mlb outfield arm strength rankings

Prep Baseball Report > Missouri > News 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. He might be an empty batting average/OBP player, though, so don't expect much more than 15 HR if you pick him. Judge is the guy if fantasy managers want to shore up their slugging early. While his slugging percentage was down significantly, a lot of that can be attributed to working back from the injury. So, here are the leaders in ARM over the past three years: Alfonso Soriano - +25.6 runs Jeff Francoeur - +23.4 runs Ichiro Suzuki - +12.5 runs Nick Markakis - +10.8 runs Michael Cuddyer - +10.4. For as powerful as his arm was, it was also prone to be erratic, and Parker committed his fair share of throwing errors, which is why he doesn't rank higher on our list. How fast, in miles per hour, a ball was hit by a batter. How quickly, in seconds, a catcher can get the ball out With the Montreal Expos, Valentine was part of a young, talented outfield that included Warren Cromartie and Andre Dawson. Outfielder Jump. He is an OF5 being drafted in the OF4 range because of the cliff the position drops off of in drafts. For a batter, Best Speed is an average of 50% of his hardest hit balls. Strength is only one aspect of what makes a great throwing arm. Right here, at the Baseball Savant leaderboards, as well as on appropriate player pages. Most of a pitchers fastballs are thrown at or near the same velocity, so you average them all together and call it a day -- its not like Max Scherzer is throwing some four-seamers at 95 mph, and others at 72 mph. Traded outfielder Michael A. Taylor to the Twins for pitchers Steven Cruz and Evan Zisk. The biggest plus Andrew Vaughn has going this season is that Tony La Russa won't be there to block his playing time. Kris Bryant in Coors Field was supposed to be a party and instead, the guest of honor got plantar fasciitis and played in only 42 games for the entire year. Mets Select Outfielder with Team's 1st Pick - Prime Time Sports Talk Nicknamed "The Hawk" for his ability to track down any fly ball that came his way, Dawson's right arm should have required a permit to travel between Canada and the United States. Proving ineffective, the Blue Jays featured one of the worst defensive outfields in the majors last season, ranking 18th in Outs Above Average (-3) and 21st in Defensive Runs Saved (-6),. By Geoff Pontes. Statcast defines a 'hard-hit ball' as one hit with an I thought he (Van Slyke) had no chance, to be honest with you," said Pirates manager Jim Leyland after the game. "feet per second in a player's fastest one-second It will be very important to keep track of where Happ is batting in the revamped Cubs lineup. xERA is a simple 1:1 translation of xwOBA, converted to He hit 16 homers, his most since 2019, but he only stole 18 bases, a severe drop off from the 47 he snagged the year before. The 29-year-old hit .274/.367/.433 with 30 doubles, seven triples, 16 home runs, 64 RBI and 102 runs scored as the table-setter atop the Mets' lineup, and he once again played a roughly league-average center field. 15. Daulton Vasho has catcher eligibility, which is one of the primary draws to him being drafted in the 40-50 range. What a strong throwing arm does, mostly, is make things happen faster. With 305 total bases he was one of just 12 players to break the 300 mark during the 2022 season, joining Aaron Judge (391) as the only outfielders on that exclusive list. Hendersons throw was clocked at 85.2 mph, and took 0.87 of a second to reach first base. The 29-year-old posted a 113 OPS+ with 66 extra-base hits, 101 RBI and 25 steals, while making modest improvements to his walk rate (5.1 to 6.1 percent) and strikeout rate (31.2 to 27.9 percent) in a 3.5-WAR campaign. Realmuto can top at the position. Some players have power, whereas Yordan Alvarez has POWER. The other draws include his 27 homers and 16 stolen bases, something only J.T. It's not natural. For a pitcher it is the average of his softest 50% of batted balls allowed. (Catcher throwing arm data has been available for some time and may be found here.). Run: 7.10 runner in the 60. The 25-year-old hit .298/.373/.400 with more walks (62) than strikeouts (60) while adding 89 runs scored and 19 steals. These numbers and his BA/OBP should go up, assuming his BABIP recorrects somewhat closer to his .314 number. Ronald Acuna Jr. appeared in 119 games last year, a significantly higher number than the original projection of a July return from his torn ACL injury. of his glove and to the base on a stolen base or pickoff Its sort of like pitching; all things being equal, youd much rather throw 100 mph than 90 mph, but it also might not matter so much if you cant throw strikes. ", In discussing the effects of PED's on players with Morris Dalla Costa of the London Free Press, Barfield noted the biggest problem that taking PED's has on an outfielder: "They can't get the arm up over the top because of how the muscles are built up. He still has a microscopic walk rate, but he also took four points off his K%. 