Byron Buxton immediately upstaged his leaping catch by throwing the ball the length of a football field
A lot of factors go into making a great outfielder. It's not enough to just be fast enough to chase down fly balls, you also have to be able to get a good read on the ball to know which way to run. On top of all that, you also need a strong arm so baserunners don't run wild after you catch the ball.
We've always known that Twins center fielder Byron Buxton had the speed and instincts to catch basically anything hit his way. During Sunday's game against the Rays, he proved that once more, robbing Yandy Diaz with a catch at the wall that looked way easier than it should have.
He then showed off a new skill, firing the ball over 300 feet for a double play at first base:
The Bux stops here.
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) June 2, 2019
Buxton unleashes a 97.1 MPH rocket for a double play! 💪 pic.twitter.com/MhOv5C3NuI
Now that Buxton is showing he has an arm like this to go with his already-unrivaled fielding, it's probably best to just avoid hitting the ball his way altogether.
Eric Chesterton is a writer for MLB.com. He is an appreciator of the stolen base, the bunt against the shift and nearly every unconventional uniform design. He eagerly awaits Jamie Moyer's inevitable comeback.
