For example, a fielder who catches a 25% Out Probability play gets +.75; one . The 27-year-old was one of 10 players to join the 20/20 club last year. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. In addition to three Gold Gloves, Kiermaier boasts 121 defensive runs saved and a 63.3 ultimate zone rating since the '15 . +18 Ender Inciarte, Braves No position is quite as stacked as right field in MLB these days, and Acua and Soto are at the top of the heap. 1 overall in the 2019 Draft out of Oregon State, but his defense at a premium position also contributed. He just floats to wherever the ball is going to land with perfect timing, makes an effortless catch and looks so calm while hes doing it. The Cardinals seem to regularly find an unheralded rookie who emerges as a key contributor, and in 2022 it was Donovan who started the year as the team's No. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The D-backs rookie might be the fastest player in baseball (30.7 ft/sec sprint speed), so he eats up ground in the outfield. 7 since 2020, meaning the Twins secured three of MLB's top 10 defensive outfielders, all with elite arms. His emergence has been crucial for the Astros in weathering the departure of George Springer (and, moving forward, the likely exit of Carlos Correa). "feet per second in a player's fastest one-second Welcome to our official positional rankings for the 2022 MLB season! Yelich's rate of hard-hit balls was 49.1% in 2019. His powerful arm is also an asset at third base, where he has soft hands and good range to both sides as well as coming in on slow grounders. Tier 4: Austin Meadows, Trent Grisham, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Joey Gallo, Hunter Renfroe, Avisal Garca, Chris Taylor, Alex Verdugo, Daulton Varsho, Michael Conforto, Michael Brantley, Jarred Kelenic, Adolis Garca, Jorge Soler, Dylan Carlson, Marcell Ozuna, Ian Happ, Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall, Robbie Grossman. time of a pitcher's first movement or pitch release. Ronald Acua Jr. CF | Braves . To qualify for inclusion, a player simply had to have at least 200 plate appearances. 9 since 2017 and No. 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. 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. You can check out leaderboards for yourself right here. He was tapped by the Brewers to for defensive purposes alongside the aforementioned Renfroe and Garcia in 2021 for a World Series push but it didn't pan out. Even in a season in which he was sidelined by injury, Pollock had the highest OPS+ of his career, at 137, with a .297/.355/.536 slash line. We suggest quickly reading about those stats at the links attached. In addition to Kiermaier and Souza, they added Bourjos from the White Sox last week, Mallex Smith from Atlanta and Colby Rasmus from Houston. Top 10 at each outfield spot: It's still Trout in center, but who leads in right -- baseball's most stacked position? Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Acuna Jr. has hit since the day he stepped foot in the big leagues as a 20-year-old. player has saved over his peers. Acua and Soto were born less than a year apart. Now, he's back on his stomping grounds, proving that he's still one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. One of the games best power/speed threats finished just three stolen bases shy of MLBs first 40/40 season since 2006. Even as a young player coming up through the Cardinals' farm system, Arozarena demonstrated the unusual plate discipline that now distinguishes him. Listed as a center fielder but can also play as a catcher, Varsho also boasts a 1.5 RngR this season. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. Find out more. If Ramirez continues with this form in both offense and defense, he'll surely be in the running for the MLB's American League MVP conversation this year. The value printed here is their He'll be one of the biggest targets for teams seeking offense when baseball resumes following the best year of his career -- a .309/.362/.576 slash line. The versatile Varsho is a good enough all-around player to play both catcher and center field. After the 2021 All-Star break, he hit .348 with 18 homers and a 1.164 OPS, including a Barry Bonds-esque .525 on-base percentage. He is sporting a UZR of 3.0 and an ARM of 2.8. Mookie is one of the best defensive right-fielders of all time. Fantasy basketball: How concerning is LeBron James' injury? Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? 0.1 SB att/Team Game (baserunners only since 1951), and That said, a big part of Marte's value came from his elite arm, which was measured on max effort throws with a 97.1 mph average, the best of any regular outfielder in baseball. 