Outs Above Average: MLB’s best defenders according to new stat

Outs Above Average: MLB’s best defensive 3B

Colorado Rockies, Nolan Arenado +17

This is another case of the numbers proving what your eyes already knew.  Arenado is incredibly at the hot corner racking up +17 OAA.  He is the absolute best 3B in the league at going left at +12 OAA where he reaps a majority of his defensive value.  Mix Arenado with the excellent but not quite top 3 Trevor Story and the Rockies probably have the strongest left side defense in all of baseball.

Oakland Athletics, Matt Chapman +14

Here is the other half of the Matt duo listed earlier, Chapman may be the most underrated player in all of baseball given that he plays in Oakland and at an already deep 3B position.  Chapman is solid in every direction.  Where he is best though is going after balls that are in.  In fact, he is the best 3B in baseball at going forward worth an incredible +8 OAA.

Atlanta Braves, Josh Donaldson +8

Donaldson is currently a free agent and would be an immediate upgrade at 3B for basically any team.  Even at 34, he’s top 3 in defense at the hot corner adding in +8 OAA.  He’s solid going left and right and merely average going backwards.  His best attribute though is charging forward to get the ball adding +5 OAA and spoiling would be choppers up the line.  Someone sign this man!

Finally, what everyone wants to know, Shortstop.