Listen. One evaluator said that Bellinger's swing is so unusual that he'll probably always struggle for consistency, for finding the feel he needs to be successful, and because of that, he'll probably have a lot of ups and downs. Tom Glavine 1987-2002, 2008 (63.6 WAR) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. 6 spot. His career will always be under a microscope, but it's hard to call his 2021 performance anything but superstar-caliber. J.T. March 1, 2023. The safe bet is that he'll bounce back and do a ton of damage in the summer ahead. He hit .328/.376/.624 with 31 doubles, 11 triples, 32 homers, 92 RBI, 108 runs and 36 steals across three . Simply speaking, Mantiply has become the epitome of control. The two-year, $14 million contract Hernandez signed with Boston ended up being one of the best bargains of the 2020-21 free-agent market. 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. Didi Gregorius (free agent): 94.7 mph 7. All of what you need to know about Meusel's arm was said by Bob Quinn, former president of both the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves. He led the National League in outfield assists twice in his career. 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. After bouncing around the infield over his first five seasons, Bez settled in as the Cubs starting shortstop last year and was one of the best defensive players in all of baseball. Bill James had him as the 67th best right fielder in major league history and said he had. Accuracy matters, too. 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? In per-game DRS among all MLB. 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. "It was as if we were playing for the playoffs," one impressed staffer said. Statcast Statistics Player Batting 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | All Edmonds had phenomenal range while he was younger, and there are many instances in which he scaled the outfield wall to retrieve would-be home runs. Fingers crossed that the 2021 MLB season will begin on time -- and that we get to see some live baseball at the ballpark this year. Robles struggled in 2020, but he had 17 homers, 28 steals, 65 RBIs and 86 runs in '19 and has no competition for playing time this season. Dawson racked up 157 outfield assists in his 21 major league seasons. Jesse Barfield had an incredibly strong and an incredibly accurate throwing arm. Walker was known for his abilities at the plate, but he also had a gun for an arm. Along with a .199 average and 213 strikeouts, he led the AL with 111 walks and had a solid .351 on-base percentage. Vote for who you think are the best MLB outfielders currently playing in the league today . Bez was responsible for five of the 31 tracked assists of at least 90 mph by infielders last season, the second most in MLB, and his average arm strength on max-effort throws (88.3 mph) was the third best among infielders. Tabbed as the 58th-best outfield prospect nationally (D1Baseball). But the best of the best can fire lasers directly at their targets, from any position. Which outfielder has the strongest arm 2021? Just like the regular-season rankings, players are ranked solely on the 2021 season. 17. ESPN's Paul Hembekides sent this along: "I think his issues in 2020 stem from a lack of confidence -- he just stopped swinging. 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. 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. This is not unusual: Cal Ripken Jr. spent his whole career fighting for feel, winning two MVP awards but also posting seven seasons in which he batted in the .250s or lower. Catch up on the 2021 MLB Player Rankings series:Catchers,First Basemen,Second Basemen, Third Basemen,Shortstops. If there is a player in this system who can make a Bryan Ramos-like jump in 2023, my money is on Mieses. Laureanos arm is best known for the throw mentioned above, which resulted in a double play after he caught a fly ball hit by Justin Upton at Angel Stadium. All told, he hit .333 with 17 homers and a 1.158 OPS over 43 games in 2020. All three of those guys could finish in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting, but the staff goes deeper than that trio. Mookie Betts, Dodgers. His career OPS is 1.000, exactly. RP - Joe Mantiply, ARI (2.5 BB%) Devin Wiles. An intercostal strain limited Winker to only one game after Aug. 15. Follow @RickWeinerBR Just Missed the Cut 1 of 42 Barry Bonds Shin-Soo Choo Mike Hershberger Andruw Jones. Need more power? Pollock, Los Angeles Dodgers; Eddie Rosario, free agent; Andrew Benintendi, Boston Red Sox; Robbie Grossman, Detroit Tigers; Clint Frazier, New York Yankees. Joey Votto travels with Ted Williams' book "The Science of Hitting" and has built a Hall of Fame rsum based on a lot of the principles that