Catchers
1. Yasmani Grandal (2020 Age: 31)
2019: 28 HR, .246/.380/.468, 5 SB, 121 wRC+, 5.2 fWAR in 153 games
We all know Grandal is good, but the Brewers got a complete bargain when they signed him for $18.25 million last offseason. He set career highs in virtually every category, totaling 5.2 fWAR that was enough to place him ninth in the National League and second among all catchers behind only J.T. Realmuto's 5.7. Grandal hits for power, gets on base due to a high walk rate (17.2% in 2019), and plays excellent defense behind the plate, giving a serious argument for being the second best catcher in baseball behind Realmuto at a position that's looking shallower and shallower. This offseason should go much better for him. For his career, the former Miami Hurricane has 141 home runs, a .241/.348/.446 slash line, and 32.6 fWAR over 879 games since 2012.
2. Robinson Chirinos (2020 Age: 35-36)
2019: 17 HR, .238/.347/.443, 1 SB, 113 wRC+, 2.3 fWAR in 114 games
It might be because he has spent most of his career as a back-up catcher with the medium market Texas Rangers, but Robinson Chirinos has flown under the radar as one of the game's more productive catchers over the last half decade. Despite topping out at 114 games in 2019, Chirinos has reached double digits in home runs in five of the past six seasons while drawing enough walks to keep his on-base percentage at at least .314 in each of the past five. Like Grandal, he set a lot of career highs in 2019, and he brings power, decent on-base ability, and solid defense at a shallow position. He might not be good enough to be a full time starter on a contending team, but he produced this year for the Astros and would make a very good back-up on a contender or a starter on a worse team. For his career, the Venezuela native has 85 home runs, a .234/.329/.439 slash line, and 6.1 fWAR over 576 games since 2011.
3. Travis d'Arnaud (2020 Age: 31)
2019: 16 HR, .251/.312/.433, 0 SB, 98 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR in 103 games
When healthy, Travis d'Arnaud is one of the better catchers in the game, inning for inning. He's got pop, gets to it regularly, and plays solid defense. However, he hasn't stayed on the field for any kind of regular basis, topping out at 112 games in 2017 and only topping 75 games three times in his seven year career. He played just four games in 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery then slashed just .087/.160/.087 in ten games with the Mets before being designated for assignment. He lasted all of five days with the Dodgers before being sold to the Rays, where he was finally healthy and caught his stride, slashing .263/.323/.459 with 16 home runs in 92 games. The thing is, that's d'Arnaud's true talent level, and if he can just stay healthy, he could be a 20+ home run guy annually. Health will be the big gamble for whichever team picks him up for 2020, but the upside is big. For his career, the Southern California native has 63 home runs, a .246/.307/.412 slash line, and 10.3 fWAR over 500 games since 2013.
Others: Jason Castro (13 HR, .232/.332/.435, 1.6 fWAR, age 32-33)
Yan Gomes (12 HR, .223/.316/.389, 0.8 fWAR, age 32-33)
Martin Maldonado (12 HR, .213/.293/.378, 0.8 fWAR, age 33)
First Basemen
1. Jose Abreu (2020 Age: 33)
2019: 33 HR, .284/.330/.503, 2 SB, 117 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR in 159 games
I know that RBI aren't an accurate way of tracking success, but it's at least correlated with success, and Jose Abreu is fourth in all of baseball with 611 since 2014, when he debuted, behind only Nolan Arenado (682), Edwin Encarnacion (636), and Nelson Cruz (630). He's hit at least 22 home runs and 32 doubles in each of his six major league seasons, his on-base percentage never falling below .325 and his slugging percentage staying at at least .468 in each season. His lower walk rates (5.2% in 2019, 6.3% career) eat into his offensive value a bit, but he's a classic #5 hitting run-producer who could fit into any lineup, contending or non-contending. However, he provides little to no value on defense, so you're buying the bat and the bat only. For his career, the Cuban has 179 home runs, a .293/.349/.513 slash line, and 17.9 fWAR 901 games since 2014.
