It's "best tools" week! For a second straight year, Keith Law discusses the players with the best tools in baseball. Earlier this week, he looked at players who have the best hitting/speed tools and the best fielding/throwing tools, and Dan Szymborski covered the "intangible" tools. Today Keith looks at the pitching tools, such as the best individual pitches and best command. (See last year's pitching tools here).
Best fastball (velocity)
1. Aroldis Chapman, RP, Cubs
2. Mauricio Cabrera, RP, Braves
3. Noah Syndergaard, SP, Mets
4. Nathan Eovaldi, SP, Yankees
5. Dellin Betances, RP, Yankees
6. Arquimedes Caminero, RP, Mariners
7. Carlos Estevez, RP, Rockies
8. Kelvin Herrera, RP, Royals
9. Edwin Diaz, RP, Mariners
10. Arodys Vizcaino, RP, Braves
It's a little tricky to combine relievers and starters here, as relievers get to throw harder since they work in shorter stints … but Chapman and Cabrera are pretty clearly a cut above, accounting for 62 percent of all 100-plus mph pitches in baseball this year (per MLB Statcast data). Syndergaard leads all starters in the same department with 80 such pitches; the only other starter with more than 20, Eovaldi, is about to get his third elbow.
There's a lot of velocity out there right now, but I looked closely at this list, and the one thing I took away from it is that velocity is no guarantee of success, even though it's what everyone wants and pays for. Not pictured: Mets starter Bartolo Colon, who doesn't crack 90 anymore and rarely throws any off-speed pitches but has a 3.36 ERA/4.01 FIP this year.