In order to qualify for the leaderboard, a player must have more Two-Star opportunities than team games / 5. Baseball's best arms: Ranking MLB's top 10 starters & relievers for 2021. He played more games in the outfield (93) than he did at his natural position of third base (55), and he posted a 124 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 25 home runs and 73 RBI in a 3.3 WAR season. Despite missing almost all of September with a hairline fracture in his left thumb, Bez tied for third in Defensive Runs Saved (26) and placed second among all players in Outs Above Average (+19). Rather than ranking individual players, we set out to name the best multi-player units in baseball. Breaking down top Mariners prospects with MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo Furillo once threw pitcher Mel Queen out by two feet on a ball that was hit to right field and that everyone believed to be a single. Of the 60 games Ozuna played last season, only 21 were in the outfield, so if you wanted to make the argument that he should be ranked among designated hitters, well, you'd have a good case. 2023 MLB Top 30 Prospects; Rankings; Players; Draft; Store; . 14. The 29-year-old opted out of the final two years of his contract shortly after the World Series concluded. With free agency looming after the 2022 season, another performance like that would set him up for a huge payday next winter. Share. He compiled 157 outfield assists in his 20 major league seasons. The 30-year-old showed a less patient approach at the plate, which resulted in a middling .318 on-base percentage, but his power production is enough to earn him a spot here. Yelich was the 2018 NL MVP and runner-up in the MVP voting last year. Starling Marte, Miami Marlins But for now, it's not wholly clear whether the universal DH will be adopted for the 2021 season, despite the fact that both MLB and the Players Association want it. As another player the Arizona Diamondbacks gave away, Adam Eaton continually shows himself to be a gritty . XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? The regimented preparation that had worked for Yelich in the past was simply not available to him, and he may have suffered for it. It's partially controllable. Kelenic had a rough rookie year for. Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: Count on these outfielders to shine After back-to-back 20-plus-homer seasons in 2018 and 2019, Teoscar Hernandez showcased a more well-rounded offensive game last year, hitting .289/.340/.579 for a 146 OPS+ in 50 games to finish 11th in AL MVP voting and win a Silver Slugger Award. 1 guy is pretty obvious, through the compilation of thought from folks around the industry. I can promise you with 100 percent certainty that my fantasy baseball outfield rankings for 2021 will not be 100 percent right. He's clearly taken pride in his plate discipline from an early age and been rewarded with performance and -- I would also guess -- supportive coaching. The Tampa Bay Rays began the offseason by declining their$4.5 million club option on catcher Mike Zunino, who logged a 50 OPS+ and minus-0.2 WAR in 118 games with the team in 2019 and 2020. Runners will not even try to advance extra bases when the ball is in Ichiro's hands. In 2021, he was the No. His defensive abilities were rewarded as he received 10 Gold Gloves over the course of his career. O'Neill finished with a 150 OPS+ and 34 home runs while hitting alongside Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado in the middle of the lineup. The damage he did in the playoffs and World Series, against some of the best pitchers in the world, was absolutely staggering. Its certainly not about skill, and combined with Simmons fundamentals and defensive savvy, look out. Hernandez was signed as a super-utility . Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? Runners were afraid to take the extra base when these outfielders had the ball in their hands. He hit .328/.376/.624 with 31 doubles, 11 triples, 32 homers, 92 RBI, 108 runs and 36 steals across three . Ramirez is fourth among active outfielders with 129 career assists. He also slugged 38 home runs while winning his second straight Gold Glove. Statcast Outfielder Jump Leaderboard | baseballsavant.com They've helped to bridge the gap with veterans Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria both missing significant time because of injuries. fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft in right-handed . Frelick also climbed three levels in his first full season, and the 2021 first . Fantasy managers can still find some starting-caliber outfielders in this tier. The Athletics' Outfield Dilemma - MLB Trade Rumors . Translation: Realmuto dominates the catcher throwing department. Tagged: 2023 MLB Draft, MLB Draft, Dylan Crews, Jacob Gonzalez, Max Clark, Brock Wilken, Walker Jenkins, Christian Little, Patrick Reilly, Dylan Cupp, Thomas White, Enrique Bradfield, Tanner Witt, Jaxon Wiggins, Teddy McGraw, Carson Montgomery, TJ Nichols, Drew Bowser, Jackson Baumeister, Will Sanders, Blake Mitchell, Tre' Morgan, Tommy Troy, Backup catcher Curt Casali (180 PA, 97 OPS+, 5 HR, 23 RBI) has also been solid at the plate, and the pitching staff has a fantastic 2.63 ERA with him in the crouch. It's possible Ozuna will sign with an NL team and play left field most of the time. Like with many of the other top outfielders on this list, runners knew not to try for extra bases when the ball was anywhere near Barfield's hands. Honorable Mention: Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays. Seven of the first 15 players in MLB.com's player rankings are outfielders, including four of the top five. Or his game-saving throw from center field to the plate against the Red Sox in the 10th inning of Game 3 of the 2018 World Series. Robert may have the higher ceiling of the two, but he also has the lower floor. 2021:Second-Team All-American Athletic Conference selection as an outfielder Started 58 of 59 games played in centerfield Batted .262 (53-for-202) with nine home runs and 33 RBI Scored 35 runs and walked 26 times Swiped 9 of 13 bases (69.2 percent) February 26, 2023. This is the 14th highest total of all-time. Wilmer Flores (358 PA, 102 OPS+, 15 HR, 44 RBI), LaMonte Wade Jr. (249 PA, 123 OPS+, 16 HR, 41 RBI) and Darin Ruf (230 PA, 151 OPS+, 14 HR, 33 RBI)have all been extremely productive in utility roles. His throwing abilities were recognized by Bill James, as Guerrero was noted to have the best arm of the 1990s. The 31-year-old is hitting .337/.413/.543 with 15 home runs and 41 RBI in 74 games since the beginning of June, and his 3.5 WAR on the year ranks fifth among all first basemen. The club also traded away Diego Castillo at the deadline in exchange for JT Chargois and Austin Shenton. "There's a nuance to disciplined hitting that needs to become a habit. The home run he stole from Freddie Freeman in the NLCS, his leap perfectly timed. Craig Counsell, Brewers. Dave Roberts, Dodgers. Stadium MLB insider Russell Dorsey breaks down who the top five outfield arms in MLB are. Once regarded as injury-prone, the 28-year-old has missed only 10 games over the past three years combined, averaging 36 homers, 107 RBIs, 105 runs and 16 steals per 162 games in that span. However, Mays is more well-known for "The Catch" than for his arm. His nickname is Laser Ramn, so you already knew hed have to make this list. He went three rounds without hitting a home run, and had one extra-base hit in the seven-game National League Championship Series against the Braves. The corner outfield duo of Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker both rank among the MLB leaders in a number of offensive categories: Joining them isTyler Naquin, who earned a spot on the MLB roster on a minor league contract and is earning $1.5 million on a one-year deal. best outfield arms in mlb 2021 - Katrin Fridriks As a 28-year-old rookie, Garcia posted a 101 OPS+ with 31 home runs, 90 RBI and 16 steals, and he was a surprise All-Star for the rebuilding Rangers. And I'm talking about strong arms, not merely accurate ones. Castellanos and Blackmon, meanwhile, faded dramatically after blazing starts. The safe bet is that he'll bounce back and do a ton of damage in the summer ahead. The question that resonated at the end of October is about the best position player on the planet -- Betts, or Mike Trout? Buster Olney's top 10s for 2021: Ranking MLB's best outfielders - ESPN.com He homered 12 times in a 10-game stretch at the end of June, but he missed most of July with a hamstring strain. Great teams are composed of . The 33-year-old figures to be a hot commodity on the free-agent market this winter. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, PadresKey stat: 91.8 mph average max-effort arm strength in 2019. The MLB Tonight panel breaks down the components of a good outfield arm. Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2022: Best sleepers, breakouts, busts from Thursday, it's outfielders -- the top 10 left fielders, center fielders and right fielders. Tatis, of course, was a sensation in just about every way as a rookie in 2019, and his throwing ability was no exception. How could a man who nicknamed his right arm "El Canon" not make this list? Best throwing arms in the 2022 postseason - mlb.com He is considered to be one of if not the best center fielders of all-time. Managers who dont grab an outfielder in the first two rounds will still have an ample supply of impact players to choose from after that. The tattoo was earned, as Mondesi had one of the strongest arms in baseball in the 1990s. Bellinger could be a great pick for any tool -- hit, power, speed, glove or arm. has him drawing comparisons to Hall of Famer Ted Williams. All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs. Bryson Worrell - Baseball - East Carolina University Athletics To qualify for inclusion, a player had to have at least 200 plate appearances. The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen has chewed through an MLB-leading 533.1 innings this season. In addition to the fact that he ran the fastest ever-recorded 40-meter time at the NFL combine (4.08 seconds), the two-sport star had one of the best arms in baseball history. His .366 career average is a major league record. This tier includes a number of power-speed options, led by Tucker and Robert, who both went 30/30 in the Minors in 2019 and continued to contribute on multiple fronts in '20. Worst OF Arms (for regular, starting outfielders) in MLB history? Buck Showalter, Mets. With Charlie Morton and Blake Snell both departing during the offseason and Tyler Glasnow lost to Tommy John surgery, more pressure has fallen on the relief corps to prop up the pitching staff. those in the top 10 percent of a players sample. Previous picks: Mookie Betts (hit), Joey Gallo (power), Christian Yelich (run), Harrison Bader (defense), Cody Bellinger, CF, DodgersKey stat: 101.1 mph max arm strength. He has 19 homers in 63 postseason games, and only three players have more: Manny Ramirez (29), Bernie Williams (22) and Derek Jeter (20). Baseball's worst fielders at every position | Sporting News As a matter of fact, the consensus top two outfielders Mike Trout and Mookie Betts also are considered the two best overall players in MLB. That's primal, natural. Vote for who you think are the best MLB outfielders currently playing in the league today . Some of Mookie Betts' former teammates watched him go through the postseason last year and believed he really was out of sorts at the plate. Slowed by a variety of injuries in 2020, Bryant returned healthy and productive this year. best outfield arms in mlb 2021 This is the best team in baseball. Managers who don't grab an outfielder in the first two rounds will still have an ample supply of impact players Kolten Wong -- Best Defensive Second Baseman (NL) Francisco Lindor -- Best Defensive Shortstop (AL/NL) Bob Melvin -- Best Manager (AL) Below are the 2021 winners, followed by voting results. This is a pretty straight forward category. 9. Top Outfield Defense in the Minor Leagues: Kevin Kiermaier ( Tampa Bay Rays) Though Kiermaier wasn't the unanimous winner in this category, his defense earned universal praise across the scouting community. At 321 feet, it was the longest on-the-fly throw for an outfield assist tracked by Statcast (since 2015). Each writer provided anywhere from 80-100+ outfielders so we could create our consensus top-80. Acuna was squarely among the NL MVP front-runners when he suffered a season-ending torn ACL on July 10. Previous picks: Michael Brantley (hit), Nelson Cruz (power), Trea Turner (run), Kevin Kiermaier (defense). The organization's top four prospects, including all three Top 100 representatives, play the outfield, headlined by 2022 breakout star Jackson Chourio. He hit the walk-off home run in the NL Wild Card Game and had a three-homer game in Game 5 of the NLCS. Mays' throwing arm deserves more recognition as he was he had the second strongest arm of any outfielder in the 1960s. But his range of skills at this stage of his baseball life is so extraordinary -- the defense, the baserunning -- that Bellinger is still a great player even when he's not swinging