Ever wondered why the fastest player on your team is not making all the plays in the outfield you feel they could make?? There are more variables into playmaking that need to be taken into consideration besides “Sprint Speed”. I had the opportunity to chat with Boston Red Sox Outfield Coordinator Corey Wimberly and dissect the evaluation process for elite outfielders and discuss what sets the Elite apart from the average outfielders. 

Question: What Makes Elite Outfielders?

Answer: They have the ability to see contact and run to the spot of where the ball will end up, it’s like they have a GPS that takes them to the ball just by seeing the swing and how it was hit.

Question: How Are Outfielders Evaluated?

Answer: We value range with the expectation that if we get to the ball we are going to convert it into an out. Beyond that we look at decision making, arm accuracy and arm reputation. Our goal in the outfield is run prevention and not allowing teams to take an extra 90 feet.

We have heard the word “Range” thrown around plenty when we talk about players’ performance. But what exactly goes into account when calculating a player’s range and what do they do to increase that “Range”. 

First, we have to take into account and understand “Catch Probability”. According to Baseball Savant, “Catch Probability expresses the likelihood for a ball to be caught by an outfielder based on opportunity time, distance needed, and direction. “Opportunity time” starts when the ball is released by the pitcher, and “distance needed” is the shortest distance needed to make the catch.” This means the harder the ball is hit at a significant distance from the outfielder there is a certain percentage chance that a play will be made. 

The difficulty of the play or ball put in play is classified from 5 Star plays (most difficult) to 1 Star plays (routine). The percentages assigned to each category are as follows:

• 5 Star play: 0 to 25 percent  
• 4 Star play: 26 to 50 percent
• 3 Star play: 51 to 75 percent 
• 2 Star play: 76 to 90 percent
• 1 Star play: 91 to 95 percent

Next, we have to discuss and understand the “ Outfielder Jump”. There are certain components that make up the outfielder jump (feet covered in correct direction), for example, “Reaction” (feet covered in any direction), “Burst” (feet covered in any direction), and “Route” (feet covered against direct route). So just to be clear, a player’s “sprint speed” (a measurement of a player’s top running speed, expressed in “feet per second in a player’s fastest one-second window” does not necessarily mean they will make all the 5 Star Plays or only be limited to 2 Star Plays and below. Rather, it is a combination of the aforementioned components that make Elite Outfielders Elite. 

For instance, in 5 Star plays (0-25%) catch probability that require more than just sprint speed, Colorado Rockies Outfielder Brenton Doyle covered 29.9 ft/sec with sprint speed, however, he is 1/19 in 5 star opportunities. Burst, Reaction, and Route distance play a pivotal role in increasing range and ultimately individual catch probability!! 

Another player that we need to take into consideration is Ronald Acuna Jr. Known as a speedster and prolific base-stealer, why is he ranked amongst the worst outfielders given his ability to react, move in space, and make excellent decisions at the plate. Ronald Acuna Jr. exemplifies the definition of the term sprint speed is not all that matters when covering ground in the outfield.

Calculating “Outs Above Average” (OAA) and what that means for defensive players. Again, according to Baseball Savant Statcast, “Outs Above Average is a range-based metric of skill that shows how many outs a player has saved over his peers.” To put OAA in simpler terms, the more range you have, the more plays you make, thus the more value you add.

Now the main question, how do we improve these variables in training??

1. Establishing an ON-TIME pre-pitch or prep step that allows players to engage in a quick and positive first time, leading to better reaction time. 
2. A quick and positive first step that puts players in a direct route to the ball in play and it’s location. 
3. Reaching top speed as quickly as possible to make up for a delay in reaction time or a bad route.

In conclusion, if you have ever asked yourself why the fastest player on the team is not making many plays in the outfield, figure out which of the variables is he or she lacking. Working on these 3 action steps will help outfielders increase their catch radius aka catch probability. The ones that show the ability to consistently do these things will set themselves up for success and ultimately shine above others.