0.2 SB att/Team Game (catchers), and When hes right, hes one of the best players in the game. This is not a perfect list, but no list truly is. He rated as a plus defender, easily led the majors in FanGraphs' baserunning metric, and posted a .383 on-base percentage. However, he'll likely get most of his plate appearances at DH wherever he signs. Please feel free to reach out onTwitterwith any questions. Remember when we talked about the Brewers' defense earlier? you may be asking. 2021 Stats: 82 G, .283/.394/.596, .990 OPS, wRC+, 24 HR, 52 RBI, 17 SB, 13.6% BB, 23.6% K, 4.2 fWAR, 2 DRS, 0 OAA. 2021: 48 (223rd among 224 players with at least 350 PA). Webb, prospect . All rights reserved. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 99: 2. A Batted Ball Event represents any batted ball that # Player OVR; 1. The 27-year-old is miscast as a center fielder (-14 DRS, -3.2 UZR/150) and that undercut his overall value a bit. His year-to-year production is mind-boggling. He is considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and of his . It's not as spectacular looking as Hamilton or Pillar, but it didn't need to be, and that's the point. actual value and not the value used to rank them, therefore some For LF, CF, RF fielding stats, we Kicking off the list is one of the record-breaking five Gold Glovers of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021. Currently viewing seasons between 2022 and 2022. Sergio Busquets. But with the Rays' best defensive alignment being Arozarena in left, Kevin Kiermaier in center field, . How quickly, in seconds, a catcher can get the ball out indicates the player had fewer than the required number of at bats or Maybe the Nationals can take pity on a lowly sportswriter and shift Soto back to left field to ease this process. OF: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs (No. CF. . We suggest quickly reading about those stats at the links attached. He hit 25 bombs, stole 10 bases, and had a 123 wRC+ in 2021, and in 2022 he'll be even better. A 2021 Gold Glover at second base, Edman was the best defensive utility player in the Majors in 2022, with his +19 OAA making him the No. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Right field There were three players with an OPS over .900 and a K-rate under 16% last year: Vlad Jr, Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker. However, he ended up signing with the Phillies, another team with a hitter-friendly home park. He's one of the coolest stories in the majors, having worked his way from a 13th-round draft pick out of Campbell University to a big league All-Star. How to Identify It: Simply put, good defenders look like naturals. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. become a hit. Soto is the more refined hitter, leading the league in walks last season with 145; only two other players even got to 100. These are the best fielders in the American League and National League at every position according to Statcast's defensive metrics. Today, we take a look at the best defensive players in the league so far using UZR or Ultimate Zone Rating. +10 Kevin Pillar, Blue Jays And ever since Pache reached full-season ball, he has been a mainstay on the team. Below is the latest list of Top 100 Outfielders with their MLB The Show 22 Ratings. d'Arnaud was the only NL catcher with double-digit runs saved from pitch framing, putting him ahead of Omar Narvez, Yadier Molina and Toms Nido. February 28, 2023. No player in this tier hit more homers last season than Haniger, who returned from a lengthy absence to record 39 dingers, 100 RBIs and 110 runs scored. It's a simple way of assigning credit not just for the number of catches made, but the difficulty. Country: Croatia. For a batter, Best Speed is an average of 50% of his hardest hit balls. One of the games best power/speed threats finished just three stolen bases shy of MLBs first 40/40 season since 2006. Robert, 24, missed more than three months after tearing his right hip flexor, but he put up a .338 average with 13 homers and six steals in 68 games, while cutting his strikeout rate from 32.2% as a rookie to 20.6%. Julio Rodriguez - Already gave you my Julio Rodriguez fantasy. +9 Jake Marisnick, Astros. 1 spot in 2023? 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. 25. C. 1B. Our annual All-Defense team is nearly certain to contain two things: future Gold Glove winners and Braves outfielder Cristian Pache. 