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Rays’ Kiermaier uncorks 100 MPH toss to home (video)

By Bryan Arnott

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Tampa Bay Rays’ Kevin Kiermaier has been making great defensive plays all season and continued that effort last night.

Tampa Bay Rays’ center fielder Kevin Kiermaier has been a defensive stalwart all season long and continued that play last night against the Miami Marlins.

Though the Rays currently sit in a three way tie for last place with the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, they have to be happy with the productive season Kiermaier has been having.

He’s converted 408 put outs on 428 total chances, giving him a fielding percentage of .988% – second behind superstar Mike Trout. He has 8 less put outs than Mike Trout, but has also played 170 less innings than him.

Kiermaier leads the MLB center fielders with 15 assists from the outfield, 2 more than 4-time AL Gold Glove winner Adam Jones. He’s converted 408 put outs on 428 total chances, giving him a fielding percentage of .988% – second behind superstar Mike Trout. He has 8 less put outs than Mike Trout, but has also played 170 less innings than him.

Kiermaier made his major league debut in 2013 with the Rays, though only played one game that season. While his slash line is almost identical to his 2014 slash line, .265/.300/.422 in 2015 and .263/.315/.450 in 2015, per ESPN statistics, it has been his all-star defensive play that has vaulted him from a 3.7 WAR in 2014 to 7.3 in 2015.

Kiermaier is still only 25 and he’s proven this year that he can carry the load of an every day center fielder. While his batting numbers have been lackluster, it’s his defensive play in perhaps one of the most valuable positions in baseball that keeps him at the major league level.

This season he has 41 defensive runs saved, while the next best player is Andrelton Simmons at 25, according to FanGraphs. This also coincidentally ties him for the best defensive runs saved statistical season since the stat became recorded in 2003 – with who else but Andrelton Simmons.

Kiermaier is well on his way to becoming a household name with his arm and defensive play that seems to shine in every opportunity he gets.

(H/T) ForTheWin

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