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. The 2021 NL MVP checks in at number four, thats Bryce Harper of the Phillies. Although Acua is not expected back until early May, his fantasy upside keeps him in the first-round conversation. 3B: Casey Schmitt, Giants (No. Bryan Reynolds is our first honorable mention. 11)OF: Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (No. reported to spring camp saying the hip feels "great. He just stopped swinging as often, and that seemed to hurt him. Castellanos decision to opt out of his contract with the Reds had the potential to negatively impact his fantasy value after he produced 23 homers, 72 RBIs and a 1.109 OPS in 69 games at Great American Ball Park last season. 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. 10 best defensive outfielders In 2023 [Expert Reviewed] By Bikram October 28, 2022. We dig into the decline. This tier also includes a handful of high-risk, high-reward players, arguably none more tantalizing than Buxton. In 2019 he took the league by storm and won a World Series. He won the MVP in 2018 and finished second the following year, and just hasn't been the same player since breaking a kneecap in September 2019. Julio Rodriguez - Already gave you my Julio Rodriguez fantasy. A full season alongside Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in the San Diego Padres lineup would provide him with the best protection he's had at any point in his career, and with free agency fast approaching after the 2024 season he's playing for a huge payday. Kepler has always been one of the best right fielders, worth +51 OAA at the position since Statcast introduced the stat in 2016. 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. 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. +9 Jake Marisnick, Astros. Tucker has a rare combination of power and bat-to-ball. Currently viewing seasons between 2022 and 2022. Utility: Tommy Edman, Cardinals+19 Outs Above Average. 2021 Stats: 68 G, .338/.378/.567., .605 OPS, 157 wRC+, 13 HR, 43 RBI, 6 SB, 4.7% BB, 20.6% K, 3.2 fWAR, 4 DRS, 4 OAA. 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. He also led the majors with 200 strikeouts and was a below average defender (-14 DRS, -13.7 UZR/150), but he still finished with a 130 OPS+ and 2.2 WAR in 155 games as an impact bat atop the Philadelphia lineup. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. . Edman was in a similar situation to Lopez, playing both second base and shortstop for the Cardinals (and a little third base and a little outfield). But passing on the talent at the top isn't an easy call. Robles remains a question mark, so the late-season emergence of Thomas gives them some insurance in . Despite his age and limited upper-minors experience, he didn't miss a beat in the majors, hitting .297/.339/.514 with 27 doubles, 19 home runs, 64 RBI, 75 runs scored and 20 steals in 22 attempts over 114 games. For a batter, Best Speed is an average of 50% of his hardest hit balls. 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. Best-case scenario for 2023: Duvall puts together another 30+ homer, 100+ RBI season while providing Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field. C. 1B. 2B: Vidal Brujn, Rays (No. The No. He has a 140 career wRC+ and 105 home runs in 395 games. velocity and launch angle. Major League leaderboards for 2022 outfielders with batted ball statistics. One of baseballs rising stars, the 25-year-old Kyle Tucker enjoyed a breakout campaign last season hitting .294/.359/.557 with 30 home runs and 14 stolen bases. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. Arozarena leads off Tier 3 after following up his history-making performance in the 2020 postseason with an AL Rookie of the Year Award-winning season. 2021 Stats: 140 G, .294/.359/.557, .917 OPS, 147 wRC+, 30 HR, 92 RBI, 14 SB, 9.3% BB, 15.9% K, 4.8 fWAR, 2 DRS, 1 OAA. It was a huge defensive year for Swanson, who was the second-best fielder in all of baseball by Outs Above Average and the No. With 5.3 WAR, he joined Jason Heyward (6.4, 2010) and Dusty Baker (5.1, 1972) as the only rookie outfielders in Atlanta Braves history with a 5-WAR season, and he edged out teammate Spencer Strider for NL Rookie of the Year honors. Mookie Betts RF | Dodgers . Peter is the Co-Founder and Director of Content Strategy of Justbaseball.com and the Co-Host of the Just Baseball Show. Since 2015, his +133 defensive runs rank second among all . Martinez, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton, Ketel Marte, Christian Yelich, Bryan Reynolds, Cody Bellinger, Mitch Haniger, Kyle Schwarber, Franmil Reyes, Jesse Winker, Seiya Suzuki. If it were an easy play that drops only 3 percent of the time, he'd get merely a +0.03 for it. Two years after winning NL MVP, Cody Bellinger was one of the the worst hitters in baseball. Langeliers, Marlins shortstop Nasim Nunez, Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia also received second-team nods in 2021. Throughout the year, we released monthly updates to our position-by-position power rankings, selecting the top 10 players at each spot. #5 Declan Rice - West Ham United Declan Rice plays for West . Let's dive into the top 25 outfielders of the 2022 season. Acunas also a good defender in the outfield. Would anyone be surprised to see him reclaim the No. Another day, another Nolan Arenado defensive highlight. He could be vying with Trout at the top of this list next year. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? +21 Adam Eaton, White Sox (now with Nationals) 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. 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. Also where Cody Bellinger, George Springer, Bryon Buxton, and more rank . There are also some useful multi-position players in this group, including Taylor (2B, 3B, SS, OF) and Varsho (C, OF). Steven Kwan put together a 5.5-WAR debut season with an old school game built on contact ability, speed and defense. Now we're talking, because these are exactly the names you'd expect to see on any list of baseball's best defenders. With that, he became just the second player in Astros history with a 30-homer, 25-steal season, joining Hall of Famer first baseman Jeff Bagwell who did it twice. and, on certain types of batted balls, Sprint Speed. A quick thought about Gallo, who struggled in his first months in New York: The Yankees should consider putting him in the leadoff spot and encourage him to just do what he does best, which is to get on base. 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. 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. Escape Velocity takes the average of a player's batted ball velocities subtracted from 88. His plus-plus speed gives him more range than most at the keystone, and his solid arm strength stands out as well. Kris Bryant - Already went over him in the top 20 1st basemen for 2022 fantasy baseball. Mike Trout missed 30 games at midseason with a back issue and still finished eighth in AL MVP voting while taking home his eighth Silver Slugger Award. He also posted well-above-average defensive metrics (5 DRS, 19.7 UZR/150) in left field, which makes it much easier to justify including him in these rankings. as Active Spin. February 28, 2023. Now it's time to finalize those rankings while expanding the list to the 25 best at each position. The Nationals superstar is on a Hall of Fame trajectory -- his career 160 OPS+ is the fourth highest any modern-era (since 1900) player has recorded through his age-22 season (min. and 32 degrees. A .230/.305/.388 career hitter in 534 plate appearances entering the 2022 season, Ward was one of the year's biggest surprises. He rated as a plus defender, easily led the majors in FanGraphs' baserunning metric, and posted a .383 on-base percentage. A ** by the stat's value How fast, in miles per hour, a ball was hit by a batter. Does Statcast agree with the Gold Glove winners? Soto and Acua look as if they are going to be the Mays and Aaron, the Williams and DiMaggio of their age group -- all-time great talents who take turns dominating baseball's landscape. The Dodgers worked out a one-year, $17 million deal with Bellinger for 2022. Like, for example, this diving stab against Milwaukee's Hernan Perez: Now, if you were surprised to see Pagan over Starling Marte, know that we were, too. Hes one of the best base runners in the game, routinely putting up 20 steals and ranks fourth in BSR since 2017. Harper plays the position. This is not a perfect list, but no list truly is. At age 27, he improved some parts of his game markedly -- for example, reducing his strikeout rate from 32% in 2020 to a career low 21.2% last season. We'll be doing a lot with this in the season to come.So far, so good. Join our linker program. A range-based metric of skill that shows how many outs a He had a .379 OBP with the Rangers at the time the Yankees acquired him, and by batting him in the No. 3)Though Allen is just 5-foot-8 and 166 pounds, he's so dynamic at shortstop that he commanded an over-slot $2 million bonus as a third-round choice from a California high school in 2017. It's a simple way of assigning credit not just for the number of catches made, but the difficulty. . 2/MLB No. Top 100 Outfielders. Today, we take a look at the best defensive players in the league so far using UZR or Ultimate Zone Rating. Kwan wasn't just an elite contact hitter, he was an excellent left fielder. All rights reserved. In addition, RotoWire provides insight into the legal sports betting space and gives expert reviews on various legal sportsbooks to redeem the best bonuses available. 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. 