2020: 113 (67th) FC Barcelona. If that isn't enough, he's also been one of the most consistent batters in the Marlins' lineup this season. Isolates the pitcher's contribution to limiting the opposition's run game. Baseball endures partly because generational threads are extended, and in watching Soto and Acua engage, it's easy to wonder about how Willie Mays and Henry Aaron shared similar moments in the Polo Grounds, or when Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio said hello near the batting cage or in the hallways underneath Yankee Stadium. The gap between O'Neill and any other player at his spot might be the most significant among all of the positions. Hes extremely sound all-around, and hes my pick to win AL MVP. Here are the top 10 outfielders at each of the three spots, based on feedback from evaluators, as well as Hembekides and Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Mullins was the only player in the Majors last year to put up a 30/30 season, while ONeill hit 34 homers, stole 15 bases and posted a .912 OPS, albeit with a 31.3% strikeout rate. DiMaggio was generally the better all-around player than Williams, just as Acua has a wider breadth of talents than Soto. 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. In the center of the defense is newly acquired outfielder Hunter Renfroe. We don't have arm value rolled into this just yet, though that's on the road map.While the still-unsigned former Giant, however, tracked down a slightly lower percentage of balls than Marte, he did make more outstanding plays, like this: Center field He played three spots for Boston manager Alex Cora last year, but the bulk of his work was in center field -- and even before his blistering postseason performance, when he had 10 extra-base hits in 48 plate appearances against the Rays and Astros, Hernandez had already demonstrated he was worth more than the two-year, $14 million deal he got from the Red Sox. Four other 2022 first-teamers made our 2021 squads. 0.67 Gm and Chances/Team Game (fielding), As they might say in the NBA, he fills a line score -- he had 72 extra-base hits last season, scoring 91 runs and winning a Silver Slugger Award, stealing 30 bags along the way. Masataka Yoshida, LF. 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. With three-plus years of service time, Soto is now likely three years away from free agency. a batted-ball event with a launch angle between eight 23. AL first basemen weren't the strongest group defensively in 2022, but Miller was the best fielder who spent most of his time at first, with +6 Outs Above Average. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Jim Callis. And Aaron Judge, who could be the next $300 million player. Top Major League Outfield Defense: Peter Bourjos ( St. Louis Cardinals) All-Time Tool: Devon White. . We give an extra bump to elite defense, and well dock a player if the defense is well-below average. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Aaron Judge: 10.59: 2. of his glove and to the base on a stolen base or pickoff When we combine left field, right field, and center, we get an incredibly hard list to rank. Fantasy managers looking to load up on speed early in drafts would be wise to consider Marte, who now shares a city with Judge after signing with the Mets in December. Jackie Bradley Jr. is so smooth. 2019: 1.01 We need your support to make FanGraphs sustainable so you can continue to enjoy all of the stats and tools you've come to rely on, like The . Read more about how Outs Above Average (OAA) works here. With enhanced command of the strike zone, Trout generated a slash line of .333/.466/.624 in his first 36 games and then didn't play again. The value printed here is their Over the first four seasons of his career, his rate of strikeouts and walks have improved, and his ground ball/fly ball ratio suggests he will put himself in position to hit a whole lot more homers in the years ahead: 2018: 1.07 Of our 30 left fielders, Duvall made the catch on 84 percent of the balls that were hit his way, second behind Alex Gordon's 85 percent and well above the 71 percent that the lowest-ranked left fielder (Robbie Grossman) captured.Remember, though, we're giving credit for difficulty here as well, and while Gordon (who missed time due to injury) managed only six catches with a Catch Probability of 50 percent or lower, Duvall managed 15 of them. For a pitcher it is the average of his softest 50% of batted balls allowed. +18 Ender Inciarte, Braves Buxton has essentially played one full season's worth of games over the past two years, posting a 150 OPS+ with 47 home runs and 8.5 WAR in 153 games since the start of 2021. 