Arm: Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper, a former catcher, is not an elite outfield defender. He has the athleticism to make plenty of plays, but he still takes questionable routes on fly balls and struggles with line drives in his direction. Though he lacks in certain areas, he still holds up as a credible right fielder because his arm is such a threat. Harper has thrown out 52 runners in his career, which ranks seventh in the game since he was promoted in 2012.
Early in his career, Harper was way too aggressive in his attempts to throw out runners, often handing the opponent additional bases and runs at the expense of the occasional out. But because he has proven so willing to throw (and become slightly more judicious in his attempts), opponents are often hesitant to run and force him to unleash his cannon. But when they do take off, Harper is always ready to strike:
It’s always nice to have triple-digit heat both on the mound and in right field. Harper’s outfield arm and accuracy stacks up with almost any player in the game, and his mere presence can improve run prevention and impact the game defensively.