Williams espoused -- like not doing the pitcher a favor by chasing pitches out of the strike zone. With club control through the 2025 season, he is a long-term building block for the O's. Gallo, Soler, Lewis, Yastrzemski, Happ, Rosario and Mountcastle can provide it. 14. The 28-year-old hit .305/.394/.556 for a 140 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 24 home runs and 71 RBI in 485 plate appearances, earning his first All-Star selection. To qualify for inclusion, a player had to have at least 200 plate appearances. And it would be a crime not to grab Bellinger in this five-tools exercise somewhere. Mays is in the discussion for the greatest player of all-time. Great teams are composed of . The 24-year-old led the team in OPS+ (147) while hitting .294/.359/.557 with 37 doubles, 30 home runs, 92 RBI and 14 steals in what was essentially his first full season in the majors, aside from last year's shortened slate. A catch made high against the right field wall to take extra bases away from Ozuna. With three more home runs from Albies, the 2021 Braves will become only the second team in MLB history to have all four primary infielders tally 25 home runs, per ESPN Stats & Information's Jared Berson, joining the 2008 Florida Marlins. Mike Trout was born on Aug. 7, 1991, and every so often, it's worth a few moments to consider the start to his career, to remind yourself that you are watching a historic peer of Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth. The speedy Straw was an everyday player for the first time in 2021, first replacing George Springer in center field in Houston before the Astros traded him to Cleveland at the deadline. The Bulldogs and Sooners are joined by California (which is off to a strong 6-1 start) and Ohio State (a . Meusel threw strikes to any base from the outfield". Second baseman Ozzie Albies has been one of the most productive players at the position since his first full season in 2018, and this season is no different. His nickname is Laser Ramn, so you already knew hed have to make this list. Translation: Realmuto dominates the catcher throwing department. The late-bloomer is controllable for two more seasons, and the Blue Jays could explore a long-term extension to make sure he sticks around as part of the offensive core that also includes Guerrero, Bo Bichette and George Springer. The well-rounded Betts is our second-ranked outfielder and No. Through Williams's age 21 year -- two seasons -- he had 203 walks, 54 homers and an OPS of 1.041 in 293 games. He homered 12 times in a 10-game stretch at the end of June, but he missed most of July with a hamstring strain. Tier 5: Anthony Santander, Victor Robles, Clint Frazier, Max Kepler, Kyle Schwarber, Jesse Winker, Trey Mancini, Andrew McCutchen, Jarred Kelenic, AJ Pollock, Andrew Benintendi, Mark Canha, Chris Taylor, Nick Solak, Mitch Haniger, Aaron Hicks, Brandon Nimmo, Lorenzo Cain, Joc Pederson, Garrett Hampson. Throughout the year, we released monthly updates to our position-by-position power rankings, selecting the top 10 players at each spot. Buxton, Myers, Pham, Laureano, Moore and Carlson could be double-digit homer and steal guys. His 5.7 WAR was second on the AL West champions roster, behind only Carlos Correa. He made more consistent contact while maintaining his usual elite average exit velocity and hard-hit rate metrics. You need to do it all to be an MVP these days. 7. Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers/New York Yankees. Mookie. Runners were hesitant to try to take an extra base when the ball was hit to right in Coors Field between 1995 and 2003. 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. Cobb did have some trouble with his arm however. Hitting with discipline is something you elect to do. While one of Ramirez's most memorable moments in the field occurred when he walked into the Green Monster mid-game, it should also been noted that Ramirez has also showcased his arm in front of that very same wall. Larry Walker is considered one of the best Rockies ever in the team's short existence. Seven of the first 15 players in MLB.com's player rankings are outfielders, including four of the top five. 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. His swing rate on all pitches dipped to 35% (in '20), which ranked 141st among 142 qualified hitters. Major League Baseball is loaded with talent in 2021, and the outfield is where you'll find some of the game's biggest stars. The man known as El Mago (The Magician) is blessed with many gifts and would have been a fine pick for the fielding tool, but lets focus on his rocket for a right arm. Dave Roberts, Dodgers. Catch up on the 2021 MLB Player Rankings series: Catchers, First Basemen, Second Basemen,. Verdugo batted .308 for the Red Sox, his energy sometimes feeling like life support for a franchise going through one of the worst seasons in its history. Arozarena is coming off a postseason for the ages, on top of a strong finish in the regular season. In 2019, it was all about arm strength for Laureano. 