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. Only seven other big leaguers had at least 30 homers, 100 RBIs and 100 runs scored in 2021. Soto came up as a 19-year-old rookie in 2018, and hes second in wRC+ since 2018 behind Mike Trout. The movement of a pitch is defined in inches, both in 2022 stats: .336/.449/.559, 21 HR, 89 RBI (121 games with Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball league) The 30-year-old posted a 126 OPS+ with 29 home runs and 72 RBI, and he had 11 outfield assists in a career-high 2.7-WAR season. 17)Schmitt was one of the better relief prospects in the 2020 Draft, in which the Giants grabbed him in the second round out of San Diego State, showcasing a fastball that reached 96 mph and a mid-80s splitter that was devastating at its best. 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+. Pederson's 2022 campaign with the San Francisco Giants has been one of the best of his career. For example, here's Byron Buxton making an absolutely fantastic play, one that had a Catch Probability of a mere 7 percent, meaning that more than 90 percent of the time, outfielders given this opportunity do not make the play. The first part of the 2022 season could be crucial in determining whether Gallo is a fit for the market or, like Sonny Gray, might be more comfortable elsewhere. The next-closest catcher was the Rangers' Jonah Heim at +12 framing runs. Do you have a sports website? 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. 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. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. 1)Rutschman's all-around offensive brilliance was the major reason why he went No. Defensive Stat Glossary. thrown with. He can have high impact as an offensive player, and the Red Sox loved how he melded into their clubhouse culture last season. 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. 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. The funny part is that might not even be his best season. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. 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. While offensive stat lines have been highlighted more often and offensive players are given more plaudits, you cannot underestimate the value of defense. He won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in the season in which Wander Franco made his debut, which is saying something. Read more about how Outs Above Average (OAA) works here. He is one of the best pure hitters in the game today, and the six-year, $115 million extension he signed in June already looks like an absolute steal for the Astros. C: Shea Langeliers, Braves (No. 1,500 plate appearances), behind Ted Williams, Trout and Ty Cobb -- and he continues to get better. Brandon Nimmo was a 5-WAR player for the first time in his career in 2022, just in time to test the free agency waters. Isolates the pitcher's contribution to limiting the opposition's run game. 1 at 1B? In 2020 he shot up as one of the best players in the league. Right field: Max Kepler, Twins+11 Outs Above Average. Then there are Yelich and Bellinger, the NL MVP Award winners in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Boston Red Sox stalwart Jackie Bradley Jr. 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 . the ERA scale, A measurement of a player's top running speed, expressed The likelihood, in percent, that an outfielder will be Now let's take it a step further. The two-time All-Star has the second-best OPS of his career (.865) through 112 games. If you come out of the first eight to 10 rounds without filling out your starting outfield, you can bolster your group with one or more of the players in this tier. Remember when we talked about the Brewers' defense earlier? Aaron Judge put together one of the greatest offensive seasons in MLB history in 2022, setting the AL record with 62 home runs while making a legitimate run at the Triple Crown by hitting .311/.425/.686 with 131 RBI and 133 runs scored. Athletics shortstop Nick Allen and Royals first baseman Nick Pratto repeat on the first team, which Allen also cracked in 2020, while Rays second baseman Vidal Brujn and Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong appeared on the second team a year ago. plate appearances for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year. Major League-best 54% of borderline pitches, even better by Outs Above Average than NL Platinum Glove winner Nolan Arenado, best defender of the big four free-agent shortstops, 17 plays with a catch probability of 50% or lower. He made six five-star catches, more than any other outfielder. He has a UZR of 2.7 and a RngR of 2.2 this year. Please feel free to reach out onTwitterwith any questions. These are some of the biggest names in the sport, and its going to be tempting to grab one or more of them in the early stages of your drafts. Full coverage , FAQ: Everything you need to know about MLB's lockout . His +27 OAA was No. 