Top Free Agent Outfielders of the 2019-2020 Offseason

1. Nicholas Castellanos (2020 Age: 28)

2019: 27 HR, .289/.337/.525, 2 SB, 121 wRC+, 2.8 fWAR in 151 games

It's clear that Castellanos is the best hitter in the outfield market after Martinez, as he's posted four straight seasons with at least a 111 wRC+ and back to back seasons above 120. Additionally, he led all of baseball with with 58 doubles, a number that was the tenth most ever in a single season and the most since Todd Helton hit 59 in 2000. On the other hand, he's a liability in the outfield, so he'd likely fit better as a DH on an American League team. That would make him one of the game's better DH's, because he's one of the game's better hitters and doesn't turn 28 until March, making him one of the youngest free agents available. For his career, the South Florida native has 120 home runs, a .277/.326/.471 slash line, and 10.4 fWAR over 888 games since 2013.

2. Marcell Ozuna (2020 Age: 29)

2019: 29 HR, .241/.328/.472, 12 SB, 110 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR in 130 games

Ozuna's huge 2017 (37 HR, .312/.376/.548) is looking more like an aberration than anything else, but he has still maintained an above average bat and has never dropped below a 92 wRC+ in any of his seven major league seasons. He's got some power, gets to it frequently, and draws enough walks to get on base at a solid clip, making him a very solid #5 or #6 hitter for any lineup. He's not a burner, but he can actually run a little bit for a 6'1", 225 pound power hitter, and that should keep his defense from regressing too far over the next couple of seasons. Spending the whole 2020 season at 29 years old helps too. Overall, he should have a good market as a guy who can fit onto and be a net positive on most teams but who won't cost $100 million to bring in. For his career, the Dominican has 148 home runs, a .272/.329/.455 slash line, and 20.3 fWAR over 931 games since 2013.

3. Yasiel Puig (2020 Age: 29)

2019: 24 HR, .267/.327/.458, 19 SB, 101 wRC+, 1.2 fWAR in 149 games

Yasiel Puig isn't actually all that different of a player from Marcell Ozuna, he's just a bit more...like Yasiel Puig. Both possess some power, have posted above average offensive numbers for most of their careers, run better than you'd expect given their frames, and turn 29 this offseason. However, while Puig has actually been slightly more consistent than Ozuna (his career-low wRC+ of 101 beats Ozuna's 92), he's also a complete wild card both on and off the field, frequently finding himself in on-field skirmishes and making headlines. He also is less adept at using is solid speed than Ozuna, as his defense is below average and he doesn't provide as much baserunning value as Ozuna despite stealing more bases. In all, both players are about equal, but Ozuna just seems less risky and would therefore be the better option in my opinion. For his career, the Cuban has 132 home runs, a .277/.348/.475 slash line, and 18.0 fWAR over 861 games since 2013.

4. Avisail Garcia (2020 Age: 28-29)

2019: 20 HR, .282/.332/.464, 10 SB, 112 wRC+, 1.8 fWAR in 125 games

Avisail obviously isn't the guy he was in 2017, when he somehow slashed .330/.380/.506 with 18 home runs and 4.2 fWAR for the White Sox, but he bounced back nicely from a rough 2018 (.236/.281/.438, 19 HR) to post another solid season in 2019. His .282/.332/.464 slash line was the second best of his career, hitting both lefties (.265/.328/.451) and righties (.291/.334/.471) to ensure his value as a full time starter, not just as a platoon guy. He'll probably continue to be up and down with his new team, but when he's up, he has real value in the box and can start every day for most teams. Turning 29 in June, he's young for a free agent. For his career, the Venezuelan has 96 home runs, a .273/.323/.428 slash line, and 6.2 fWAR over 763 games since 2012.

5. Kole Calhoun (2020 Age: 32)

2019: 33 HR, .232/.325/.467, 4 SB, 108 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR in 152 games

Calhoun is yet another player who has some power and isn't necessarily a positive in the outfield, but setting a career high with 33 home runs last year is certainly a positive. It also looks like his .208/.283/.369 line in 2018 was more of an aberration than anything else, as his expected statistics didn't look all that different from his career norms, and he remains a solid bat that can produce all-around at the plate. He's also not the worst defender, but he'll probably provide more value out there than a guy like Puig or Garcia and certainly more than Castellanos. However, unlike most of the guys ranked ahead of him on this list, he will spend the whole 2020 season at 32 years old. For his career, the Arizona State product has 140 home runs, a .249/.322/.424 slash line, and 15.6 fWAR over 966  games since 2012.

