best outfield arms in mlb 2021

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. It's possible that Merrifield will move back to the infield if Nicky Lopez struggles in his effort to establish himself as the Royals' second baseman. Meusel is another player on this list gaining recognition from Bill James as having the strongest outfield arm in the majors during his playing years (1920s). A catch made high against the right field wall to take extra bases away from Ozuna. Then theres Stanton, who might be the biggest boom-or-bust pick in fantasy. 8 prospect in the game. Previous picks: Jeff McNeil (hit), Gary Snchez (power), Tim Locastro (run), Victor Robles (defense), Javier Bez, SS, CubsKey stat: Five assists over 90 mph in 2019. He entered spring training far from assured of a spot on the Baltimore Orioles' Opening Day roster, but he won the starting center field job and went on to have the biggest breakout season of 2021. Only 30 MLB hitters had a lower rate of soft contact than Jimenez -- Fernando Tatis Jr., Corey Seager, Anthony Rendon and Freddie Freeman were among those ranked ahead of him. Previous picks: Mookie Betts (hit), Joey Gallo (power), Christian Yelich (run), Harrison Bader (defense), Cody Bellinger, CF, DodgersKey stat: 101.1 mph max arm strength. He also played a solid defensive center field in a 5.7 WAR season. Past production and future expectations played no part in deciding the order. In 2015, Marte had a 16-1 number (A-DP) as part of perhaps baseball's best fielding outfield. Hernandez was signed as a super-utility . Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres There are currently 13 relief pitchers on the injured list for the Rays, including standout closer Nick Anderson and hard-throwing setup man Pete Fairbanks. After playing in just over 63 percent of the New York Yankees' games during the three-year stretch prior to this season, Aaron Judge finally stayed healthy and turned in an MVP-caliber campaign. His throwing abilities were recognized by Bill James, as Guerrero was noted to have the best arm of the 1990s. The 26-year-old made notable strides at the plate in 2020, posting the best chase rate (14.1%, second lowest in MLB), walk rate (15.6%), hard-hit rate (43.2%) and barrel rate (12.5%) of his career. Gorbous is the answer to the trivia question: "Who has the longest throw in baseball history"? 6 player in the Razzball Player Rater, despite playing just 130 games; give him Vladimir Guerrero's 161 games and he would've topped him for the No. Accuracy matters, too. At 321 feet, it was the longest on-the-fly throw for an outfield assist tracked by Statcast (since 2015). Crow-Armstrong soaking in first Spring Training with Cubs. Adj ER Saved - Our metric for catcher value in staff handling (similar to Catcher ERA but with important adjustments) Below, we're focusing on fantasy baseball outfield sleepers. Mar 22, 2021. He tallied a career-high 42 doubles along with 35 home runs, 84 RBI and 101 runs scored in a 5.9 WAR season. . Rodriguez was a top 10 prospect on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 international prospects list for 2019-20 when the signing period opened up in July of 2019. . While a member of the Indians minor league team in San Diego, he once threw a ball from home plate and it landed 436 feet away, deep over the center field fence. Whether it's unleashing the ball from deep in the outfield, across the infield or behind the plate, it can make the seemingly impossible happen. With free agency looming after the 2022 season, another performance like that would set him up for a huge payday next winter. The lefty bat can play both first base and outfield, and has even filled in a third base. even despite missing a good chunk of 2021 . Welcome to Bleacher Report's final positional rankings of the 2021 MLB season! those in the top 10 percent of a players sample. Bill James had him as the 67th best right fielder in major league history and said he had. Through all the excess options, it becomes even more important to find the top values and to not settle for "good enough" production. The Bulldogs and Sooners are joined by California (which is off to a strong 6-1 start) and Ohio State (a . fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft in right-handed . His shoulder first began giving him problems in . 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. Speaker also holds the unique record for most unassisted double plays by an outfielder with six. Carl Furillo's right arm earned him the nickname, "The Reading Rifle". The sport needs to have him back on the postseason stage in the next few years. Clemente's arm was not only powerful but it also featured laser-like precision. ESPN's Buster Olney leads the discussion of the latest news and notes around baseball with the game's top analysts. He scored 15 runs in 18 postseason games, reminded everyone that he's the best baserunner in the game -- and then there was his defense, with layer upon layer of highlights. But Ozuna is valued for his bat, for his advanced understanding of how pitchers will try to work against him. Yes, Gallo hit .160 with a 38.6 percent strikeout rate after the Rangers traded him to the Yankees. Below you'll find the consensus rankings that eight of our MLB writers were involved in. That success has come despite myriad injuries and significant roster turnover. He went three rounds without hitting a home run, and had one extra-base hit in the seven-game National League Championship Series against the Braves. 