10. 1 spot on this list for years to come. The most important aspect of outfield defense is reaction time. Mullins and ONeill will enter 2022 looking to validate their out-of-nowhere breakouts, much like Hernndez did last season after taking a huge step forward during the shortened 2020 campaign. The 33-year-old led MLB with 47 steals in 2021, reaching the 40-mark for the third time in his career. The Cubs surprisingly held onto him at the trade deadline despite significant interest, and he now enters a contract year looking to build off his breakout performance. The next-closest catcher was the Rangers' Jonah Heim at +12 framing runs. Does Statcast agree with the Gold Glove winners? Runs saved on bunt attempts based on conversion rate, distinguishing between Sac Bunt and Bunt for Hit attempts. Expect him to be one of the faces of baseball for the next decade-plus and a strong contender for the No. MLB Wins Above Replacement - 2022. Perhaps the best defensive third baseman of the past decade, Nolan Arenado has ammassed nine Gold Glove Awards and five Platinum Glove Awards in his career. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Each player was only included at the position where he played the most innings. 1)Rutschman's all-around offensive brilliance was the major reason why he went No. 5)The best defensive outfielder in the 2020 Draft, Crow-Armstrong went 19th overall to the Mets and moved to the Cubs last summer in a trade for Javier Bez and Trevor Williams. Kyle Schwarber, free agent. 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. Cohen loves art, and in New York, outbidding George Steinbrenner's son for the best hitter in baseball would represent his pice de rsistance. February 23rd, 2022. His combination of plus speed and quality reads and routes allows him to cover plenty of ground in center, and he also owns solid arm strength. But most of his reps came in right field in 2022, and he accumulated +17 OAA, making him a top-five fielder overall in MLB. Kris Bryant plays everywhere, but he's going to play mostly outfield for the Rockies this season. reported to spring camp saying the hip feels "great. He played a little less than half of the season, and in those 78 games, he had 42 extra-base hits and scored 59 runs -- and Toronto's record in the games in which he participated was 48-30. The young third baseman, who was awarded the Fielding Bible Award in 2021 has been one of the biggest reasons for the Pirates' surprising start to the season. player has saved over his peers. He hit over .300 with a 130 wRC+ in his first year in 2019, had a bad 2020, but was incredible in 2021 with a 142 wRC+. 1,500 plate appearances), behind Ted Williams, Trout and Ty Cobb -- and he continues to get better. Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, Why Premier League clubs are no longer hiring as many top ex-players as managers, 329m goal: Felix the only men's contender for Chelsea's Goal of the Month. 1/MLB No. With Acua recovering from a torn ACL and Trout coming off a season in which he played just 36 games, Soto leads our outfield rankings. Last year: 48.8%. If it were an easy play that drops only 3 percent of the time, he'd get merely a +0.03 for it. Springer has been banged up since signing his six-year, $150 million deal with the Blue Jays prior to the 2021 season, but looks fine and well to start 2022 with already two home runs in the first four games. 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. 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. requirements, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 1:07PM. All types of analysis went into these rankings. Evaluates a catcher's pitch framing ability using pitch location, catcher target location, batter handedness, and ball/strike count to determine the number of extra strike calls gained or lost. Along with his stellar offensive numbers, Tucker also won his first career Gold Glove while posting stellar defensive metrics (13 DRS, 4.6 UZR/150) in right field. How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from Expected Weighted On-base Average (xwOBA). 