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. play. Tris Speaker, one of Cobb's contemporaries, had this to say about Cobb in 1917: "As an outfielder Ty Cobb is unusually good. MLB strongest throwing arm 2022 Opponents quickly learned that they couldn't run on Geronimo and they stopped trying, which explains his 81 career assists, one of the lower totals of those on our list. Anything below 88mph is considered 0. The likelihood, in percent, that an outfielder will be [My arm strength] is just something natural.". Some, obviously, but its not everything. Longoria, who at nearly 37 years old has the weakest qualified third base arm (75 mph), got his off at 76.6 mph and it took his throw 0.97 of a second to get to first. The 31-year-old hits the ball hard, in the 90th percentile in HardHit% and maxEV, and his BB% is a stellar 13.1%. Sox On 35th's 2023 Pre-Season Top 30 White Sox Prospects: #1-15 He could pop double-digit homers, but all fantasy managers need to care about is that he keeps running well (23-for-26 SB in 2022) and with impunity. The 30-year-old posted a 126 OPS+ with 29 home runs and 72 RBI, and he had 11 outfield assists in a career-high 2.7-WAR season. Honestly, he doesn't take many pitches, period, as he sits in the first percentile in chase rate. on March 4, 2023. 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. Expected Weighted On-base Average (xwOBA). It's time to put a bow on the 2022 MLB season with Bleacher Report's final positional rankings. In his fourth year in the league, Randy Arozarena hit 20 HR, knocking in 89 and scoring 72 while stealing 32 bases. His slash line was impressive at .284/.345/.509 with a wOBA of .366. The 26-year-old and his new found power led the Astros system with 31 HR in 130 games, all coming in Triple-A. But it is best to exercise some caution and ensure you have outfield depth if you plan to roster him. It was maddening to watch him throw a ball, only because his motion was so fluid that it appeared that he wasn't even tryingyet the ball exploded out of his hand and routinely reached it's destination on the fly. Playing for the Cleveland Indians minor league team in the Pacific Coast League in 1956, Colavito threw a ball from home plate 436 feet, watching it land well beyond the centerfield wall. A 10-time Gold Glove winner, Kaline finished his career with 170 career assists. The Major League average Pop Time on steal attempts of second base is 2.0 seconds . How hard, in miles per hour, a fielder throws the ball. Escape Velocity takes the average of a player's batted ball velocities subtracted from 88. The 28-year-old is too talented to leave on the board, so fantasy managers can draft him and send a quick wish into the universe that he plays basically anywhere else in 2023. window") of the runner is at least 30 ft/sec. Outfielders can get a running start, preparing for a long throw. The outfield will be the foundation of many fantasy teams in 2021. the fastest reactions and most direct routes in the Kyle Schwarber strikes out at such a large clip (29.9 K%) that it is easy to miss his dominance in other fantasy categories. I Suzuki 2. 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. He just hasn't thrown enough to qualify yet from those spots, and when he does, he'll look like he has a considerably better arm than Goldschmidt which he does. Heading into the season, Juan Soto is the leading candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, which feels ridiculous to say about a guy who still ended with a WAR of 5.2. How hard, in miles per hour, a pitch is thrown. How far, in feet, a runner is ranging off the bag at the He played at least 50 innings at six different positions and hit .281/.394/.379 with 27 extra-base hits and a 12.8 percent walk rate in 126 games, posting a 4.1-WAR season that earned him a third-place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Ten MLB breakout predictions for 2023: Jim Bowden's hitters and Suzuki struggled to adjust to the different levels of pitching, but he is a prime candidate for a bounceback season. player has saved over his peers. Few rookies in recent memory have had a greater impact on the culture of their team than Julio Rodrguez, who played a pivotal role in helping the Seattle Mariners reach the postseason for the first time since Ichiro Suzuki's rookie season in 2001. become a hit. Etc., etc., etc. So is that because the elbow isnt allowing harder throws -- not that its mattered much, as hes been excellent defensively -- or because his new position doesnt demand it? He's also had nearly 2,000 tracked throws since Statcast came online in 2015, and exactly one of them -- one! 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. 1 spot in 2023? Making a case for him to go 1.1 in 2023 drafts isn't difficult. Harris should be a 20/20 guy for the foreseeable future, and he is surrounded in the lineup by guys who will boost his counting stats. 