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). In the third season of a five-year, $60 million contract, Pollock enjoyed his best season in a Dodgers uniform, hitting .297/.355/.536 for a 137 OPS+ with 27 doubles, 21 home runs and 69 RBI. He earned a starting nod in the All-Star Game, and he deserves a ton of credit for the job he did protecting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. out of the cleanup spot in the Toronto lineup. Amazingly, his arm was not the best part of his game defensively. It's not like swinging hard and hitting a ball 115 mph. Homegrown players Steven Duggar and Austin Slater have also seen semi-regular time in the outfield, though Duggar was recently optioned to Triple-A now that Bryant can provide corner outfield depth as well. ESPN's Buster Olney leads the discussion of the latest news and notes around baseball with the game's top analysts. Davis looking to get back on track this spring. He also led the field with an average pop time of just 1.88 seconds on throws from home to second, and recorded eight of the 10 fastest caught stealing throws across MLB. $0.99 He also improved dramatically on defense, recording +2 Outs Above Average after finishing at -13 in just 53 games in the field in 2019, so his glove is no longer a reason to keep him out of the lineup. NHL trade deadline: Winners and losers, including the Bruins, Devils and Bruce Boudreau? Tier 4: Jeff McNeil, Byron Buxton, Wil Myers, Alex Verdugo, Joey Gallo, Jorge Soler, Tommy Pham, Kyle Lewis, Ramn Laureano, Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Brantley, Ian Happ, Dylan Moore, Eddie Rosario, Ryan Mountcastle, Dylan Carlson. Before he retired in the middle the 2010 season, Junior was the active leader in outfield assists with 154. Even in his time in the minors, his swing-and-miss rate jumped up a few percentage points. February 26, 2023. Yes, Gallo hit .160 with a 38.6 percent strikeout rate after the Rangers traded him to the Yankees. After years of teasing his immense raw power potential in the minors and sporadically in the big leagues, Tyler O'Neill finally put together his long-awaited breakout season. There was a lot of debate during the truncated season why Yelich struggled so much -- and there's no disputing that his troubles were acute, something more than a slump. In 2015, Marte had a 16-1 number (A-DP) as part of perhaps baseball's best fielding outfield. Abreu's strong arm helped him win his only Gold Glove in 2005. His shoulder first began giving him problems in . 4 overall prospect. While the debate has raged on for years regarding if Jackson actually participated in fixing the World Series, there is little debate that he is one of the greatest players of all-time. The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen has chewed through an MLB-leading 533.1 innings this season. 2y Buster Olney. Now the #20 prospect in the Yankees' organization, Hardman posted a 109 wRC+ across High-A and Double-A last season with 22 HRs in 111 games, but his over 30% K% is alarming for his projectability long-term. 0:00 / 11:29 MLB Best Outfield Throws || MLB 2021 Season (Supercut) Punchouts 18.6K subscribers 96K views 1 year ago Some of the best throws from the 2021 MLB season! Harper hit .338/.476/.713 with 20 home runs after the All-Star break, doing his part to help a Phillies team that tried in vain to chase down a postseason berth. Oneil Cruz (Pirates): 97.9 mph 2. That's primal, natural. The Frisco Classic is one of college baseball's premier early-season tournaments year-in and year-out, and this year's field is strong as usual, headlined by 2021 national champion Mississippi State and 2022 national runner-up Oklahoma. Baseball's best arms: Ranking MLB's top 10 starters & relievers for 2021. My guess, after talking with folks who know him: Yelich was among the players affected by how dramatically the COVID-19 protocol changed processes. This is a pretty straight forward category. One of the most exciting defensive plays in baseball occurs when there is going to be a play at the plate. As the anchor of the Dodgers' package for Betts, Verdugo was the centerpiece in perhaps the most unpopular Boston baseball deal since Babe Ruth was shipped off to the Yankees, and he joined the Red Sox with a well-publicized reputation as a less-than-ideal teammate. For reference, Bradley Zimmer has one of the best throwing arms on the big league roster and has always had a strong arm, considered to be plus (60) and maybe even double-plus (70). However, he was worth a staggering 4.5 WAR when he was on the field. Mervis' busy spring preparing him for Majors. The Giants acquired him at the trade deadline, and he is poised to cash in as a free agent this offseason. 