Last week I examined pitching tools, laying out my rankings (and reasoning) in eight categories, and earlier this week I tackled the hitting and speed tools. Today I look at fielding tools from a scout's perspective, ranking players with the best gloves and arms at each of the three position areas (catcher, infield, outfield).
Best catcher glove
1. Russell Martin
Toronto Blue Jays
Defensive WAR (baseball-reference): 2015 -- 0.6; 2014 -- 2.0; 2013 -- 2.5
2. Buster Posey, Giants
3. Yadier Molina, Cardinals
4. Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers
5. Jason Castro, Astros
The top four players all earn the highest marks from scouts and execs, with Lucroy and Posey frequently ranking among the top pitch-framers in the game. While Yasmani Grandal gets a lot of credit for superior framing, he's actually a below-average receiver when it comes to plate-blocking and preventing wild pitches/passed balls. I considered Christian Vazquez for this top five, but with so little major league time to go on, it seemed like it might be too much of an extrapolation for a tool that is notorious among scouts for the difficulty it poses in grading.
Best catcher arm
1. Yadier Molina
St. Louis Cardinals
Defensive WAR (baseball-reference): 2015 -- 1.4; 2014 -- 1.5; 2013 -- 2.1
2. Yan Gomes, Indians
3. Matt Wieters, Orioles
4. Christian Vazquez, Red Sox
5. Wilson Ramos, Nationals
Molina's arm is so strong and accurate that opposing baserunners don't even bother running; since the start of 2013, Molina has the fewest attempts per 9 innings of any catcher with at least 300 innings behind the plate. Christian Bethancourt would make and perhaps top this list if he had hit enough (in a very limited opportunity) to stay in the majors, and new Phillies farmhand Jorge Alfaro might have the arm to rule them all.
Best infield glove
1. Andrelton Simmons, SS
Atlanta Braves
Defensive WAR (baseball-reference): 2015 -- 2.7; 2014 -- 3.9; 2013 -- 5.4
2. Brandon Crawford, SS, Giants
3. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies
4. Manny Machado, 3B, Orioles
5. Jose Iglesias, SS, Tigers
Simmons is the best defensive shortstop I've seen since peak Ozzie Smith -- and no, Omar Vizquel isn't a peer to either guy. Arenado's transformation is one of the great coaching stories in baseball; a fringy defender at best as a Double-A third baseman, he worked to become the game's best defender at the hot corner during his rookie year with the Rockies. Iglesias remains a plus defender thanks to his instincts and hands, but he hasn't been the all-time great glove I thought he might be when he was still in the minors. Not pictured but deserving of mention: Alcides Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria.
Best infield arm
1. Andrelton Simmons, SS
Atlanta Braves
Defensive WAR (baseball-reference): 2015 -- 2.7; 2014 -- 3.9; 2013 -- 5.4
2. Manny Machado, 3B, Orioles
3. Adeiny Hechavarria, SS, Marlins
4. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals
5. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Blue Jays
Gah, there are some seriously ridiculous arms on the left sides of major league infields, and I'm not sure even 10 names would be enough to hold them all. Simmons is the gold standard -- he would routinely hit 98 mph as a junior college reliever, and even Atlanta wanted him to convert to the mound when they took him -- while Machado might have thrown just as hard had he pitched. I might be showing a little too much favor to Tulowitzki, whose arm was the first thing about him to jump out at me the first day I saw him with Team USA back in 2004.
Best outfield glove
1. Michael Taylor
Washington Nationals
Defensive WAR (baseball-reference): 2015 (first full season in majors) -- 0.8
2. A.J. Pollock, Diamondbacks
3. Jason Heyward, Cardinals
4. Kevin Kiermaier, Rays
5. Billy Hamilton, Reds
There are so many plus defensive outfielders in the majors right now too -- Lorenzo Cain, Alex Gordon, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Brett Gardner, Kevin Pillar, and I'm barely scratching the surface -- to the point where plus is the new average for outfield gloves. Trout would have ranked in the top five a year ago, and while he has lost some of his range, I think if he played left field full time he'd rival Gordon as the best in the majors in that spot.
Best outfield arm
1. Leonys Martin
Texas Rangers
Defensive WAR (baseball-reference): 2015 -- 1.7; 2014 -- 2.2; 2013 -- 1.8
2. Adam Jones, Orioles
3. Yoenis Cespedes, Mets
4. Aaron Hicks, Twins
5. Bryce Harper, Nationals
What we talk about when we talk about outfield arms is more arm strength than arm accuracy, although I think it's appropriate to consider both, and some teams will separate the two fields on scouting reports (as they should). The three U.S.-born players on this list all pitched as amateurs and would work in the low 90s or better, as did Shin-Soo Choo and Anthony Gose (whom I saw throw 97 once, albeit with a violent delivery). Yasiel Puig might belong in the top five in terms of arm strength, and J.D. Martinez might play (or throw) his way into the top five on accuracy and effectiveness.