great. Trout is about halfway through his career, maybe even further along than that. That seems almost impossible. J.T. 2021 Topps series 1,Rookie Monte Harrison #126 Miami marlins outfield baseball. Buxton, Myers, Pham, Laureano, Moore and Carlson could be double-digit homer and steal guys. Of course, that required trading several core players, but given the fact that Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez were all rentals at last year's deadline, the Cubs made out phenomenally. Tier 2: Kyle Tucker, Luis Robert, Aaron Judge, George Springer, Marcell Ozuna, Starling Marte, Whit Merrifield. Who Are the Best Outfield Arms in MLB? - Stadium The towering right fielder posted a 149 OPS+ with 39 home runs and a career-low 25.0 percent strikeout rate. The quick reaction and retreat and leap before taking extra bases away from Brandon Lowe in Game 4 of the World Series. His middling defense (-6 DRS, -4.8 UZR/150) and the time he missed kept him from ranking any higher. Top 10 MLB Outfielders for 2022 | Just Baseball The sport needs to have him back on the postseason stage in the next few years. But despite all of that offensive imperfection, the lasting impression Betts left behind is that of the closest thing you can have to a perfect player in a sport filled with moments of failure. Sun's out, guns out. Aside from having a ton of playable depth, the Giants have also slugged an MLB-leading 14 pinch-hit home runs. Luis Robert is one of the best prospects in baseball and he's set to take over in center. Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Outfield tiers for 2023 drafts News. RP - Joe Mantiply, ARI (2.5 BB%) Devin Wiles. Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco Giants. With big-name, big-money free agents, there is usually a question of how the player will respond in big games, big moments. Then theres Stanton, who might be the biggest boom-or-bust pick in fantasy. He batted just .169 against right-handed pitchers, with a .345 slugging percentage. In 2019, 24 players hit 30 home runs or more who qualified at outfield. PART - Positioning, Balls hit in air, Range, and Throwing for Infielders; Range & Positioning on balls hit in air for Outfielders. Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox Texas Rangers outfield arms: The Outliers Some of these players were considered to have the best throwing arms on the Texas Rangers, but statistically, they failed to crack the top 10.. Shortstop Dansby Swanson is hitting .322/.372/.594 with 10 home runs in 36 games since the All-Star break. If you don't have coaching that can support that, then the player needs to be very stubborn with his thinking, which, in my opinion, requires a strong independence. The outfield will be the foundation of many fantasy teams in 2021. he Boston Red Sox outfield exceeded expectations in 2021. Even at age 36, Ichiro was consistently able to throw out runners trying to take an extra base. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs/San Francisco Giants. Ranking MLB's top 10 at each infield spot for 2021. . Aaron Judge, Yankees Jordan Wicks- from Kansas State at 6'2 and 220lbs he is 2-0 in 2021 and went 3-0 last year. Carl Furillo's right arm earned him the nickname, "The Reading Rifle". Gorbous is the answer to the trivia question: "Who has the longest throw in baseball history"? Those are qualities the. He also had one of the strongest arms that baseball has ever seen. This is Just Baseball's staff consensus ranking of the top 15 corner outfielders in baseball. Tabbed as the 58th-best outfield prospect nationally (D1Baseball). Here are this years top fantasy outfielders, broken down into tiers. 2023 Fantasy Baseball: Outfielders Rankings, Consensus Preseason Rankings for OF | FantasyPros 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Expert Consensus Ranking (32 of 36 Experts) - Feb 28, 2023 Pick. Ramirez has never won a Gold Glove and he is thought of more for his offensive prowess than his defensive abilities. He also played a solid defensive center field in a 5.7 WAR season. Minimum 800 innings 6. MLB Tonight: Outfield Arm | 09/10/2021 | MLB.com Here are five options going much later in drafts than they should based on their . He's not just an MVP-caliber hitter; he has one of the strongest outfield arms in the league. M-SABR All Stars: MLB's 2022 All-BB% Team - M-SABR Speaker also holds the unique record for most unassisted double plays by an outfielder with six. Honorable Mention: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants. -- Thomas Harrigan Previous picks: Michael Brantley (hit), Nelson Cruz (power), Trea Turner (run), Kevin Kiermaier (defense) During Wednesday night's game against the Athletics, Yankees outfield Aaron Hicks broke a Statcast record for the fastest ball thrown in recorded history with a 105.5 mph, 246 . 