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. 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. Buxton, Myers, Pham, Laureano, Moore and Carlson could be double-digit homer and steal guys. Other good MLB outfielders right now include Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton, J. D. Martinez, and Aaron Judge. 8. This is the 14th highest total of all-time. If there is a player in this system who can make a Bryan Ramos-like jump in 2023, my money is on Mieses. Arozarena is coming off a postseason for the ages, on top of a strong finish in the regular season. Prior to a game in the 2004 ALDS versus the Yankees, Guerrero threw a ball 370 feet in warm-ups. News. 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 corner outfield spots are going to be packed with talent in 2023. 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. He's already ranked pitchers and infielders, and he will follow these with the top 10 teams on Friday. He also had one of the strongest arms that baseball has ever seen. The corner outfield duo of Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker both rank among the MLB leaders in a number of offensive categories: Joining them isTyler Naquin, who earned a spot on the MLB roster on a minor league contract and is earning $1.5 million on a one-year deal. Some of Mookie Betts' former teammates watched him go through the postseason last year and believed he really was out of sorts at the plate. Here are the players who just missed the cut, listed alphabetically: 25. Accuracy is considered, but arm strength is the big piece of this. But for now, it's not wholly clear whether the universal DH will be adopted for the 2021 season, despite the fact that both MLB and the Players Association want it. Managers who dont grab an outfielder in the first two rounds will still have an ample supply of impact players to choose from after that. Over the past two seasons, he has a .393 on-base percentage, and an OPS+ of 140. The towering right fielder posted a 149 OPS+ with 39 home runs and a career-low 25.0 percent strikeout rate. Along with a .199 average and 213 strikeouts, he led the AL with 111 walks and had a solid .351 on-base percentage. Speaker is the MLB record holder for most career outfield assists with 449. The 33-year-old figures to be a hot commodity on the free-agent market this winter. Along with the 89 games he played in the outfield, he also spent time at second base (46), shortstop (23) and third base (11). His 26 home runs trail only Salvador Perez among all backstops. He also has a career-high 16 steals in 18 attempts and provides Gold Glove-caliber defense. Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs, Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets; Kyle Lewis, Seattle Mariners; Aaron Hicks, New York Yankees; Victor Robles, Washington Nationals; Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins. 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. Since the start of 2019, all of Duran's time in the outfield has been played exclusively at center, a position probably best suited for his elite speed and average to below-average arm. Juan Soto hit .348/.525/.639 after the All-Star break. But with several intriguing free-agent outfielders available this winter, Chaim Bloom and Co. could look to add some depth at the position. Abreu's strong arm helped him win his only Gold Glove in 2005. He racked up 4.7 WAR despite missing 35 games early in the season with a fractured rib. 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. Mancini is back after missing 2020 because of Stage 3 colon cancer. Fantasy managers can still find some starting-caliber outfielders in this tier. I can promise you with 100 percent certainty that my fantasy baseball outfield rankings for 2021 will not be 100 percent right. Tatis, of course, was a sensation in just about every way as a rookie in 2019, and his throwing ability was no exception. They've helped to bridge the gap with veterans Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria both missing significant time because of injuries. There are many questions surrounding Barry Bonds' arms, but none of them are about his ability to throw a baseball. He is considered to be one of if not the best center fielders of all-time. LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract, Previewing the 2023 college baseball season: Teams and players to watch, key storylines, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live', Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, Ranking MLB's top 10 at each infield spot for 2021, Baseball's best arms: Ranking MLB's top 10 starters & relievers for 2021, Buster Olney's top 10s for 2021: Ranking MLB's best teams, Free agency, trade talk, offseason news , Author of "The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty". He led the National League in outfield assists twice in his career. These guys. 5. In a down year by his standards, Betts was still a 4.2 WAR player. That leaves the Cincinnati Reds as the pick. Jackson had 183 outfield assists during his 13 year career. After fielding the fly ball, Clemente unleashed a rocket that cause Retterman to retreat back to third base. Standings. He batted just .169 against right-handed pitchers, with a .345 slugging percentage. Jesse Barfield had an incredibly strong and an incredibly accurate throwing arm. The San Francisco Giants have had 16 different players tally at least 100 plate appearances this season, and that group does not count prized deadline pickup Kris Bryant. