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In the Statcast era, defensive metrics have gained more prominence. Even though not as busy as fielders on the diamond, outfielders are crucial for the team when looking to save runs.
Every year three outfielders, along with other positions, from each league are awarded the Gold Glove Award for their prowess in the outfield. Here's looking at the 5 top contenders so far:
#1, Daulton Varsho
Daulton Varsho has been one of the best defensive players in the MLB this season. He has 15 Outs Above Average (OAA) and a league-leading 2.6 Defensive Wins Above Replacement (WAR). One of his top plays of the season came in April when in center field Varsho ran back to catch a flyball by Shohei Ohtani bouncing back off the fence to complete the play.
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#2, Jacob Young
Washington Nationals rookie Jacob Young has been a big find for the organization in center field. Taking over the reins from Victor Robles, who lost his defensive spark in the past few seasons, Young has been quite impressive.
The 25-year-old leads in OAA with 17 and total runs prevented with 15 for all outfielders. He has a defensive WAR of 1.6 and is expected to be the Nationals' primary defensive specialty outfielder for the next few years.
#3, Michael Saini
The Cardinals started the season with three primary outfielders on the shelf - Lars Nootbar, Dylan Carson and Tommy Edman. That opened the doors for rookie Michael Saini who has since owned the center field.
He has the second-best OAA with 15 and the fifth-most overall Fielding Run Value in the league with 13. Add to that he has an insane average hang time with an average Jump height of 3.1 feet.
#4, Colton Cowser
Baltimore Orioles' rookie Colton Cowser has been a valuable name in the outfield since his addition to the Opening Day Roster. Coswer has divided his time mostly in center field and left field, while also playing in right field for 73 at-bats. He has a fielding run value of 10 and an OAA of 10.
#5, Jarren Duran
Jarren Duran has been the leader in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse in his breakthrough season for the franchise. Not only with his strong offense but even in the outfield Duran has been outstanding, sporting a defensive WAR of 1.9 just behind Daulton Varsho, for all outfielders. He has prevented eight runs and has an OAA of eight this season.