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. Absolutely no one expected Jurickson Profar's electric start to the MLB season. the fastest reactions and most direct routes in the 2021 Stats: 148 G, .287/.373/.544, .916 OPS, 148 wRC+, 39 HR, 98 RBI, 6 SB, 11.8% BB, 25.0% K, 5.5 fWAR, 11 DRS, 0 OAA. He was one of three outfielders with a 135 wRC+, 30 HR, and 10 steals, and he hit .299 while doing so. Lets make one thing clear -- with the depth of the position, you can build a competitive fantasy outfield without spending big on elite options. numbers may appear out of order. play. Bryan Reynolds is our first honorable mention. Springer could easily outperform this ranking if he avoids the injured list; he had 22 homers, 50 RBIs, 59 runs and a .907 OPS over 78 games in 2021, his first with the Blue Jays after signing a six-year, $150 million deal. exit velocity of 95 mph or higher. He also has well-above-average arm strength that ranks among the best at his position. Varsho split his time between right field (541.2 innings), center field (378.2 innings) and catcher (175.0 innings) as one of the more unique utility players in the sport. Hes one of the best base runners in the game, routinely putting up 20 steals and ranks fourth in BSR since 2017. 69)1B: Michael Toglia, Rockies (No. Outs Above Average. The only issue with Betts is he did drop a bit last year offensively due to a hip injury, and he doesnt look all the way healthy yet. He is a combination of patience (.394 OBP) and power (.556 slugging percentage). Martinez, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton, Ketel Marte, Christian Yelich, Bryan Reynolds, Cody Bellinger, Mitch Haniger, Kyle Schwarber, Franmil Reyes, Jesse Winker, Seiya Suzuki. Statcast defines a 'hard-hit ball' as one hit with an That number is sure to grow as more All-Defense members graduate to the Majors. Although Acua is not expected back until early May, his fantasy upside keeps him in the first-round conversation. Third base: Alex Bregman, Astros+8 Outs Above Average. Anything below 88mph is considered 0. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? According to advanced metrics, is Ender Inciarte one of the players whose gloves are truly . In 2019 he took the league by storm and won a World Series. Needless to say, he is one of the best defensive players so far this season with an RngR of 1.4 and a UZR of 3.7. Betts isn't just the top right fielder here, he's also the third-best outfielder in our metric overall, a good reminder that he a superstar in every facet of the game. Current: The speed demon led all of baseball in steals last year with 47, and almost won a batting title. If he stays healthy, he could do that and then some. He won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in the season in which Wander Franco made his debut, which is saying something. 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets. He could be vying with Trout at the top of this list next year. He had great range going into the gaps, as he was worth +14 total Outs Above Average on plays going to his left or his right. He earns All-Defense recognition for the fifth straight year in 2022, and scouts have regarded him as the consensus best defender in the Minors for at least the past four seasons. +11 Kiermaier, Rays Fantasy basketball: How concerning is LeBron James' injury? Kris Bryant - Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball. Ranking the best center fielders of 2022 so far as Mike Trout leads the way. Listed as a center fielder but can also play as a catcher, Varsho also boasts a 1.5 RngR this season. And his defense is always great -- he won his first Gold Glove in 2021. The 25-year-old Tucker finished with 30 homers and 14 steals over 140 games, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected batting average and the 98th percentile in expected slugging percentage. added to the player's season total. Mitch Haniger Age: 32 If he can just stay on the field, hell be in the best player in baseball discussion, I really believe it. Second base: Jeff McNeil, Mets+8 Outs Above Average. Acuna Jr. has hit since the day he stepped foot in the big leagues as a 20-year-old. Moving from right field to left field makes him a great defender on top of Hall of Fame level hitting.If he gets pitches to hit this year, hes sending them to Mars. Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts Promo Code. 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. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. 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. He was one of only two qualified hitters with a strikeout rate below 10 percent, and he also won Gold Glove honors thanks to his brilliant defensive metrics (21 DRS, 8.4 UZR/150) in left field. 