6. Corey Dickerson (2020 Age: 30-31)

2019: 12 HR, .304/.341/.565, 1 SB, 127 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR in 78 games

Bouncing between small market teams before spending 34 games with the Phillies this year, Corey Dickerson has flown under the radar but he's also posted six consecutive seasons as an above-league-average hitter, and in his last three, he's posted wRC+'s of 116, 115, and 127. He hits for both average and power, and while he doesn't walk much, he produces enough offensive value elsewhere to overcome it. He also doesn't provide a lot of defensive value, so combined with his lefty/righty splits, he may be more of a platoon hitter. That's okay, because he crushes right handed pitching (.313/.355/.587 in 2019) and still holds his own against lefties (.271/.290/.492). For his career, the Mississippi native has 115 home runs, a .286/.328/.504 slash line, and 11.5 fWAR over 776 games since 2013.

7. Brett Gardner (2020 Age: 36-37)

2019: 28 HR, .251/.325/.503, 10 SB, 115 wRC+, 3.6 fWAR in 141 games

As with Calhoun, the juiced ball helped Brett Gardner set a career high with 28 home runs, crushing his previous career high slugging percentage of .428 with a .503 mark this year. He's an older free agent, already 36 years old, so you would certainly be buying a declining version of Gardner. However, as he proved in 2019, he's still a valuable player on both sides of the ball who should at least produce at an average or close to average level in 2020, and at the very least he provides a veteran presence. He still has well above average speed, too, which he uses on both sides of the ball, so age hasn't caught up to him as quickly as it has caught other players in his shoes. For his career, the College of Charleston product has 124 home runs, a .260/.342/.401 slash line, 267 stolen bases, and 37.0 fWAR over 1499 games since 2008.

8. Cameron Maybin (2020 Age: 33)

2019: 11 HR, .285/.364/.494, 9 SB, 127 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR in 82 games

One of the game's more inconsistent players, Maybin has been really good (.315/.383/.418 in 2016) and not so good (.228/.318/.365 in 2017) for stretches at a time. However, he was definitely up in 2020, and pointing to his exit velocities and launch angles being higher than they've ever been, it might be somewhat sustainable this time. That doesn't mean Maybin is going to be a three win player in 2020, but he could hold down a starting position for a full season if he keeps hitting the ball the way he has been. He's still a near-average defender in the outfield and he hasn't lost too much of his speed. Still, despite this looking like a true breakout for Maybin at age-32, his lack of consistency and track record compared to many other available free agents in this price range (Brett Gardner, Alex Gordon, Adam Jones) might scare off some suitors who can't take the risk. For his career, the Asheville, North Carolina native has 71 home runs, a .256/.324/.376 slash line, 183 stolen bases, and 14.9 fWAR over 1121 games since 2007.

9. Alex Gordon (2020 Age: 36)

2019: 13 HR, .266/.345/.396, 5 SB, 96 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR in 150 games

An older free agent, Gordon has been a staple in Kansas City for 13 years and on the Great Plains for much longer, and while he is slowing down a bit, he showed in 2019 that he has some left in the tank. He was virtually league average with his bat, and while his typically excellent defense has begun to decline with age, he still held his own out in left field and is one of the game's better defenders out there. Like Gardner, he shouldn't be expected to produce in the long run, but he should be a valuable piece in 2020 that could start on quite a few teams, and he provides that veteran presence at the very least. For his career, the former Nebraska Cornhusker has 186 home runs, a .258/.339/.413 slash line, and 32.1 fWAR over 1703 games since 2007.

10. Adam Jones (2020 Age: 34-35)

2019: 16 HR, .260/.313/.414, 2 SB, 87 wRC+, -0.1 fWAR in 137 games

Adam Jones has had a near perfect aging curve, working his way up in the late 2000's before breaking out with a big run from 2009-2015, then since 2016 he's slowly declined. At this point, he's a near average bat with declining speed, but he has proven durable and consistent throughout his career and he's considered to be a big plus in the clubhouse and in the community. He could still start on a non-contending team, though he'd be more of a fourth outfielder on many of baseball's better teams, and he's already 34 so he can't be counted on in the long term. Still, everyone loves Adam Jones, and any team would be happy to have him in some role or another. For his career, the San Diego native has 282 home runs, a .277/.317/.454 slash line, and 29.4 fWAR over 1823 games since 2006.

