Surprising Name Atop List of Cubs’ Fastest Baserunners

Statcast now tracks every player’s speed using a new metric called “sprint speed.” They define it as “feet per second in a player’s fastest one-second window.” MLB baserunners average 27 feet per second and the fastest runners typically cover 30 feet per second, with the slowest dragging behind around 23 feet per second.

Based on the metrics, the Cubs’ fastest baserunner is…Ian Happ. Though he runs with his arms waving side-to-side, the aggressive rookie covers 29 feet per second, faster by a full second than the next fastest Cub, Kris Bryant. See how the rest rate below.

Also surprising to me was Albert Almora Jr.’s speed. I originally thought he was a league-average runner at best, but my eyes were lying to me. He’s essentially just as fast as Jason Heyward, Addison Russell, and Willson Contreras.

Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber are competing for the team’s slowest runner, with Rizzo holding the crown for the slowest by mere inches.

While Bryant isn’t the fastest on the team, he’s the fastest third baseman in MLB, barely edging out Oakland’s Matt Chapman.

The majority of Cubs baserunners are above average even though they don’t steal often. They rank 25th in stolen bases, but rank 12th in BsR.