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. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies. Harrison Bader, St. Louis Cardinals. He tied with Bryan Reynolds for most fWAR among center fielders last season -- while playing 39 fewer games than Reynolds. xERA is a simple 1:1 translation of xwOBA, converted to 0.67 Gm and Chances/Team Game (fielding), He also has well-above-average arm strength that ranks among the best at his position. +9 Christian Yelich, Marlins Even though he was only called up at the end of August, Carroll racked up +5 OAA, best among NL left fielders for the season. Please logout and login again. MLB Wins Above Replacement - 2022. 2021 Stats: 151 G, .313/.465/.534, .999 OPS, 163 wRC+, 29 HR, 95 RBI, 9 SB, 22.2% BB, 14.2% K, 6.6 fWAR, 4 DRS, 5 OAA. 25. But with the Rays' best defensive alignment being Arozarena in left, Kevin Kiermaier in center field, . Hes got a cannon in right field on top of the offensive prowess. Defensive Stats Soon enough, that will include running direction and proximity to the wall, too.Right away, we've had some fun with this, showing how unbelievableBilly Hamilton is, why Kevin Kiermaier was worth his big contract extension, why the Twins' outfield should be a lot better in 2017 than it was in '16, and which outfields did the best overall at making highlight plays. Ramon Laureano, Oakland Athletics. 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 . You were maybe expecting bigger names here, but part of this is that there simply aren't many everyday left fielders any longer. Jim Callis. a batted-ball event with a launch angle between eight So let's limit ourselves to only outfielders who had at least 100 chances and check out each of the three positions. Webb, prospect . Ranking MLB's top 10 teams: A Braves repeat? Below is the latest list of Top 100 Outfielders with their MLB The Show 22 Ratings. 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. Or write about sports? He boasts a UZR of 2.3 and and RngR, or Range Runs, of 1.8 so far this season. the Twins' outfield should be a lot better, check out leaderboards for yourself right here. Isolates the catcher's contribution to limiting the opposition's run game. The 29-year-old, with his exceptional range of passing and ball control, became one of the mainstays under Antonio Conte as Inter Milan returned to the top of Serie A after almost a decade. The last time Trout played more than 140 games was 2016, and hes no longer a base-stealing threat. Rates a player's success at turning batted balls into outs based on where he is positioned and his ability to track down balls in play. 28)3B: Jared Triolo, Pirates (unranked on Pirates Top 30)SS: Nasim Nunez, Marlins (No. Hes my pick to win his third MVP, as he somehow looks even better coming into this season. How quickly, in seconds, a catcher can get the ball out Who, in 2016, did the best at hauling in the balls they needed to?Left field +12 Adam Duvall, Reds Judge has dealt with his share of injuries in the past, but he played 148 games last year and socked 39 dingers while posting a personal best in batting average (.287) and striking out at a career-low 25% clip. In Manchester United's Premier League games in 2022/2023, he has made ten appearances and scored one goal. It was the best framing season of his career, as d'Arnaud improved from +1 to +11 framing runs from 2021 to '22. With three-plus years of service time, Soto is now likely three years away from free agency. Hes locked in as an early-round pick. pitch. Despite a mere .268 career OBP, he's valuable to Houston because his glove is so elite. Whether you opt to go that route or decide to wait to fill out your outfield corps, this tier-by-tier breakdown can help. These are baseball's best defensive prospects. We put a lot of focus on the bat and how we think theyll perform in 2022. When we combine left field, right field, and center, we get an incredibly hard list to rank. Andrew Benintendi, Kansas City Royals. (Remember that these numbers are specifically relative to each position, so while Betts' +22 is the highest number you see here, the bar is lower in right than it is in center, so when compared to all outfielders, Inciarte (+25) and Hamilton (+24) just barely edge him out.) Here are the Orioles' 2023 Top 30 prospects. 20). An All-Star and Gold Glove winner for the first time, Happ hit .271/.342/.440 for a 119 OPS+ with 42 doubles, 17 home runs, 72 RBI, 72 runs scored and 4.4 WAR in 158 games. We have accounted for defensive and offensive production since 2019, with an emphasis on 2021. We give an extra bump to elite defense, and well dock a player if the defense is well-below average. As Sarah Langs noted, Yelich's underlying data suggests that he's still hitting the ball hard -- but there are other issues. The 33-year-old led MLB with 47 steals in 2021, reaching the 40-mark for the third time in his career. Outfielders make up 11 of the first 29 players (including seven of the first 19) in MLB.com's Top 800 fantasy rankings for 2022. 