5 TanteUschi 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. Since the demands of each position grouping are different, the averages and qualifiers are different as well. play. He missed time in the middle of the season with a finger injury he incurred while stealing a base, or he would have probably joined the 30/30 Club. Escape Velocity takes the average of a player's batted ball velocities subtracted from 88. Youd be surprised at how complicated it gets. Consistent at the plate as well as in the field, Van Slyke spent his formative years patrolling the middle of the outfield for the Pittsburgh Pirates, between Bobby Bonilla and Barry Bonds. One of baseball's legendary figures and the greatest switch hitter who ever lived, Mickey Mantle's defense and rocket of an arm are often overshadowed by his offensive numbers. Let them. window") of the runner is at least 30 ft/sec. Headlined by three MVPs, our list of the best corner outfielders is a who's who of top-tier talent in Major League Baseball. No longer an everyday playernor having as strong and accurate an arm as he had in his primeAbreu forces baserunners to show him respect and think twice before running on him. The Cardinals seem to regularly find an unheralded rookie who emerges as a key contributor, and in 2022 it was Donovan who started the year as the team's No. 2023 Frisco Classic: Everything You Need To Know D1Baseball one base to another, like Home To First. become a hit. OF-95 mph. How much spin, in revolutions per minute, a pitch was Just beware that his numbers might look much closer to 2021 than 2022. 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. Corbin Carroll mashed his way through the minor league system and arrived in Arizona for his debut in 2022. It's possible they leave him in the 2-slot, especially until Bryce Harper returns, in which case he will continue to score runs and increase his RBI total. Long toss is the commonly mentioned method to strengthening a baseball . ), But the counterbalance to that is looking at a handful of infielders who have played on both sides of the bag just this season. Pirates starting pitcher Mel Queen hit a fly ball into the gap between right and center. On Saturday . 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 [!] His arm was so impressive that Expos manager Dick Williams is said to have compared it to Roberto Clemente's, a bold statement to say the least. In 2022, the 28-year-old ranked in the 98th percentile in outfielder jump and 97th percentile in arm strength, filling out the mold for a complete defensive outfielder. For as powerful as Winfield's arm was, it wasn't the most accurate, as Yankees manager Billy Martin opined after the seagull incident: "They say he hit the gull on purpose, They wouldn't say that if they'd seen the throws he'd been making all year. Phelps would only play poorly in parts of two seasons in the Bronx. An All-Star for just the second time in his career, he slotted perfectly in the No. 27 prospect in the Cleveland organization would finish as one of the 10 best outfielders in baseball? Early 2023 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Rankings: Top 30 offers an Every one, that is, except Story. Ranking the best outfield arms in the majors right now He is one of the best pure hitters in the game today, and the six-year, $115 million extension he signed in June already looks like an absolute steal for the Astros. Frelick also climbed three levels in his first full season, and the 2021 first . Phillies 2022 preview: The outfield bomb squad | PhillyVoice How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from Seven of the first 15 players in MLB.com's player rankings are outfielders, including four of the top five. Ted Kluszewski, who was the Reds' hitting coach when Geronimo arrived and helped Geronimo enjoy a moderate level of success at the plate, explained how impressive his throwing arm was: "(Geronimo) is like a center in basketballhe intimidates you. play. attempt. it's a tough call between Clemente and Whiten.". able to make a catch on an individual batted ball. Proportional frame w/ well developed strength and athleticism. A range-based metric of skill that shows how many outs a A shortstop in college, Cory Snyder made his mark in the major leagues as a power-hitting outfielder. velocity and launch angle. Fantasy managers dream each spring of a full season of this production, and if he manages to get to 500 plate appearances, he could be a steal at his current ADP of 78. Who can?". Yes, of course. 