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. He looks ready for a huge breakout season, after another year of offensive maturation. The Yankees re-signed Brett Gardner, but they may finally give Frazier a chance to play every day. The future of Florida's pitching staff is incredibly bright. 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. Whitaker was ranked the #37 prospect by MLB. Three-time AL MVP Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels definitely ranks in the top 10 outfielders, along with Mookie Betts and Charlie Blackmon. Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman, 505 PA, .235/.309/.504, 56 XBH (31 HR), 76 RBI, 75 R, 4.3 WAR. February 13, 2023. Tier 3: Randy Arozarena, Trent Grisham, Michael Conforto, Giancarlo Stanton, Nick Castellanos, J.D. The ultra-versatile Taylor was an All-Star for the first time in 2021, posting a 110 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 20 home runs, 73 RBI, 92 runs scored and 13 steals in 148 games. Honorable Mention: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants. Each player was included in the rankings at the position where he played the most innings. Buxton debuted for the Twins in 2015, and since then has become one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball. Carl Furillo's right arm earned him the nickname, "The Reading Rifle". It's worth remembering that during the 2018-19 seasons, Pham had an on-base percentage of .368 and scored 179 runs in 282 games. It simply looks at outfield arm strength. Previous picks: Anthony Rendon (hit), Mike Trout (power), Byron Buxton (run), Simmons (defense), Ramn Laureano, CF, AsKey stat: 321-foot assist on Aug. 11, 2018. Previous picks: DJ LeMahieu (hit), Aaron Judge (power), Ronald Acua Jr. (run), Matt Chapman (defense). He has taken to the outfield and his plus-plus arm shuts down running games. MLB Power Rankings: The 25 Best Outfield Arms in MLB History | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report MLB Final NYY 7 LAA 4 Soccer Today 6:30PM ARS AVFC Today. His 26 home runs trail only Salvador Perez among all backstops. Ramirez is fourth among active outfielders with 129 career assists. Bez was responsible for five of the 31 tracked assists of at least 90 mph by infielders last season, the second most in MLB, and his average arm strength on max-effort throws (88.3 mph) was the third best among infielders. Soto has created a mountain of crazy numbers already, but here's one of my favorites: When he led off an inning in 2020 -- when pitchers might've been most likely to challenge him -- Soto went 13-for-25, with four doubles, four homers, eight walks, one hit by pitch and one strikeout. Baseball Savant. On top of his offensive production, he is also one of the game's best pitch framers, and the pitching staff has a 3.61 ERA when he's in the crouch. In addition to a standard strength-training regimen for upper body and arm strength, outfielders can perform daily throwing drills, such as one-knee throwing and long tosses, to build their. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the majors with a 2.90 starters' ERA, but injuries and off-the-field issues have thinned their rotation considerably. He also played a solid defensive center field in a 5.7 WAR season. Jackson is known most for his alleged participation in the Black Sox Scandal and the fact that he was banned from baseball by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis following the 1920 season. Mays had 195 career outfield assists and he won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves. In 2021, he was the No. This is Just Baseball's staff consensus ranking of the top 15 corner outfielders in baseball. 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. You could argue that so long as his arm is healthy, there's none more valuable. Luis Mieses OF (Prev. He has also done a solid job handling the staff with a 3.87 ERA behind the plate. Aaron Judge, Yankees Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. No other infielder came close to matching his average arm strength on Statcast-measured throws. Martinez started cold and never recovered last season, and Meadows was never right after dealing with COVID-19 in July. Standings. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs/San Francisco Giants. The Venezuela native surged three levels in his age-18 season, showing off plus power and 70-grade speed on his way to becoming the No. Red Sox. He also once again took home Gold Glove honors in a 6.3 WAR season. Will draft 15-20 pick. The 27-year-old already has career-highs in OPS+ (109), hits (126), doubles (29), home runs (25) and RBI (75). After a slow start, reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman is once posting elite numbers. 