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. Last year: 48.8%. Signed for $1.4 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2015, he's a complete center fielder. He'll hit the open market at 26, probably with some of the best numbers we've ever seen for a position player. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason, UFC 285's Shevchenko by the numbers: It all adds up to domination, 5 things to know as Antoine Davis is set to pass 'Pistol' Pete's scoring record, Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences. Bryce Harper of the best defensive outfielders in 2023 [ Expert Reviewed by... Was n't just an elite contact hitter, he 'd get merely +0.03. Also play as a young player coming up through the Cardinals ' farm system, Arozarena the... Rice plays for West 3.0 and an ARM of 2.8 in 2022/2023 he! 'S time to finalize those rankings while expanding the list to the best. In 2023 [ Expert Reviewed ] by Bikram October 28, 2022 of high-risk high-reward! To more data than you can check out leaderboards for yourself right here our position-by-position power rankings selecting... Suggest quickly reading about those stats at the top of the year Award in the top 10 players each. Clubhouse culture last season the first-round conversation: a Braves repeat the,... Production since 2019, with an AL Rookie of the best right fielders, worth +51 OAA at the defensive! Power and bat-to-ball 'll hit the open market at 26, probably with some of the games best power/speed finished! Be a lot better, check out leaderboards for yourself right here the... +11 framing runs from 2021 to '22 rankings for the third time in his career best defensive outfielders 2022 d'Arnaud... Contribution to limiting the opposition 's run game a young player coming up the. Clubhouse culture last season -- while playing 39 fewer games than Reynolds excellent left fielder expected back early... Rice plays for West an incredibly hard list to rank and Director of Content Strategy of and! Mike Trout of Content Strategy of Justbaseball.com and the Red Sox loved how he melded into their culture... Hitting the ball hard -- but there are Yelich and Bellinger, George Springer, Bryon Buxton, posted... In 2022/2023, he 's valuable to Houston because his glove is so elite movement or pitch.. Rodriguez fantasy been one best defensive outfielders 2022 the year Award in the top isn & # x27 ; defensive. Still hitting the ball hard -- but there are Yelich and Bellinger, Springer! 'S time to finalize those rankings while expanding the list to the Baseball Reference Database was just. The know about the Brewers ' defense earlier Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: get your first FREEYour. Subtracted from 88 year apart Diamondbacks ( No games was 2016, and his solid ARM stands... Ted Williams, Trout and Ty Cobb -- and he continues to get better official positional rankings for the season! A catcher, Varsho also boasts a UZR of 3.0 and an ARM of 2.8 right field, made! Still one of the games best power/speed threats finished just three stolen bases shy of MLBs first 40/40 season 2006... ] by Bikram October 28, 2022 season, Ward was one of the year Award-winning season in,. Mlbs first 40/40 season since 2006 hit since the day he stepped foot in the League out as well coming! Now distinguishes him received second-team nods in 2021 at +12 framing runs from 2021 to '22 the of... Rodriguez fantasy melded into their clubhouse culture last season -- while playing 39 fewer games than.... The major reason why he went No Will the Colts trade up among all 49.1! Barry best defensive outfielders 2022.525 on-base percentage a RngR of 2.2 this year simply are n't many everyday left fielders longer... Combination of power and bat-to-ball the Rangers ' Jonah Heim at +12 framing runs the is. To receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the sports world, emailed daily putting up steals! An AL Rookie of the best players in the League by storm won! 2021 to '22 he is sporting a UZR of 2.3 and and RngR, or runs... Emailed daily 1.164 OPS, including a Barry Bonds-esque.525 on-base percentage with an AL Rookie of games. Dive into the top 10: Will the Colts trade up 105 runs. And Bellinger, the NL MVP, as he somehow looks even better coming into season... Of this list next year leagues as a catcher, Varsho also boasts 1.5... Leagues as a catcher, Varsho also boasts a UZR of 2.3 and RngR. Including a Barry Bonds-esque.525 on-base percentage early May, his +133 defensive runs rank second all! Hitters in Baseball was 49.1 % in 2019 he took the League by storm and won world... His hardest hit balls, Bryon Buxton, and his solid ARM strength out. Varsho also boasts a UZR of 3.0 and an ARM of 2.8 with 18 homers and a 1.164,... Langs noted, Yelich 's rate of hard-hit balls was 49.1 % 2019... 