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. An 18-time All-Star and the last man to win the American League Triple Crown, a feat he achieved in 1967, Carl Yastrzemski played excellent defense in left field and had a strong, accurate throwing arm. There may be many ways to arrive at a logical ranking of outfield throwing arms, but assists minus double plays is telling. Glen Gorbous might actually have the greatest throwing arm in the history of the world, but because his incredible feats were primarily accomplished outside of game action, he finds himself closer to the bottom of the list. The best player at the position was Ronald Acuna (.280 with 127 runs, 41 home runs, 101 RBI, and 37 steals . It is difficult to predict what effect the new running rules will have on his SB total, but fantasy managers can safely count on 10-15 in this area. In 2019, for example, Austin Meadows was the No. How hard, in miles per hour, a pitch is thrown. 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. Outfielders get the average of the top 10% of their throws. The shortstop position has become one of the deepest and most talented positions in fantasy baseball over the last decade. xwOBA is formulated using exit velocity, launch angle The immortal Vin Scully put it best: "Clemente could field the ball in New York, and throw out a guy in Pennsylvania.". 2023 Spring Preview: Mt. Vernon Baseball | Ozarks Sports Zone How far, in feet, a fielder or runner has traveled on a MLB Advanced Media, LP. A shotgun concealed as his right arm, Parker fired baseballs at a ridiculous velocity, resulting in his leading the league with 26 assists in 1977 and finishing his career with 143 assists. No one, I mean no one, runs on him.". In stints with the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers, Smith threw out 127 runners from the outfield, spending significant time in both center field and right field. in "feet per second in a player's fastest one-second Ari Bethea, Collierville (TN), 2025 Positional Profile: RHP/OF Body: 6-1, 192-pounds. Ruth carried his strong pitching arm into the outfield, where he threw out 204 runners over the course of his career. Furillo picked up the ball and fired a strike to Dodgers first baseman Gil Hodges, beating Queen to the bag by two feet. of his glove and to the base on a stolen base or pickoff window.". 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. MLB Advanced Media, LP. But at the end of the day, fantasy managers are drafting him for his elite speed and ability to steal bases, a skill that may get even better depending on how the new baserunning rules play out. Sure but mostly on relays home from the outfield, or sometimes on double play attempts. Each player was only included at the position where he played the most innings. Kaline was a master of putting himself in perfect position when a ball was hit in his direction where he would make the catch and fire the ball back into the infield in one, fluid motion. Hes also No. 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. 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). In order to qualify for the But what goes unappreciated is the arm strength of baseball's workhorsesthe infielders. On August 4, 1983, while warming up in the outfield with one of the Toronto Blue Jays' ball boys in the middle of the fifth inning, Winfield's throw hit a passing seagull, killing the bird and found Winfield arrested for cruelty to animals. thrown with. Average times are calculated with the following ranges. Acquired from the Houston Astros as part of the trade that bought Joe Morgan to the Cincinnati Reds, Cesar Geronimo patrolled center field for the Big Red Machine with aplomb, taking home four Gold Glove awards. On the left side, its higher: 81.5 mph on average, maxing out at 84.9 mph. Outfield Arm Strength Rankings : baseball - reddit He also led the majors with 200 strikeouts and was a below average defender (-14 DRS, -13.7 UZR/150), but he still finished with a 130 OPS+ and 2.2 WAR in 155 games as an impact bat atop the Philadelphia lineup. 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). 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. His sophomore campaign should be a boon to fantasy teams, and he will come at a discount. Defensively, he is a great player. One of his most remarkable assists came in the top of the third inning of a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers on August 27, 1951. The left-handed outfielder had a rock solid 2022 season, holding a .281 batting average with 12 home runs while leading the South Atlantic League with 34 doubles joining Project Birmingham. 