There is a vast amount of great talent with the ranks of the MLB. There are superstar sluggers, dominant pitchers, and shutout fielders. However, there is a whole different class of players that are supreme from the rest. These players are considered the most frightening players of all.
In the MLB there are some formidable forces that frighten any and all opposition. These are guys you don’t want to face at the plate, you don’t want to pitch against, and you simply don’t want to play. Whether it be their insane talent, or some overwhelming weapon in their arsenal, these players are certainly feared. Look at Barry Bonds, Bonds was arguably the most feared player in the history of baseball. That is not a knock on Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, or Nolan Ryan – it’s just a testament to how dominant Bonds was in the late nineties and early two-thousands. You can say whatever you like about the steroid usage, the man was feared.
While there may not be someone of Bonds caliber in terms of fear factor, there certainly are superstar players that bring out the worst of other players. Often times, these guys are the cream of the crop – they have so much talent it is alien to us and that alone causes the fear. Especially in a sport where match ups are so prevalent, these guys have all the more reason to be fearful when coming up against a dominant athlete.
With that being said, who exactly are the most frightening players in all of baseball? Some are frightening just because of their raw talent, others because of their superhuman feats. Whatever the case may be, these guys often dominant the opposition, erecting fear out of any competition that they encounter. So lets pick apart the most frightening players in baseball today.
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Say what you may about Giancarlo Stanton’s inability to remain healthy, the man is an absolute monster at the plate. His 13 year, 325 million dollar contract is only a testament to Stanton’s raw hitting ability. In today’s game of baseball, nobody hits the ball as hard or as far as Stanton. Stanton has a pure muscular build, utilizing the torque created by his sickening fast hips. I am 100% certain that every time Stanton steps in the box, the opposes pitcher’s heart drops. Sure, his batting average isn’t that high – but each and every pitcher should be afraid of this happening to them:
"Giancarlo #Stanton blasts a 2 #run HR off the Marlins #Park scoreboard" #baseball #mlb #sports pic.twitter.com/ZqeKwdgBKq
— RussellHodson2 (@RussellHodson2) January 9, 2017
Giancarlo Stanton is the ultimate epitome of a man among boys, and shows that with his raw strength and power. Last season, Stanton accounted for the five fastest exit velocities on baseballs hit in 2016. He was third in average exit velocity, with the only season-long player ahead of him being Nelson Cruz. Stanton hit the only home run that was over 500 feet this season, coming off an 89 mph pitch from Chad Bettis.
(Fun Fact: the only 500 foot home run in 2015 belonged to Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta.)
It is undeniable how much raw strength Stanton posses and how well he can hit the baseball. Whether it be breaking scoreboards, or blasting home runs out of Dodger Stadium, Stanton posses a rare power we haven’t seen in quite some time. We have had our fair share of elite power hitters, but it had been awhile since we’ve had someone hit a baseball as far or as hard as Stanton does consistently.
Aroldis Chapman
Although I do not personally believe that Chapman is the best closer in the league, he definitely is the most frightening. Chapman has this aura around him that every time he comes in it’s like a blow to the chest.
No closer has this sort of fear circled around him since Mariano Rivera, and it’s only fitting that Chapman wears Yankee pinstripes. Now, I am not comparing Chapman’s ability to Mariano’s ability, because that would just be absolutely absurd, However, it is justifiable to think that Chapman creates that same fear in his opposition that Mariano did.
There’s two types of fear coming into play here. First, is the competitive fear that batters get when Chapman comes in. Chapman strolls onto the mound and the opposition almost starts to doubt their ability to come back. Then, there is the personal fear that comes in play when Chapman is pitching. Chapman is a whole new animal, he throws with velocity that we have not seen ever. These batters likely have a personal fear when facing Chapman, because any human would fear a 106 mph fast ball whizzing by their heads. Yes, these guys constantly face 95 mph fastballs, but that extra 11 mph makes a huge difference.
Perhaps what makes Chapman so successful is his ability to play mind games with his opposition. He knows that people fear him, he knows that his lengthy frame and huge stride makes him appear even closer than sixty feet six inches. Chapman realizes the aura that surrounds him and his heater, and because of that he utilizes it to maximize his potential.
Mike Trout
Mike Trout isn’t frightening in the same ways that Aroldis Chapman and Giancarlo Stanton are. Trout doesn’t hit 500 foot bombs, or throw over 100 mph. Trout doesn’t have some extremity that makes him stand out from the pack.
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The reason why Mike Trout is the most frightening player in baseball is that he is so dang good. The fans love him, baseball analysts love him, heck even the opposition loves him when they don’t have to face him. Trout has a talent that we have not seen for a very long time, and if he keeps it up can be regarded as the best player, ever. Trout is scary to face, and that’s the truth.
Yes, I said that Trout could become the best player to ever play the game of baseball. I’m sorry to any Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, or Babe Ruth fans out there. The true fact of the matter is baseball is always evolving, these guys just get better and better.
The pitching becomes better and better, guys are throwing harder and throwing more pitches than before. If you insert any of the names in modern MLB, yes they would be all-stars, hall of famers, MVP’s, but they wouldn’t be what Mike Trout is. Mike Trout is putting up some of the greatest numbers we have ever seen, against the best talent we have ever seen.
That goes for the future as well. In fifty years, when the landscape of baseball is completely changed, that era’s superstar will likely be better than Mike Trout. If someone could post the same numbers as Trout, perhaps Trout’s grandson, in fifty year – they are undoubtedly better. Mike Trout, if this lasts as long as it seems, will go down as one of if not the best player to ever play the game of baseball. Now, if that isn’t frightening for opposing pitchers, I don’t know what is.
