Jacob DeGrom Vs. Two All-Time Greats
The term “dominant” is frequently used in the world of sports to describe an athlete who has outperformed his competition by such a considerable margin that comparisons can no longer be made. New York Mets’ sensation Jacob DeGrom has taken that term to the next level. Over the past three seasons, no pitcher has come remotely close to matching the statistics that the flamethrowing righty has posted.
In many ways, DeGrom has redefined what it means to be an ace. Despite tallying just 25 victories over the past three seasons, the right-hander has widely been recognized as the best pitcher in the entire sport. Over that same period of time, DeGrom has taken home two Cy Young awards, an ERA title and even received MVP votes.
When trying to figure out what makes Jacob DeGrom, a former college shortstop, one of the best pitchers in recent memory, it is hard not to draw comparisons to some of the most prolific starters of the past. A specific pair of aces each had statistical peaks in their careers that line up with the numbers that DeGrom has posted over the past three campaigns, and both of these men currently have plaques in Cooperstown.
Greg Maddux was one of the premier pitchers of his era. While the 2014 Cooperstown inductee pitched in a remarkable 23 seasons, his best three year run came with the Atlanta Braves from 1993-1995. During these three seasons, the man that fans dubbed “The Professor” compiled just over 678 innings of work and pitched to the tune of a 1.90 earned run average. When listing the accolades that he earned during this time period, it is almost difficult to find a starting point. The right-hander tossed a league best 28 complete games, collected three Gold Glove awards and allowed a miniscule 0.3 HR/9 (in the midst of the steroid era). Like DeGrom, Maddux had total control of his pitches as evidenced by the 1.4 BB/9 that he allowed during his peak, however comparisons between the two begin and end with the statistics.
Maddux’s run as the sport’s top pitcher was fueled by a total mastery of his pitch arsenal. He was among the best the game has ever seen in suppressing hard contact and his impeccable accuracy allowed him to pitch out of trouble whenever a difficult situation arose. While DeGrom is also known for his excellent accuracy, he profiles more as a power pitcher than a crafty, ground-ball specialist. DeGrom relies heavily on a blistering fastball that paced the league in average velocity during the 2020 campaign, while Maddux complimented his sinking two-seamer with a nasty circle changeup that avoided the barrel of the bat on most occasions.
During his statistical peak, Maddux posted a 7.1 K/9 which pales in comparison to the 11.6 that DeGrom has averaged over the past three seasons. And while Maddux’s win total of 55 more than doubles DeGrom’s total from the past three years, it is worth noting that he pitched for a stacked Atlanta Braves team that featured standouts like David Justice, Fred McGriff and a young Chipper Jones. Of course the run support that he received takes nothing away from his greatness, and the three Cy Young Awards that these seasons produced speak for themselves.
Randy Johnson was downright nasty. The legendary lefty peaked statistically from 2000-2003 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and produced some of the most absurd numbers that have ever been printed on to the back of a baseball card. The “Big Unit” and his rubber arm tossed a remarkable 758.1 innings during this span and collected a jaw-dropping 1053 strikeouts. Perhaps most impressively, Johnson’s run took place over the course of his age 36-38 seasons. He collected three of his five Cy Young awards during this time and instilled fear into both opposing batters and spectating birds alike.
While Johnson’s prime seasons are some of the best individual campaigns in recent memory, advanced statistics hint that DeGrom’s current run may even be slightly more impressive. The Big Unit spent plenty of time atop the National League’s pitching leaderboards in a variety of categories, however, one of these first place finishes is actually what gives DeGrom the edge. A closer look at Johnson’s body of work from the 2000-2003 seasons show that the 6.9 H/9 that he allowed during this time was among the worst in the sport. Additionally, Johnson’s occasional struggle to control his pitches led to 37 hit batters and a 2.6 BB/9 during his run of greatness. While these statistics are hardly dreadful, they are often taken into consideration when two truly elite pitchers are compared. Although the gaps are small, DeGrom has allowed fewer earned runs, walks, hits, and home runs during his historic peak – while maintaining a similarly high strikeout rate. Even the physical similarities between Jacob DeGrom and Randy Johnson are compelling: everything from the intimidating fastballs to the long locks of hair that once flowed from beneath each of their hats hints at some shared cosmic lineage.
While DeGrom boasts Maddux-like control, he does it with Johnson-like power. But what separates the Mets’ ace from the aforementioned icons is his array of pitches. Featuring a sweeping slider and an occasional curveball that are both respected and feared, DeGrom actually gives opposing hitters even more to think about than either the Professor or the Big Unit.
Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux both defied the rules of time as each hurler steadily improved with age and pitched into their 40s. DeGrom is beginning to show signs of aging in reverse as his fastball velocity has dramatically increased in each of his age “30 something” seasons. If DeGrom can stay on his current path, and continue to dominate in a game that is infested with power bats, he too may one day own real estate in Cooperstown.