Others

Hunter Pence (18 HR, .297/.358/.552, 1.8 fWAR, age 37)

Lonnie Chisenhall (did not play - injured, age 31)

Jarrod Dyson (7 HR, .230/.313/.320, 30 SB, 1.3 fWAR, age 35-36)

Gerardo Parra (9 HR, .234/.293/.391, -0.2 fWAR, age 32-33)

Melky Cabrera (7 HR, .280/.313/.399, -0.7 fWAR, age 35-36)

Notable Non-Tenders, Now Free Agents

Friday was the deadline to tender a contract to arbitration-eligible players, and while most impact players are tendered contracts, many get non-tendered and become free agents. Let's take a look at the most notable new free agents.

1. 2B Jonathan Schoop (2019 Age: 27): 21 HR, .233/.266/.416, 1 SB, 80 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR
Schoop was projected to earn something in the $9-10 million range, so the Brewers cut him loose and needy teams have an opportunity to pick up a legitimate starting second baseman. He was much better in 2017 (32 HR, .293/.338/.503) than in 2018 (21 HR, .233/.266/.416), but the power is real and it makes him a productive player. However, he rarely walks so his value is fully dependent on his power. For his career, the Curacao native has 110 home runs, a .258/.294/.444 slash line, and 8.2 fWAR over 681 games since 2013.

2. 1B Justin Bour (2019 Age: 30-31): 20 HR, .227/.341/.404, 2 SB, 107 wRC+. 0.5 fWAR

Bour is another player coming off a down season, dropping from a big 2017 (25 HR, .289/.366/.536) to a disappointing 2018 (20 HR, .227/.341/.404). He's still a good hitter who can hit for power and get on base, though the standard for offense is obviously quite high for first basemen. He could get picked up as a DH or a platoon bat at first base, as he hits right handed pitchers well. For his career, the Northern Virginia native has 84 home runs, a .260/.344/.466 slash line, and 4.8 fWAR over 507 games since 2014.

3. IF Wilmer Flores (2019 Age: 27-28): 11 HR, .267/.319/.417, 0 SB, 103 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR

Wilmer Flores is the classic super-utility bat, an average hitting, average defending guy who can play any position you want him to. He's basically your discount Marwin Gonzalez. Flores has been surprisingly consistent over his career, and in 2018 he slashed .267/.319/.417 with 11 home runs over 126 games; those numbers don't make a star, but he gets on base enough and hits for enough power to the point where he's not a liability in the lineup, and that's the best you can hope for from your utility man. For his career, the Venezuelan has 68 home runs, a .262/.303/.424 slash line, and 5.2 fWAR over 581 games since 2013.

4. OF Avisail Garcia (2019 Age: 27-28): 19 HR, .236/.281/.438, 3 SB, 92 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR

Garcia has been, for the most part, a moderately streaky, fringe-starter type of outfielder throughout his career. The exception is 2017, when he broke out to slash .330/.380/.506 with 18 home runs for the White Sox, but everything dropped about 100 points as he slashed .236/.281/.438 with 19 home runs in an injury-shortened 2018. I think the non-2017 Avisail is the real one, so he could be a platoon bat for a contending team or a starter for a non-contending team. As a right handed hitter, he has been much more effective against left handed pitchers (.304/.358/.457) than against right handers (.259/.308/.408) throughout his career. For his career, the Venezuelan has 76 home runs, a .271/.321/.420 slash line, and 4.2 fWAR over 638 games since 2012.

5. OF Billy Hamilton (2019 Age: 28): 4 HR, .236/.299/.327, 34 SB, 69 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR

Probably the most well known player to be non-tendered this offseason, Billy Hamilton is difficult to place a value on. He can't hit, with neither the ability to get on base or hit for power, but oh boy can he run. He's among the fastest players in the entire league, and that speed makes him elite both on the basepaths and in the outfield. His Statcast sprint speed of 30.1 MPH puts him fifth in all of baseball, behind only Byron Buxton (30.5 MPH), Roman Quinn (30.2), Magneuris Sierra (30.2), and Adam Engel (30.1). From 2014-2017, he added one stolen base onto his total every season, stealing 56, 57, 58, and 59 bases, though he dropped to 34 in 2018. On defense, he was fifth among all MLB outfielders in 2018 with 16 outs above average (per Statcast). He's not much better than a pitcher in the batters' box, but once he gets out he's hard to stop. For his career, the Mississippi native has 21 home runs, a .245/.298/.333 slash line, 277 stolen bases, and 10.0 fWAR over 690 games since 2013.