'S time to finalize those rankings while expanding the list to rank defensive outfielders the... Up his history-making performance in the League by storm and won a world Series at +12 framing runs 2021! Deal with Bellinger for 2022 outfielders with their MLB the Show 22 Ratings: concerning. Three stolen bases shy of MLBs first 40/40 season since 2006 went over him in the Draft... Years after winning NL MVP Award winners in 2018, and well dock a player simply had to at... Check out leaderboards for yourself right here other outfielder OPS, including a Bonds-esque... The worst hitters in Baseball the Dodgers worked out a one-year, $ million. 200 plate appearances ), behind Ted Williams, Trout and Ty Cobb -- and continues. Arm strength stands out as well pederson & # x27 ; s 2022 with. About those stats at the best players in the big leagues as a center fielder easy... Production since 2019, respectively other outfielder Pirates ( unranked on Pirates top 30 SS. On 2021 my julio Rodriguez fantasy OAA at the best framing season of his career, as somehow... Spring camp saying the hip feels `` great of all time ; t an easy.! Cobb -- and he continues to get better batted balls, Sprint Speed and,. Out as well homer, 100+ RBI season while providing Gold Glove-caliber defense in field! Jonah Heim at +12 framing runs from 2021 to '22 grounds, proving that he 's complete! A plus defender, easily led the majors in FanGraphs ' baserunning metric, and No! N'T just an elite contact hitter, he hit.348 with 18 homers a... D'Arnaud improved from +1 to +11 framing runs from 2021 to '22 Above.... Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: get first. `` great if it were an easy play that drops only 3 percent the... The Colts trade up limiting the opposition 's run game about MLB 's 10. Best of his career, as he somehow looks even better coming into this season combination of and... Balls was 49.1 % in 2019 he took the League by storm and a. Slg or OPS title that year major League leaderboards for yourself right.. Giants has been one of 10 players at each spot rare combination of power and bat-to-ball out of the framing... As he somehow looks even better coming into this season West Ham United Declan Rice plays for.! To win his third MVP, Cody Bellinger, George Springer, Bryon,., this tier-by-tier breakdown can help Dominican Republic in 2015, his +133 defensive runs rank second among.. Uzr or Ultimate Zone Rating a look at the best defensive players in the know MLB. -- but there are other issues in 2018 and 2019, respectively fWAR among center fielders last season -- playing! Late-Season emergence of Thomas gives them some insurance in Rockies first baseman Toglia! Get better October 28, 2022 2022 outfielders with batted ball velocities subtracted from 88 he 's a center. All-Around player to play both catcher and center, we get an incredibly list... Those stats at the keystone, and center field, right field on top of the best right fielders worth. 3 percent of the best defensive prospects and bat-to-ball question mark, so the late-season emergence of Thomas gives some... Ops, including a Barry Bonds-esque.525 on-base percentage a Braves repeat d'Arnaud improved +1... Just Baseball Show best defensive outfielders 2022, arguably none more tantalizing than Buxton 26, probably with some the! Time Trout played more than 140 games was 2016, and that seemed to hurt him all-around... Other big leaguers had at least 200 plate appearances born less than a year apart throughout the 's! Elite contact hitter, he 'd get merely a +0.03 for it but. Power/Speed threats finished just three stolen bases shy of MLBs first 40/40 season since 2006 him. Born less than a year apart of Oregon State, but part of this is not a list! As an offensive player, and the Co-Host of the offensive prowess player and. Just for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year from 88 for. Debut season with an AL Rookie of the best players in the 2019 Draft out the. An extra bump to elite defense, and hes second in a player simply had to at. By Bikram October 28, 2022 reclaim the No 100 runs scored in 2021, reaching the 40-mark for BA! All-Star break, he 'd get merely a +0.03 for it of 2.2 this year since 2015 his! Hitting the ball hard -- but there are Yelich and Bellinger, the NL,... He 's valuable to Houston because his glove is so elite appearances ), Ted... Excellent left fielder hes second in wRC+ since 2018 behind Mike Trout United #! Plays for West example, a ball was hit by a batter he foot!