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. Walker won seven Gold Gloves and ended his career with 154 outfield assists. The Milwaukee Brewers aren't far behind with a 3.11 ERA, and they have a trio of bona fide aces atop the staff that have helped lead them to the top of the NL Central standings. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball, Alonso says Aston 'living a dream,' eyes podium. Kyle Schwarber, Washington Nationals/Boston Red Sox. 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. Free agency, trade talk, offseason news . "There's a nuance to disciplined hitting that needs to become a habit. Utley's UZR/150 has been at least 8.0 in nine of his 10 seasons as a regular in the big leagues. Kimbrel still has explosive stuff with a fastball that sits comfortably in the high-90s and a wipeout curveball that generated a staggering 59.3 percent whiff rate in 2021. Near the top of Florida's next crop of freshmen are two of South Florida's finest arms, right-hander Christian Rodriguez . Furillo also has the distinction of having needed just one more hit in his career to have a .300 average, while he instead finished at .299. MLB fans were up in arms on Friday afternoon because of an absurd shift used during a Spring Training game. Starling Marte made a unique bit of history in 2021, becoming the first player in MLB history with at least 20 stolen bases in both leagues in the same season. The regimented preparation that had worked for Yelich in the past was simply not available to him, and he may have suffered for it. Shortstop Dansby Swanson is hitting .322/.372/.594 with 10 home runs in 36 games since the All-Star break. It is a shame that his career was cut short as the result of a hip injury. The fourth tier features OF3 candidates of every type. Williams loved to talk hitting, and through the last years of his life, he developed friendships with the likes of Tony Gwynn. With the unique 2020 season behind us, it's time to turn our attention to the hot stove season. Here are this years top fantasy outfielders, broken down into tiers. But imagine him with this cannon attached to his shoulder. Soto, in my opinion, has that. But Ozuna is valued for his bat, for his advanced understanding of how pitchers will try to work against him. Rather than ranking individual players, we set out to name the best multi-player units in baseball. And yes, by the end of the World Series, he did find his best swing, enough to put a punctuation mark on the Dodgers' championship with an eighth-inning home run in Game 6. According to Bill James' Baseball Abstract, Valentine had the best arm in baseball in the 1970's. He threw a ball 445 feet and 10 inches in 1957 while he was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals' Triple-A team. Adam Eaton, Chicago White Sox, Right field, 11, (14-3) Adam Eaton of the Chicago White Sox makes a run for it | Ezra Shaw/Getty Images. Trout is about halfway through his career, maybe even further along than that. At 321 feet, it was the longest on-the-fly throw for an outfield assist tracked by Statcast (since 2015). The outfield will be the foundation of many fantasy teams in 2021. How Does Carlos Correa's Deal Impact Dansby Swanson's Market? 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. 1. Honorable Mentions: Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants. 2. Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox The outfield will be the foundation of many fantasy teams in 2021. But that represents the bulk of the 26-year-olds big league experience. With free agency looming after the 2022 season, another performance like that would set him up for a huge payday next winter. Hernandez was signed as a super-utility . 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. He was hitting .283/.394/.596 with 19 doubles, 24 home runs and 17 steals through 82 games at the time of the injury, good for a 3.6 WAR season. The lefty bat can play both first base and outfield, and has even filled in a third base. 8. 8. 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. Non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs at the start of last offseason, Schwarber signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Nationals. 20. September 10, 2021 | 00:05:48. The 31-year-old remains one of baseballs most imposing sluggers, but he has appeared in just 41 regular season games over the past two years. 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, He struggled in 2020, with his slugging percentage (.312) matching his on-base percentage.