6. RHP Mike Fiers (2019 Age: 33-34): 12-8, 3.56 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 139/37 K/BB, 172 IP

Fiers had a bounceback season in 2018, dropping his ERA from 5.22 in 2017 to 3.56 in 2018 and his WHIP from 1.43 to 1.18, looking like a legitimate mid-rotation starter in the process. He has been moderately inconsistent throughout his career, and because he turns 34 in June, I don't know that I would count on him to keep up his current level of success, but he should be a safe bet to hold down a spot in the back of a rotation. For his career, the South Florida native is 54-55 with a 4.04 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and an 827/267 strikeout to walk ratio over 172 games (153 starts) since 2011.

7. RHP Shelby Miller (2019 Age: 28): 0-4, 10.69 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 19/8 K/BB, 16 IP

Like Billy Hamilton, it's tough to place a value on Shelby Miller. When fully healthy, he is a legitimate #2 starter, but the problem is that he hasn't been fully healthy in years. From 2012-2015, Miller went 32-35 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP over 102 games (96 starts) for the Cardinals and Braves. The Braves sent him to Arizona in what turned out to be the worst trade in Diamondbacks history; over the last three years, he is 5-18 with a 6.35 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP, pitching in just 29 games (28 starts) in the process. If a team can figure out how to get Miller healthy, they have an extremely valuable asset on their hands; if they can't then they don't. He'll probably sign an incentives-laden deal and would fit great in a place like LA or Houston, who have deep rotations but could always use another top arm. For his career, the Texan is 37-53 with a 3.83 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and a 592/269 strikeout to walk ratio over 131 games (124 starts) since 2012.

8. RHP Blake Parker (2019 Age: 33-34): 2-1, 3.26 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 70/19 K/BB, 66.1 IP

Parker has quietly been a very good reliever for the Angels over the past two seasons, posting a 2.90 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 156/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 133.2 innings. While he was a bit better in 2017 than 2018, at 33 years old he's still a valuable reliever who should have no problem posting an ERA below 4.00 and maintaining solid component ratios. As far as relievers go, he's a fairly low-risk seventh inning guy. For his career, the former Arkansas Razorback has a 3.29 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and a 256/68 strikeout to walk ratio over 229 appearances since 2012.

9. DH Matt Davidson (2019 Age: 28): 20 HR, .228/.319/.419, 0 SB, 104 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR

Davidson has big power, but that's really about it. He hit 26 home runs in 2017 and added 20 more in 2018, but he more than doubled his walk rate from a poor 4.3% in 2017 to a solid 10.5% in 2018, covering up for his .228 batting average and making him a solid, #6ish hitter at his best. He hits left handed pitchers better than right handed pitchers, so unless he ends up on a bottom-rung team, he's probably a platoon bat at best. For his career, the Southern California native has 49 home runs, a .226/.295/.435 slash line, and 0.3 fWAR over 273 games since 2013.

10. 3B Yangervis Solarte (2019 Age: 17 HR, .226/.277/.378, 1 SB, 77 wRC+, -1.3 fWAR

It was a really poor season for Solarte, but he does have upside and can provide value in numerous ways. While he is primarily a third baseman, he can play second base adequately and can also be used at shortstop or first base in a pinch, making him a versatile bench asset. At the plate, his on-base percentage is largely dependent on his batting average, but he has some pop (double digit home runs in each of the past five seasons) and that's hard to find in a cheap infielder. He should catch on as a utility man somewhere. For his career, the Venezuelan has 74 home runs, a .259/.317/.410 slash line, and 5.6 fWAR over 642 games since 2014.

Other notable

OF Robbie Grossman (29): 5 HR, .273/.367/.384, 0 SB, 108 wRC+, 0.7 fWAR

RHP Hunter Strickland (30): 3-5, 3.97 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 37/21 K/BB, 45.1 IP

LHP Luis Avilan (29-30): 2-1, 3.77 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 51/18 K/BB, 45.1 IP

IF Tim Beckham (29): 12 HR, .230/.287/.374, 1 SB, 79 wRC+ -0.5 fWAR

RHP Matt Shoemaker (32): 2-2, 4.94 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 33/10 K/BB, 31 IP

C James McCann (28-29): 8 HR, .220/.267/.314, 0 SB, 58 wRC+, -0.1 fWAR

OF Chris Owings (27-28): 4 HR, .206/.272/.302, 11 SB, 51 wRC+, -0.8 fWAR

RHP Matt Bush (33): 0-0, 4.70 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 19/14 K/BB, 23 IP

OF Bubba Starling (26-27): Spent 2018 in minors