, by an average of 5.3 mph. BY Justin Leger -. Suppose he continues to bat atop the Cleveland order and takes advantage of the new baserunning rules. How quickly, in seconds, a catcher can get the ball out His OBP was the second-lowest of his career at .323, but his xwOBA was .375, so hopefully, some improvement is in the cards for 2023. When you measure a pitchers average fastball velocity, its simple. Fantasy managers can deal with those considering he is above the 90th percentile in Avg EV, Max EV, HardHit%, barrel%, outs above avg, and sprint speed.