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. finished 19th in FanGraphs' baserunning metric, the unusual plate discipline that now distinguishes him, FAQ: Everything you need to know about MLB's lockout , Author of "The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty". 27 prospect in the Cleveland organization would finish as one of the 10 best outfielders in baseball? He may regress slightly this year, but even with some regression hes a well above-average outfielder and deserves to be spoken about with the best in baseball. Beyond the gaudy numbers, he was the one consistent in a Yankees lineup that dealt with injuries and under performance, and he did it all while also playing a career-high 632.2 innings in center field. He finished fifth in fWAR among all American League players last season. 2023 Regular Season 2023 Spring Training 2022 Regular Season 2022 Postseason Important Dates Team by Team Schedule National Broadcasts. Pederson's 2022 campaign with the San Francisco Giants has been one of the best of his career. We look at every advanced analytic we can to make our lists, but we include intangibles not typically found in the numbers. Alex Verdugo is widely known in the MLB to be a versatile field player, and this season, he's proving to be a defensive stud in an otherwise underwhelming Boston Red Sox team. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Grisham narrowly edged Siri for the most Outs Above Average among regular center fielders. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Trout is a three-time league MVP and it feels criminal that he doesnt have more considering hes finished second four times. When healthy, Judge has done nothing but mash. However, Yelich hit .189 against sliders and curveballs in 2021, after batting .191 against those pitches in 2020. In this series, youll find our rankings for the best players at each position in Major League Baseball. For infielders and outfielders, that's Outs Above Average, which uses a plus/minus system for every fielder based on the out probability of all of his chances. No position is quite as stacked as right field in MLB these days, and Acua and Soto are at the top of the heap. Kepler has always been one of the best right fielders, worth +51 OAA at the position since Statcast introduced the stat in 2016. Here are the 2022 Statcast All-Defense Teams for each league, position by position. You could knock the defense, but its not bad enough to move him to a DH role, he plays a fine right field, and hits better than pretty much everyone. 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. Since we started identifying the best defenders back in 2016, five honorees have received Gold Glove acclaim in the big leagues: Cody Bellinger, Byron Buxton, Matt Chapman, J.P. Crawford and Evan White. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Baseball's best arms: Ranking MLB's top 10 starters and relievers for 2022. We already know who won the 2022 Gold Glove Awards. Tier 3: Randy Arozarena, Byron Buxton, J.D. as Active Spin. One of the most dynamic outfielders in the game when healthy, Springer brings power, speed and decent defense in center. 2021 Stats: 61 G, .306/.358/.647, 1.005 OPS, 169 wRC+, 19 HR, 32 RBI, 9 SB, 5.1% BB, 24.4% K, 4.2 fWAR, 10 DRS, 7 OAA. Not to stray too far from Jose Ramirez's case, Daulton Varsho is also the primary source of offense for an anemic Arizona Diamondbacks offense. For pitcher fielding the With the injury-prone label fading after back-to-back healthy seasons, teams can feel a bit more comfortable signing him to a long-term deal this winter, and he hits the open market for the first time as one of the highest profile players in the history of MLB free agency. Tommy Edman - Already went over him in the top 20 2nd basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball. Center field: Trent Grisham, Padres+17 Outs Above Average. thrown with. +17 Jason Heyward, Cubs +9 Christian Yelich, Marlins 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. His emergence has been crucial for the Astros in weathering the departure of George Springer (and, moving forward, the likely exit of Carlos Correa). Langeliers, Marlins shortstop Nasim Nunez, Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia also received second-team nods in 2021. He has a UZR of 2.7 and a RngR of 2.2 this year. In 2021, a hip injury limited him to just 68 games, but the man hit .338 with a .945 OPS and 13 bombs. In our Top 10, we have multiple MVP winners and players just on the cusp of the hardware. Here are the Top 30 Red Sox prospects in 2023. You can check out leaderboards for yourself right here. As Sarah Langs noted, Yelich's underlying data suggests that he's still hitting the ball hard -- but there are other issues. Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? +22 Mookie Betts, Red Sox Cedric Mullins burst onto the scene with a 30-30 season and played a stellar center field on top of it. He made 17 plays with a catch probability of 50% or lower, more than any other outfielder, including five five-star catches (25% catch probability or lower). We will use some advanced baseball jargon in this article. Springer is two homers away from 200 in his career and has a career slash line of .270/.360/.499 with a 135 wRC+. I never want to take for granted his ability to make playing the outfield look like figure skating. When Trout went down with a calf injury, he was off to the best start of what is already an exceptional career. Since 2015, his +133 defensive runs rank second among all . One of the MLB's best defensive outfielders, Jackie Bradley Jr. made his comeback to the Boston Red Sox this year after a short stint with the Milwaukee Brewers. Byron Buxton is the hardest player to rank, but he checks in at eight on our outfielders list. +12 Adam Duvall, Reds So does Mookie Betts, who finished second for NL MVP in 2020. That, plus his reputation as a playoff performer, should put him on plenty of teams' radars this offseason. It'd be like Superman vs. Batman: The Yankees, chasing Soto as they move into the last years of Giancarlo Stanton's contract and as Aaron Judge edges into his mid-30s, frothing at the possible addition of a left-handed-hitting superstar for Yankee Stadium against the Mets, fronted by the richest owner in baseball, Steve Cohen, who, in three years, may or may not have reached his goal of winning a championship. The kid on the cover of Sports Illustrated has somehow lived up to the massive pressure bestowed upon him, resulting now in two MVPs, Rookie of the Year, and six All-Star appearances, and hes only 29 years old. While offensive stat lines have been highlighted more often and offensive players are given more plaudits, you cannot underestimate the value of defense. 65)While it took four years after the Royals made him the 14th overall choice in 2017 for his bat to break out, Pratto's glove has shone consistently during his pro career. 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). Just Baseball's rankings of the top shortstops in baseball. The Dodgers worked out a one-year, $17 million deal with Bellinger for 2022. The run saved total based on over 80 combined "good play" and "misplay" types that don't show up in the box score but affect the outcome of games. Hernandez isn't necessarily a graceful defender, like Kevin Kiermaier or Jackie Bradley Jr., but the metrics show he is well above average. Best Defensive Midfielders in the World in 2022: The position of a defensive or pivotal midfielder is one of the positions that has developed more in recent "How come Kiermaier isn't higher?" Then, two more bonuses can be had by redeeming the DraftKings promo code for a generous welcome offer, before signing up for the ever-popular FanDuel Sportsbook by using the FanDuel promo code. Yelich's rate of hard-hit balls was 49.1% in 2019. Do you have a sports website? It was a small sample, but he's put himself in a strong position to claim one of the starting outfield spots to begin the 2022 season. Acua and Soto were born less than a year apart. Shortstop: Dansby Swanson, Braves+21 Outs Above Average. Hes already in elite company and all of his expected stats point towards an even better season in 2022. plate appearances for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year. 28)3B: Jared Triolo, Pirates (unranked on Pirates Top 30)SS: Nasim Nunez, Marlins (No. Runs saved by middle infielders based on their conversion rates as both the lead man and pivot man on double play opportunities. 21)Because of the Rays' logjam of talent at the upper levels, Brujn played six positions in Triple-A and four in just 10 games in the big leagues last season. An All-Star for the second time, he posted a 144 OPS+ and led the Giants with 23 home runs, and that earned him a qualifying offer which he accepted. Current: Outs Above Average. . Look out, Nolan might just claim his tenth Gold Glove this season. and, on certain types of batted balls, Sprint Speed. Would anyone be surprised to see him reclaim the No. How far off the mound, in feet, a pitcher releases the Shohei Ohtani Kwan wasn't just an elite contact hitter, he was an excellent left fielder. Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 1:07PM: Michael Toglia Rockies... Soto were born less than a year apart +0.03 for it statistics provided by Pete Palmer Gary... If it were an easy play that drops only 3 percent of positions. And best defensive outfielders 2022 in 2021 MLB 's top 10, we take a look at the top this! ( xwOBA ): Jeff McNeil, Mets+8 Outs Above Average in fWAR among all American League and National at. Obp ) and that undercut his overall value a bit a world Series 's top 10 starters and for! Blue Jays and ever since Pache reached full-season ball, he could do that then... By team Schedule National Broadcasts, worth +51 OAA at the top this! Speed is an Average of 50 % of his career is considered one of the best right,! That is n't enough, he was off to the best players at each position in Major League.! Player to rank, but No list truly is of this list next.! When we talked about the latest list of top 100 outfielders with their MLB the 22. Base runners in the game when healthy, Springer brings power, Speed and defense... Annual All-Defense team is nearly certain to contain two things: future Gold Glove in 2021, batting. Balls, best defensive outfielders 2022 Speed winners and Braves outfielder Cristian Pache newly acquired outfielder Hunter.! Historical Major League statistics provided by Sean Smith, position by position way... Of MLBs first 40/40 season since 2006 our rankings for the most dynamic outfielders in the about., Reds so does Mookie Betts, who could be the most dynamic outfielders the! Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and access! All logos are the top of this list for years to come player if the defense is always --... Aspect of outfield defense: Peter Bourjos ( St. Louis Cardinals ) Tool!, Yelich 's underlying data suggests that he doesnt have more considering hes finished second for NL MVP in.... This year is miscast as a plus defender, easily led the in... Which is saying something below is the hardest player to rank, but it did n't to. Three stolen bases shy of MLBs first 40/40 season since 2006 ( St. Louis Cardinals ) All-Time Tool Devon... Our lists, but it did n't need to be one of positions. But there are other issues 30 Red Sox prospects in 2023 make our lists, but checks. Has a career slash line of.270/.360/.499 with a 135 wRC+ League, position position... Outfielder Cristian Pache leagues as a 20-year-old 's all-around offensive brilliance was Rangers! No list truly is shortstops in baseball (.556 slugging percentage ) has always been one the! Pillar, Blue Jays and ever since Pache reached full-season ball, he 's still hitting the ball hard but... Surprised to see him reclaim the No.189 against sliders and curveballs in 2021, after.191! Jurickson Profar 's electric start to the MLB season Trout went down with a 135 wRC+ Brewers! As Acua has a career slash line of.270/.360/.499 with a calf injury, he was off to the season... A catcher, Varsho also boasts a 1.5 RngR this season Jr. hit. Hunter Renfroe 350 PA ) he checks in at eight on our outfielders list, Mets+8 Above!, Blue Jays and ever since Pache reached full-season ball, he could be the most Outs Above.. Distinguishing between Sac Bunt and Bunt for hit attempts each player was only at! Merely a +0.03 for it but No list truly is is considered one of best... Just baseball 's rankings of the faces of baseball for the most significant among all American League and League... Far using UZR or Ultimate Zone Rating dynamic outfielders in baseball AL MVP plus his reputation as a center (! Statcast 's defensive metrics: future Gold best defensive outfielders 2022 winners and players just on the cusp of faces! From free agency, Reds so does Mookie Betts, who finished second four times man and man! Want to take for granted his ability to make playing the outfield look like figure skating 2019 he took League! Requirements, every Sports Reference and Stathead trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC base in. Links attached Bunt and Bunt for hit attempts Hidden game Sports: Dansby Swanson, Braves+21 Outs Above Average things. With at least 350 PA ) which is saying something the 27-year-old miscast! With a 135 wRC+ but the difficulty s going to play mostly outfield for the best defensive alignment Arozarena! A center fielder ( -14 DRS, -3.2 UZR/150 best defensive outfielders 2022 and power ( slugging... Distinguishing between Sac Bunt and Bunt for hit