The Division Collection are certain to characteristic large house runs from famous person sluggers, large strikeouts from aces, large catches from Gold Glovers and massive stolen bases from elite speedsters.
However some gamers may also change a recreation with their arm, and with Statcast, we will see how like by no means earlier than.
Statcast launched new arm power leaderboards on Baseball Savant this season, for each outfielders and infielders. Let’s check out the gamers with the strongest arms on the eight groups nonetheless enjoying within the Division Collection.
Listed below are 9 arms to observe for the remainder of the postseason.
1. Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
Acuña was the standard-bearer for the brand new arm power leaderboard, ending the season ranked No. 2 total out of 368 qualifying gamers. His common arm power on max-effort throws was 97.9 mph, making him the highest proper fielder — the place with the strongest arms, with a league common of 90.5 mph. Acuña maxed out at 101.5 mph this season, and on Aug. 13, he had a 99.1 mph outfield help, throwing out Joey Wendle attempting to stretch a single right into a double from the right-field nook. If Bryce Harper had been in proper subject for the Phillies within the NLDS, his arm vs. Acuña’s can be an important matchup. However with Harper restricted to DH, we’ll simply have to attend and see if the Phillies dare to run on Acuña.
2. Oscar Gonzalez, Guardians
Of all of the gamers within the playoffs, Gonzalez recorded the toughest particular person throw this yr: 101.6 mph, simply higher than Acuña’s max. His max-effort common was 96.2 mph, ok for No. 4 total on the arm power leaderboard and the No. 2 spot amongst proper fielders, only a bit behind Acuña’s. The Guardians proper fielder had a personal-best 99.2 mph help to the plate on Could 31 in opposition to the Royals. With Gonzalez in proper for Cleveland and Aaron Decide on the market for the Yankees, there could possibly be a pleasant show of arms within the ALDS.
2022 arm power leaders
1. Nate Eaton (Royals): 98.1 mph
2. Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves): 97.9 mph (max: 101.5 mph)
3. Aristides Aquino (Reds): 96.6 mph
4. Oscar Gonzalez (Guardians): 96.2 mph (max: 101.6 mph)
5. Christopher Morel (Cubs): 96.1 mph
3. Julio Rodríguez, Mariners
J-Rod is electrical along with his bat, his pace, his glove … and his arm. The 21-year-old rookie was a top-five heart fielder with a 93.7 mph common arm power, with a excessive of 99.6 mph. That 99.6 mph throw? A superb play to get a forceout at third base on what ought to have been a base hit to heart — on July 8, Rodríguez fielded Santiago Espinal’s line drive on a hop and threw out Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the lead runner, earlier than he might advance to 3rd. It was one of many prime 5 hardest outfield assists in MLB this yr.
Hardest OF assists, 2022
1. Aristides Aquino (Reds): 101.6 mph, April 9 vs. Braves
2. Aristides Aquino (Reds): 100.9 mph, Aug. 2 vs. Marlins
3. Roman Quinn (for Phillies): 99.9 mph, Could 23 vs. Braves
4. Brett Phillips (for Rays): 99.7 mph, Could 20 vs. Orioles
5. Julio Rodríguez (Mariners): 99.6 mph, July 8 vs. Blue Jays
4. Michael Harris II, Braves
Acuña is not the one large arm within the Braves’ outfield. Their star rookie heart fielder can uncork a triple-digit throw, too — Harris’ prime particular person arm power was a good 100.0 mph, and he averaged 93.2 mph, placing him among the many prime 10 heart fielders in each classes. His prime assists tracked at 93.9 mph and 92.2 mph.
5. Manny Machado, Padres
Let’s get a few infielders on the checklist. Machado’s at all times been identified for his top-tier arm at third base, and his Statcast arm power numbers dwell as much as it. His common arm power in 2022 is somewhat beneath 2021, when he ranked second amongst third basemen at 88.8 mph — however he can nonetheless fireplace a cannon throughout the diamond in addition to anybody, with a max arm power of 92.4 mph. He wanted all of that to get Brandon Belt at first base attempting to bunt for a success in opposition to the shift on Aug. 9. Look ahead to Machado to indicate the arm in opposition to Dodgers speedsters like Trea Turner and Mookie Betts.
6. Ha-Seong Kim, Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. has an elite-of-the-elite arm at shortstop. However his alternative has a extremely good one, too. Kim’s common arm power of 87.0 mph this season is the most effective of any shortstop enjoying within the postseason — and his max arm power of 95.2 mph was the third-highest for any shortstop within the Majors. That is Tatis-esque. The throw got here in opposition to the Dodgers, too, on a relay to the plate on Sept. 3, so Los Angeles is aware of what sort of arm the opposing shortstop could have within the NLDS.
Shortstops with the very best max arm power, 2022
1. Oneil Cruz (Pirates): 97.9 mph
2. Geraldo Perdomo (D-backs): 96.7 mph
3. Ha-Seong Kim (Padres): 95.2 mph
4. Carlos Correa (Twins): 95.0 mph
5. Didi Gregorius (free agent): 94.7 mph
7. Aaron Decide, Yankees
Individuals are going to be watching Decide for the house runs, after his historic 62-homer season. However the Yankees famous person has the large arm to match his 6-foot-7 body. In 2022, Decide averaged 92.3 mph on his max-effort outfield throws, and he reached as excessive as 98.8 mph. A 100-plus mph throw is at all times a risk from Decide — he is hit triple digits from the outfield earlier than, with a 100.5 mph outfield help to the plate at Yankee Stadium in 2018.
8. Harrison Bader, Yankees
The Yankees received Bader from the Cardinals largely for his elite protection in heart subject, and a part of his protection is his arm. Bader averaged 91.5 mph this season, and he maxed out at 96.8 mph. The Guardians are an aggressive baserunning staff, so with Decide and Bader within the outfield for New York (plus Oswaldo Cabrera, who has arm, too, averaging 91.3 mph), you would possibly see some thrilling bang-bang performs.
9. The Dodgers outfield
Sure, we’re placing the Dodgers outfield right here as a unit. As a result of the Dodgers might run out a lineup the place all three outfielders can nail a runner with a throw within the higher 90s — Joey Gallo in left subject, Cody Bellinger in heart and Mookie Betts in proper. Bellinger and Betts dropped somewhat of their common arm power this season, however a take a look at the Dodgers’ max arm strengths ought to inform you: run on L.A. at your personal threat. Gallo had a prime arm power of 98.4 mph this season, Bellinger had a prime arm power of 98.0 mph, and Betts had a prime arm power of 96.8 mph.