2023 Frisco Classic: Everything You Need To Know D1Baseball His arm was so powerful, that while pitching for his mill league, Jackson once broke a catchers arm and was subsequently moved to the outfield because no one wanted to catch for him. An intercostal strain limited Winker to only one game after Aug. 15. Ozuna, meanwhile, is back with the Braves after signing a four-year contract. Cedric Mullins hit .225/.290/.342 with seven home runs and 10 steals in 115 games scattered across his first three big league seasons. Whether it's unleashing the ball from deep in the outfield, across the infield or behind the plate, it can make the seemingly impossible happen. He tallied a career-high 42 doubles along with 35 home runs, 84 RBI and 101 runs scored in a 5.9 WAR season. Among players with at least 200 plate appearances last season, the 23-year-old had the fourth-highest chase rate, the third-highest whiff rate and the sixth-highest strikeout rate, making him a high-risk, high-reward pick in the early rounds. This will likely be the most questioned name on this list. Or his 92 mph rocket from right to nail Stephen Strasburg at first base and preserve a Hyun-Jin Ryu no-hit bid on May 12. 10. Davis looking to get back on track this spring. Astros Top Five Outfield Prospects For 2022 - The Crawfish Boxes Williams played in just one World Series, and at a time when he was nursing an elbow bruise, Williams hit .200, with five walks and one RBI in seven games. Judges 12.5 AB/HR rate ranks fourth among players with 50-plus homers since the beginning of 2017. Oneil Cruz (Pirates): 97.9 mph 2. Crow-Armstrong soaking in first Spring Training with Cubs. This year, he barely edges out Pittsburgh's Neil Walker, who checks in at minus-12-2, for the . However, he was worth a staggering 4.5 WAR when he was on the field. He struggling terribly against off-speed pitches -- in 2018, Yelich batted .302 against breaking balls; last year, .191. It is a shame that his career was cut short as the result of a hip injury. Need more power? Accuracy matters, too. He had nine assists in 2022. . The precision is there (nine errors across nearly 1,140 innings last year), and so is the power and reaction time. Reynolds hit.302/.390/.522 with 35 doubles, 24 home runs, 90 RBI and 93 runs scored for a 146 OPS+ despite having little in the way of protection in a bad Pittsburgh lineup. Realmuto paced all full-time catchers (min. All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Monday's games. . Let's marvel at the all-around game that is Mookie Betts. All three of those guys could finish in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting, but the staff goes deeper than that trio. He hit .264/.367/.487 with 29 doubles, 23 home runs and 10 steals, which, coupled with his usual standout defense in right field, was enough for him to finish fourth in WAR on a stacked Dodgers roster. $0.99 But the Rays also added some competition for the starting role in former top prospect Francisco Mejia, whom they acquiredin the Blake Snell blockbuster. Its not as if my defense pick, Andrelton Simmons, has a poor arm. 2. Mondesi has a tattoo of a cannon shooting out a baseball on his right arm. Unfortunately for Valentine, he was only able to play 10 seasons in the majors. His shoulder first began giving him problems in . You can't go wrong taking him in the top five, either. even despite missing a good chunk of 2021 . Top 20 Outfield Prospect Rankings for Fantasy Baseball - RotoBaller Ramon Laureano, Oakland A's The 26-year-old got off to a slow start this year, but he caught fire in May and never looked back. He's already ranked pitchers and infielders, and he will follow these with the top 10 teams on Friday. Meusel is another player on this list gaining recognition from Bill James as having the strongest outfield arm in the majors during his playing years (1920s). SF Giants OF Michael Conforto expects to be 100% by Opening Day He failed to maintain a red-hot start in his first season with