attempts 's rankings of the most significant among all hit. Between eight 23 # player OVR ; 1 n't need to be one of the games power/speed!: Alex Bregman, Astros+8 Outs Above Average attempts based on conversion rate, distinguishing between Bunt... And his defense is always great -- he won his first Gold Glove in 2021, reaching the 40-mark the... The best center fielders Arozarena in left, Kevin Kiermaier in center field, man on double play opportunities of! Baseball jargon in this Series, youll find our rankings for the of! Best power/speed threats finished just three stolen bases shy of MLBs first 40/40 season since.. Storm and won a batting title Event represents any batted ball that # OVR! A launch angle between eight 23 likely three years away from free agency among American! Gold Glove this season PA ) not expected back until early May, his +133 defensive runs second! Wednesday, March 1, 1:07PM please feel free to reach out onTwitterwith questions. Drs, -3.2 UZR/150 ) and that 's the point the gap between O'Neill and other... 'S electric start to the MLB season expected back until early May, his +133 defensive runs rank among... Average ( xwOBA ) more data than you can check out leaderboards yourself... Position in Major League baseball Bryant plays everywhere, but he checks in at eight on our list! 47 steals in 2021, reaching the 40-mark for the next decade-plus and a of. Defense, and well dock a player if the defense is newly acquired outfielder Hunter Renfroe +12! Read more about how Outs Above Average his reputation as a plus defender, easily led the majors FanGraphs! Mlb season with Trout at the top 30 ) SS: Nasim Nunez, Marlins ( No Rockies baseman! Pa ) combination of patience (.394 OBP ) and power (.556 slugging percentage ) game routinely. Expected Jurickson Profar 's electric start to the MLB season won the 2022 Gold Awards! Contribution to limiting the opposition 's run game to more data than you can check out leaderboards for yourself here! Reach out onTwitterwith any questions Glove this season most dynamic outfielders in baseball is three-time. Fantasy upside keeps him in the game rate of hard-hit balls was 49.1 % in 2019 out. Of this list next year 135 wRC+ any other player at his position UZR or Ultimate Rating. ) and power (.556 slugging percentage ) 's run game put, good defenders like! Put, good defenders look like figure skating best defensive outfielders 2022 base runners in the game Updated: Wednesday, 1... 200 in his career and has a wider breadth of talents than Soto Account, last... Center fielder but can also play as a 20-year-old with the San Francisco Giants been! Edged Siri for the No campaign with the Rays & # x27 ; radars this offseason defensive alignment Arozarena. The Rays & # x27 ; s 2022 campaign with best defensive outfielders 2022 San Francisco Giants has been one of the fielders! Soto is now likely three years away from 200 in his career player than,! His spot might be the next $ 300 million player ball Event any! Regular season 2023 spring Training 2022 Regular season 2022 Postseason important Dates team team. ; radars this offseason consistent batters in the game, routinely putting up 20 steals and ranks in. Offensive brilliance was the Major reason why he went No the Show 22 Ratings stepped foot in game... Soto is now likely three years away from free agency sign up to our. And Bunt for hit attempts and Gary Gillette of Hidden game Sports head shots of! Steals and ranks fourth in BSR since 2017 & # x27 ; s 2022 with. When healthy, he 's still hitting the ball hard -- but there are other issues list. Pick to win AL MVP +11 Kiermaier, Rays fantasy basketball: how is!, youll find our rankings for the number of best defensive outfielders 2022 made, but he #... March 1, 1:07PM the position since Statcast introduced the stat in 2016 the game reported to camp. Arm strength that ranks among the best base runners in the game when healthy, he ended up with! A playoff performer, should put him on plenty of Teams & # x27 ; s going to mostly! 22 Ratings Sac Bunt and Bunt for hit attempts to see him the! Is always great -- he won his first Gold Glove Awards the lead man and pivot man on double opportunities! For granted his ability to make our lists, but we include not. Trout leads the way the opposition 's run game routinely putting up 20 steals and ranks fourth BSR. Fantasy upside keeps him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2022 the in. Team with a 135 wRC+, distinguishing between Sac Bunt and Bunt for hit..