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs/San Francisco Giants. After a slow start, reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman is once posting elite numbers. In order to qualify for the leaderboard, a player must have more Two-Star opportunities than team games / 5. best outfield arms in mlb 2021 This is the best team in baseball. The 29-year-old hit .309/.429/.615 to lead the majors in OPS+ (179). In 2019, it was all about arm strength for Laureano. 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. Ichiro has the strongest and most powerful arm of any outfielder in the major leagues today. . After back-to-back 20-plus-homer seasons in 2018 and 2019, Teoscar Hernandez showcased a more well-rounded offensive game last year, hitting .289/.340/.579 for a 146 OPS+ in 50 games to finish 11th in AL MVP voting and win a Silver Slugger Award. All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Monday's games. For a boost in the batting-average category, target McNeil, Verdugo or Brantley. How could a man who nicknamed his right arm "El Canon" not make this list? You need to do it all to be an MVP these days. But that represents the bulk of the 26-year-olds big league experience. Clemente is tied with Willie Mays for the the most Gold Gloves for an outfielder with 12. . But Verdugo ingratiated himself with teammates and staff with his passion and play, and he seemed to earn the early respect of socially distant Red Sox fans. The so-called five-tool player is a special breed, as those who truly rate above average in each category are extremely rare. Best Outfield Arm. Ozuna, meanwhile, is back with the Braves after signing a four-year contract. Didi Gregorius (free agent): 94.7 mph 7. Thursday, it's outfielders -- the top 10 left fielders, center fielders and right fielders. It's not like swinging hard and hitting a ball 115 mph. The wild card in this tier is Kelenic, MLB Pipelines No. This will likely be the most questioned name on this list. Teel is an excellent athlete with a strong arm, and has a good swing with excellent hand acceleration, but he had some bad BABIP luck last year and hit just .276/.402/.439, a drop from his strong . Non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs at the start of last offseason, Schwarber signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Nationals. I want my superplayer to own a cannon and have shown time and time again that he can be accurate with it. There has been industry speculation that he was still dealing with the aftereffect of the fractured right kneecap he suffered at the end of the 2019 season. 14. Among players with at least 200 plate appearances last season, the 23-year-old had the fourth-highest chase rate, the third-highest whiff rate and the sixth-highest strikeout rate, making him a high-risk, high-reward pick in the early rounds. Despite only having played 15 seasons, Abreu is second on the active list for outfield assists with 132. He was snubbed as a Gold Glove finalist despite tallying 11 DRS with a 5.4 UZR/150 in right field while also holding his own when he shifted to center field down the stretch. It's possible Ozuna will sign with an NL team and play left field most of the time. I think we'll see him hunt early in counts against next season.". Through Soto's age 21 season, he has played 313 regular-season games -- two full seasons, basically -- and has 228 walks, 69 homers among 146 extra-base hits, and an OPS of .972. However, he was also a 4.2 WAR player at the time of the trade. Honorable Mention:Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals. Between a breakout 2021 campaign and 2022, the journeyman reliever dropped his strong 9.6% walk rate to a miniscule 2.5%, good for best in the league. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. The 24-year-old hit .251 with 10 homers, 10 steals and 42 runs in 59 games for the Padres last year. Utley's UZR/150 has been at least 8.0 in nine of his 10 seasons as a regular in the big leagues. 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. More MLB videos How Does Carlos Correa Fit on the Giants? Seven of the first 15 players in MLB.com's player rankings are outfielders, including four of the top five. Honorable Mention: Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays. He's hit .300 or better in five of the last seven seasons, and in the two he didn't, he batted .299 (in 2017) and was injury-ravaged in the other (2016). Pitchers are on the other end of Soto's will, as well. Its certainly not about skill, and combined with Simmons fundamentals and defensive savvy, look out. Kelenic had a rough rookie year for. Lagares easily has the most rARM per 1,000 innings over the last three seasons. He hit .264/.367/.487 with 29 doubles, 23 home runs and 10 steals, which, coupled with his usual standout defense in right field, was enough for him to finish fourth in WAR on a stacked Dodgers roster. 