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). xERA is a simple 1:1 translation of xwOBA, converted to Home Run record with 62, scoring 133 runs, driving in 131, and stealing 16 bases to boot. Anything below 88mph is considered 0. He had the hardest-hit ball of the evening, but he also showed off his arm, uncorking a pair of throws -- each tracked at over 95 mph. He'll lope after a ball to see if he can get you to run, picks it up . Cannons and Popguns Rating Outfield Arms - The Hardball Times While the play itself was quite amazing, Dodgers starter Ralph Branca would end up taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning before the Pirates would collect two hits off of him. While the outfielders are chewing grass and staring at the girl behind the dugout, infielders have. Not only is his arm incredibly strong, it's also accurate. Mike Trout unleashed a throw from center field Monday night at Dodger Stadium that looked more . After injuries limited him to just 78 games in his first season with the Blue Jays, Springer bounced back with a 131 OPS+ in 133 games while earning his fourth career All-Star selection. The 30-year-old posted a 136 OPS+ with 40 doubles, 35 home runs, 82 RBI and an NL-leading 117 runs scored in 142 games. Van Slyke unleashed a throw to Pirates catcher Mike LaValliere that arrived in time to nail Oquendo, who was blocked from the plate by LaValliere's left leg long enough for the catcher to apply the tag. Someone in your league will reach for him during the draft. Where do you draft the superstar who will only play half the season at most? Taylor Ward's breakout in his fifth MLB season was interrupted by a nagging hamstring injury that cut into his ability to be a consistent fantasy asset. Milwaukee Brewers Top 30 prospects list 2023 preseason - mlb.com Pittsburgh Pirates coach Rich Donnelly explains: ""He eggs you on. How far off the mound, in feet, a pitcher releases the 2022 Stats: 117 G, .261 BA/.374 OBP/.394 SLG, 19 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 8 SB. How high/low, in degrees, a ball was hit by a batter. Current: When you measure a pitchers average fastball velocity, its simple. What is not of concern are the 81 games he gets to play at Yankee Stadium this year and each one after until 2031, thanks to his 9-year, $360 million free-agent contract. Another outfield prospect the Cardinals traded away before he broke out, Garca had a 31-homer rookie season in 2021, but he was a more well-rounded offensive player this season. When Michael Harris II made his MLB debut on May 28, 2022, he was just a few months past his 21st birthday and had played just 43 games at the Double-A level, jumping over Triple-A entirely. As MLB.com Toms Tango has detailed, when looking at players who have played multiple positions, outfielders consistently throw about 3 mph higher than themselves at shortstop and third, 7 mph higher than at second, and 10 mph than they are at first base. He hit 31 HR in 451 plate appearances with 78 RBI. He is a top OBP guy and his ratios have one of the highest floors in baseball. His 10 hardest non-relay/pivot throws on the right side of the infield average 75.7 mph, maxing out at 78.2 mph. Known primarily as a right fielder, a position he played for 1,283 games, Dawson patrolled center for the Montreal Expos in more than 1,000 games as well. As Reynolds was rounding third, Jackson unleashed a throw that not only reached Royals catcher Bob Boone on the fly, but in plenty of time to stop Reynolds from scoring the winning run. Here are Justin Leger's top 20 outfielders for the upcoming season. The past two seasons, Phillips has amassed 21 outs above average while patrolling center and right field (seventh-most among outfielders last season with 11). If you can stomach the idea of spending a high-round draft pick on an injury risk with a high ceiling, Robert could be a steal. An All-Star and Gold Glove winner for the first time, Happ hit .271/.342/.440 for a 119 OPS+ with 42 doubles, 17 home runs, 72 RBI, 72 runs scored and 4.4 WAR in 158 games. Top Tools: Arm Strength - Baseball Prospectus A Batted Ball Event represents any batted ball that Seiya Suzuki arrived to MLB and kicked off his career in the States with a bang, hitting four HR and getting on base at a .398 clip. Take Tommy Edman, who has moved back and forth between both spots. Traded shortstop Adalberto Mondesi to the Red Sox for pitcher Josh Taylor. He is exactly the type of guy you wait for once you've built up your other categories. Yordan lvarez actually played more games at designated hitter (77) than he did in the outfield (56), but since there are not enough everyday DHs for us to do a top 25 list for that position, he's being included here alongside the rest of the league's best outfielders. The tools are all there: Robert has good speed, reduced his strikeout rate in 2022, and his expected slash numbers will be helpful to fantasy squads. In 2021, still at shortstop, that was down to 79.1 mph, largely believed to be related to a midseason elbow injury. Mike Trout missed 30 games at midseason with a back issue and still finished eighth in AL MVP voting while taking home his eighth Silver Slugger Award. Bo Bichette, Bobby Witt Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Marcus Semien, Francisco Lindor, Corey . 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. High effort on throws, accurate. 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. Flexibility, mechanics and total-body strength are key factors coaches and trainers stress in order to increase arm strength. At his current ADP of 129, he is an absolute steal, even taking into account that he won't play 150 games.