Which pitchers have the best tools in Major League Baseball? Here are my rankings in eight categories.
Best fastball
1. Aroldis Chapman
Cincinnati Reds
Last year's No. 1: Chapman
I'm not sure how anyone could top this; it's the hardest fastball in baseball history, and perhaps the upper bound of how fast a human being can throw a baseball. (Of course, when the cyborgs arrive in MLB, all bets are off.) His average velocity (per Pitch F/X) is nearly 2 mph greater than the next-best average among relievers, and of course way above the hardest-throwing starter.
2. Max Scherzer, Nationals
3. Chris Archer, Rays
4. Jacob deGrom, Mets
5. Sonny Gray, Athletics
6. Dellin Betances, Yankees
7. Chris Sale, White Sox
8. Dallas Keuchel, Astros
9. Scott Kazmir, Astros
10. Noah Syndergaard, Mets