While it’s true that the most important tool in baseball, for position players at least, is hitting, the other ones are far from insignificant.
Power hitting is often merged with the contact tool, but speed, defense, and a good throwing arm can all make a difference in a baseball game, especially at the highest level.
And if someone knows a thing or two about making a difference in a baseball game, that’s Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan.
Kwan has averaged 3.78 fWAR per season since making his MLB debut in 2022, and had 3.2 last year, even though he was merely a league-average hitter with a 99 wRC+.
Why was he able to put up such a solid fWAR if he was just an OK hitter? Well, because of defense and baserunning.
Kwan prides himself on being a standout fielder, as his four straight Gold Glove Awards attest.
In a chat with former major league pitcher Jake Peavy, Kwan explained the importance of defense and how it can directly impact games.
“Defense should never slump, and that’s the cool thing, you can have a really tough day at the plate, but you can save the game in that last inning, as long as you’re locked in. And I mean on the flip side, if you bring your at-bats with you in the outfield and you’re moping, you’re feeling sorry for yourself, and then that ball comes, you could lose the game for your team, too. So, I mean, you have to be able to separate those kinds of two things, and play both sides of the ball,” Kwan said.
"Defense should never slump."@skwanzaa, winner of four consecutive Gold Glove Awards since his MLB debut, shares his mentality in the outfield 💎
📺 30 Clubs, 30 Camps | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/3sm0mSOn1V
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 2, 2026
As Kwan says, defense should never slump because it always depends on the fielder’s skills, how he reads batted balls, the routes he takes, and everything he has learned and put in practice for years.
Hitting is part skill and part taking advantage of what the pitchers give away, but out there on the field with a glove on one’s hand, the player controls his own destiny.
And Kwan, who is being tried as a center fielder this spring, sure does that better than all left fielders in the American League.
If you don’t believe us, all you need to do is take a look at his career-high 22 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 2025.
NEXT: Young Guardians Outfielder Could Force Tough Roster Decision