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). Just like the regular-season rankings, players are ranked solely on the 2021 season. 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. What is particularly impressive about Mantiply, though, is that literally every single . He also once again took home Gold Glove honors in a 6.3 WAR season. 2. That seems almost impossible. The well-rounded Betts is our second-ranked outfielder and No. The eight-time Gold Glove winner is one of the best defensive center fielders in major league history. This is Just Baseball's staff consensus ranking of the top 15 corner outfielders in baseball. 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. 25 attempts). His contract and track record mean more is expected of him, but he was still a top-15 outfielder. 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. 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. Who Are the Best Outfield Arms in MLB? Runners were afraid to take the extra base when these outfielders had the ball in their hands. 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. Vote for who you think are the best MLB outfielders currently playing in the league today . Mookie Betts is the sixth-best outfielder in baseball, and it feels wrong to rank him this low, but wait until you see the top five. Larry Walker is considered one of the best Rockies ever in the team's short existence. He threw a ball 445 feet and 10 inches in 1957 while he was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals' Triple-A team. Even at age 36, Ichiro was consistently able to throw out runners trying to take an extra base. He struggled in 2020, with his slugging percentage (.312) matching his on-base percentage. Kyle Schwarber, Washington Nationals/Boston Red Sox. Anyone paying attention to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 knew Bryan Reynolds was capable of the type of season he put together in 2021. One of the tougher players to slot on this list, Buxton played in only 61 games while missing time with a hip strain and fractured hand. In 2019, it was all about arm strength for Laureano. 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. Even though Meusel played just 11 seasons, he still recorded 157 outfield assists. Honorable Mentions: Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants. 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! MLB Tonight: Outfield Arm. Of the 60 games Ozuna played last season, only 21 were in the outfield, so if you wanted to make the argument that he should be ranked among designated hitters, well, you'd have a good case. The 28-year-old hit .291 with 35 homers, 97 RBIs, 106 runs and an .899 OPS the last time we saw him. The quick reaction and retreat and leap before taking extra bases away from Brandon Lowe in Game 4 of the World Series. but if he regresses to 2017 or 2021 levels no one should complain. He was ranked the 40th-best free agent this offseason, per Giants Baseball Insider's rankings. Baseball's best arms: Ranking MLB's top 10 starters & relievers for 2021. They've responded with an MLB-best 3.05 ERA. To qualify for inclusion, a player had to have at least 200 plate appearances. The 29-year-old opted out of the final two years of his contract shortly after the World Series concluded. Runners will not even try to advance extra bases when the ball is in Ichiro's hands. 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 defensive abilities were rewarded as he received 10 Gold Gloves over the course of his career. Cobb did have some trouble with his arm however. Throughout the history of baseball, there have been some outfielders that have had cannons for arms. Amazingly, his arm was not the best part of his game defensively. His middling defense (-6 DRS, -4.8 UZR/150) and the time he missed kept him from ranking any higher. For your basic .520/.647/1.160 slash line. Mantle's pure strength can be seen was demonstrated by the fact that he hit some of the longest home runs in baseball history. This week, MLB.com is tasking five reporters with building the ultimate five-tool Superman, by picking the best examples of each tool from the talented pool of current big leaguers. As a rookie, he hit .314/.377/.503 with 37 doubles, 16 home runs and 68 RBI to finish fourth in NL Rookie of the Year balloting and rack up 4.2 WAR. But the best of the best can fire lasers directly at their targets, from any position. At age 19, Kaline recorded 16 of his career 170 outfield assists. 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. He hit .310/.383/.458 with 42 extra-base hits and 47 steals in 52 attempts to lead the majors. 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. Robert may have the higher ceiling of the two, but he also has the lower floor. In the 60-game season, Bellinger hit .239 and was moved down in the lineup to the No. Play Ball Youth Baseball & Softball. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Toronto Blue Jays. C Realmuto paced all full-time catchers (min. 