the team, but he put together the best year of his career in 2021, hitting .309/.362/.576 for a 136 OPS+ with 38 doubles, 34 home runs and 100 RBI for a career-high 3.2 WAR. Which outfielder has the strongest arm 2021? The 24-year-old has a 131 OPS+ with 23 doubles, 27 home runs and 76 RBI, and he has also made significant strides defensively at the hot corner. But given his offensive production and impact at the top of the lineup, that's more than enough to make him an extremely valuable all-around player. Will draft 15-20 pick. . The former Red Sox great and six-time Gold Glove winner is known for his arm. With the Astros first pick the 2021 draft, they took a prospect who fell right in their laps. He has a 103 OPS+ with 22 home runs, 84 RBI and an NL-leading 32 doubles. MLB Best Tools 2022: Managers, Scouts & Executives Vote On Baseball's Wil Myers, San Diego Padres; Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros; Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies; Nicholas Castellanos, Cincinnati Reds, Buster Olney's top 10s for 2021: Ranking MLB's best outfielders, NBA investigating after Morant shows gun in video, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Edey leads Wooden finalists; Bama's Miller off list, Chase Elliott out indefinitely after tibia surgery, Jays' Guerrero to miss WBC with inflamed knee, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Ledecky sees 9-year win streak in U.S. snapped, Inside the long-awaited return of Jon Jones and his quest for heavyweight glory, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? No position in fantasy baseball is deeper than the outfield. The lefty bat can play both first base and outfield, and has even filled in a third base. Below you'll find the consensus rankings that eight of our MLB writers were involved in. His swing rate on all pitches dipped to 35% (in '20), which ranked 141st among 142 qualified hitters. Those being Eric Cross, Chris Clegg, Mick Ciallela, Justin Johnson, Jorge Montanez, David Mendelson . (Worth noting: Second on that list was DJ LeMahieu, who had a 92.9% in-zone contact rate, then Anthony Rendon and Tommy La Stella tied at 91.2% each.)". On the other hand, the league still hasn't had a chance to develop a counterattack against the right-handed-hitting masher. Stars and depth help the Dodgers dominate both NL competition and Best Tools voting. The longtime utility man split his time between center field (93 games) and second base (47 games), and he posted a 107 OPS+ with 58 extra-base hits in a career-high 585 plate appearances. The 29-year-old proved that performance was sustainable over a full season this year, logging a 133 OPS+ while hitting .296/.346/.524 with 29 doubles, 32 home runs and 116 RBI. Which Outfield Position Has The Best Arm? - On Secret Hunt Cobb had 271 errors as an outfielder in his career. He threw a ball 445 feet and 10 inches in 1957 while he was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals' Triple-A team. Jackie Bradley Jr., free agent 8. Through Soto's age 21 season, he has played 313 regular-season games -- two full seasons, basically -- and has 228 walks, 69 homers among 146 extra-base hits, and an OPS of .972. He also once again took home Gold Glove honors in a 6.3 WAR season. The 27-year-old became the first 30/30 player in Orioles history, hitting .291/.360/.518 with 37 doubles, 30 home runs and 30 steals while finishing fourth in the league in hits (175), sixth in total bases (312) and 10th in OPS+ (135). Previous picks: Jeff McNeil (hit), Gary Snchez (power), Tim Locastro (run), Victor Robles (defense), Javier Bez, SS, CubsKey stat: Five assists over 90 mph in 2019. Walker was known for his abilities at the plate, but he also had a gun for an arm. Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres Pete Crow-Armstrong named among top OF prospects in MLB 38M ago / by James Neveau Cubs hicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been turning heads with his skills both at the plate and on defense, and a new ranking lands him among the best outfield prospects in the game. There's no doubting that the Chicago Cubs farm system is vastly improved from where it was in 2021. His production bottomed out during the abridged 2020 campaign, but he bounced back in a big way this year. I think we'll see him hunt early in counts against next season.". Top Tools: Best Outfield Defense/Outfield Arm - Baseball