Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Numbers don’t lie: Anderson has been one of MLB’s best
MIAMI — Over the past two weeks, not many players have been more valuable than Brian Anderson.
In fact, just three have by advanced metrics.
Since July 28, the Miami Marlins third baseman/right fielder has been on a tear, posting the fourth-best WAR (1.1) in baseball during that stretch. A dynamic offensive and defensive threat, Anderson is batting .321/.418/.768 (199 wRC+) with seven home runs, four doubles and 15 RBI. In that span, only two players have hit more homers.
While Anderson has elevated his performance to another level, not much has changed in his overall approach. Over the first 101 games, he hit .243/.322/.420 (98 wRC+) with 13 home runs and a 1.4 WAR. Despite the slash line hovering below his 2018 rookie-year figure, the 26-year-old still ranked near the top of the league in hard-hit percentage, suggesting he was slightly unlucky during the first half of the season.
Part of Anderson’s recent power surge can be attributed to his increased contact rates. During the first 101 games, the third baseman notched a 56.3% contact rate on pitches outside the strike zone and a 87.1% clip on throws inside. In the past 15 games, Anderson’s outside rate has jumped 16.3%, while his zone contact has increased by seven percent.
With a higher contact rate and more balls falling his way, the second-year player has demonstrated the potential he’s capable of reaching, which makes him a key cornerstone for the Marlins’ rebuild. For the season, he’s hitting .253/.335/.466 (112 wRC+) and leads the Marlins in home runs (20), doubles (28) and WAR (2.7). With seven weeks left in the season, he’s on pace to surpass last year’s doubles total (34) and shatter his home run output (11).
The overall batting figures only tell part of the story, though. Juggling between third base (5862⁄3 innings) and right field (3792⁄3 innings), Anderson has established himself as a premium defender at both positions.
At the hot corner, he’s tallied the second-highest defensive WAR (5.7) among NL players, trailing only perennial Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado. A cumulative stat, Anderson’s figure is even more impressive considering he’s logged between 100-200 innings less than the other leaders. In addition, he’s tied for first in defensive runs saved (nine) and has the best UZR/150 (ultimate zone rate per 150 games) among third baseman.
While the Marlins would ideally situate Anderson at third, they’ve frequently utilized him in right to give the team more roster flexibility. Currently, Miami has multiple infield options, but a dearth of impact outfielders. Buoyed by his incredibly strong arm, Anderson is sixth in defensive runs saved (six) and fifth in UZR among NL right fielders.
With four years of club control, Anderson provides incredible value for the Marlins. In his second year, he’ll continue to make the league minimum ($585,000) until he hits arbitration following the 2020 season.
His ability to seamlessly float between multiple positions bolsters his value to the team. Because of that, the Marlins have no need to permanently set him at one spot. For now, Miami has multiple guys who can play third base (Starlin Castro, Neil Walker and Martin Prado), but a limited number of impact outfielders.
Next season, the three aforementioned players will hit free agency and the team will likely promote multiple outfield prospects (Monte Harrison and Jesus Sanchez), so Anderson might be stationed primarily at third.