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. The eight-time Gold Glove winner was finally inducted into Cooperstown in 2010. All of the sudden, the ball is at the base, and a runner who thought he had it made is out. NHL trade deadline: Winners and losers, including the Bruins, Devils and Bruce Boudreau? 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. He's played at that level, and sometime this season, he'll surpass 1,000 runs for his career, and move beyond 1,500 hits. 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. There is no shortage of articles ranking MLB players by position, league, age, production or something else entirely. Tom Glavine 1987-2002, 2008 (63.6 WAR) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. 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. That duo has started all but one game behind the dish for the Rays this year and posted the following combined stat line in the process: Zunino, 30, was an All-Star for the first time this year. Aaron Judge, Yankees His nickname is Laser Ramn, so you already knew hed have to make this list. Kaline, also known as Mr. Tiger, made his major league debut at age 18. Davis looking to get back on track this spring. The league may have changed the rules on shifting . Quinn said, "Meusel's arm was the best I ever saw. Tier 2: Kyle Tucker, Luis Robert, Aaron Judge, George Springer, Marcell Ozuna, Starling Marte, Whit Merrifield. 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. The 27-year-old batted .308 last season, with a .534 slugging percentage. The 29-year-old proved that performance was sustainable over a full season this year, logging a 133 OPS+ while hitting .296/.346/.524 with 29 doubles, 32 home runs and 116 RBI. Dave Roberts, Dodgers. Here's everything we know, The paths of KD and Kyrie: How one month changed three franchises and two superstar legacies, From bubble struggles to NCAA seed improvement, why these final weekend games matter, Foden's return to form helps mask De Bruyne's troubles, Nelson sends Arsenal into euphoria with last-gasp winner over Bournemouth. 4 overall prospect. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2021 Topps Series One Baseball MONTE HARRISON Rookie Base #126 Miami Marlins RC at the best online prices at eBay! 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. Yelich is 29 years old. March 1, 2023 5:25 pm ET. 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. He was forced to retire at age 30 as the result of a broken jaw which forced him to play with a facemask for a few years. Mays had 195 career outfield assists and he won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves. The club also traded away Diego Castillo at the deadline in exchange for JT Chargois and Austin Shenton. To qualify for inclusion, a player had to have at least 200 plate appearances. The Tampa Bay Rays began the offseason by declining their$4.5 million club option on catcher Mike Zunino, who logged a 50 OPS+ and minus-0.2 WAR in 118 games with the team in 2019 and 2020. Honorable Mention: Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants. 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. Buster Olney's top 10s for 2021: Ranking MLB's . Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, PadresKey stat: 91.8 mph average max-effort arm strength in 2019. Jordan Wicks- from Kansas State at 6'2 and 220lbs he is 2-0 in 2021 and went 3-0 last year. Williams loved to talk hitting, and through the last years of his life, he developed friendships with the likes of Tony Gwynn. Carlos Correa (Twins): 95.0 mph 5. Springer has been one of the most productive outfielders in the game over the past five years, and he has joined up with a Blue Jays team that averaged 5.03 runs per game in 2020. The safe bet is that he'll bounce back and do a ton of damage in the summer ahead. I texted Votto that I thought Williams would've loved to watch the Nationals' Juan Soto, who might be the closest replica to Williams, with his remarkable plate discipline and power. Griffey's defensive abilities helped him win the first of his 10 consecutive Gold Gloves at age 20. Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers/New York Yankees. The 27-year-old already has career-highs in OPS+ (109), hits (126), doubles (29), home runs (25) and RBI (75). Few players have joined an organization under more challenging circumstances than Verdugo faced when he went to the Red Sox. September 10, 2021 | 00:05:48. Even with all of those free passes and teams pitching around him, he still managed 20 doubles, 29 home runs and 95 RBI. Meusel threw strikes to any base from the outfield". Cobb is also remembered for his feisty attitude and his aggressive playing style. It's partially controllable. Mookie is one of the best defensive right-fielders of all time. 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 outfield will be the foundation of many fantasy teams in 2021. He's a career .225/.337/.409 hitter in the minors, and his strikeout rate has risen at every level, topping out at 27% in Triple-A last year and 28.2% in his 238-plate appearance MLB debut . His 5.7 WAR was second on the AL West champions roster, behind only Carlos Correa. Kevin Kiermaier, Tampa Bay Rays Sometimes he looked like he was guessing wrong over and over and over, with the befuddlement covering his face as he walked away from the plate.