2. Howie Kendrick (2020 Age: 36-37)
2019: 17 HR, .344/.395/.572, 2 SB, 146 wRC+, 2.9 fWAR in 121 games
With the Nationals' big run to the World Series win, you've probably heard all about Howie Kendrick. After all, the 36 year old slashed .344/.395/.572 this year with 17 home runs and a low 13.2% strikeout rate. If there's one thing he does, it's hit the ball hard. His 48.3% hard hit rate placed him 23rd in baseball, and as someone who watched him all season long, it felt like he made hard contact every time he came to the plate. In other words, that .344 batting average wasn't the product of luck, but of just crushing the ball around the park. Unfortunately, he's certainly slowing down with age, with both his glove and legs losing a bit of value, and even he admitted that his body is no longer able to take the beating of playing every day. In that case, he becomes one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable, bench bats on the market as someone who can start against lefties and get spot starts here and there while providing real, middle-of-the-order caliber offense. For his career, the Jacksonville-area native has 125 home runs, a .294/.337/.431 slash line, and 31.3 fWAR over 1596 games since 2006.
3. Eric Thames (2020 Age: 33)
2019: 25 HR, .247/.346/.505, 3 SB, 116 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR in 149 games
Thames slashed just .232/.273/.399 in 2012 before heading to South Korea for the 2013-2016 seasons, but since he returned to the U.S. in 2017, he's been a very productive hitter for the Brewers and should continue to be in 2020. This past year, he knocked 25 home runs and slashed .247/.346/.505 over 149 games, giving him a third straight season with above-league-average production. He's a much better hitter against right handed pitchers (.254/.348/.529) than against lefties (.200/.339/.340 in a small sample), so Thames profiles much better as a platoon bat than as an every day guy, and he could fill that role successfully even for a contending team. For his career, the Pepperdine product has 93 home runs, a .244/.327/.478 slash line, and 4.8 fWAR over 564 games since 2011.
Others: Mitch Moreland (19 HR, .252/.328/.507, 0.7 fWAR, age 34)
Justin Smoak (22 HR, .208/.342/.406, 0.2 fWAR, age 33)
Neil Walker (8 HR, .261/.344/.395, 0.4 fWAR, age 34)
Second Basemen
1. Brian Dozier (2020 Age: 32-33)
2019: 20 HR, .238/.340/.430, 3 SB, 99 wRC+, 1.7 fWAR in 135 games
The second base class is more balanced than those at catcher and first base, with four players of almost equal caliber all available. Of the four, I give the slight edge to Brian Dozier, but you could make strong arguments for any and the most important thing here will be their fit on the roster. He lost some playing time to Asdrubal Cabrera during the regular season and to Howie Kendrick in the postseason, but Dozier has power and a professional approach at the plate that enables him to produce a satisfactory amount of offense for a second baseman. At the same time, he's a solid defender at the position, making him an overall average all-around player. His upside separates him from the other players on this list, as he's only a few seasons removed from crushing 76 home runs between 2016 and 2017 in Minnesota. For his career, the former Southern Miss Golden Eagle has 192 home runs, a .245/.326/.442 slash line, and 24.0 fWAR over 1137 games since 2012.
2. Starlin Castro (2020 Age: 30)
2019: 22 HR, .270/.300/.436, 2 SB, 91 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR in 162 games
Though not a star, Castro has been one of the more consistently average infielders over the past half decade or so. This past year, he set a career high with 22 home runs while slashing .270/.300/.436 over all 162 games. He's played over 150 games in seven of the past nine seasons and he's posted an OPS of at least .729 in eight of the past ten, though he's also never cracked .800. Defensively, he's solid if unspectacular, and together, he brings a similar end product to Dozier. He doesn't have as much power or as strong of an approach at the plate, but he's been more consistent and is a couple years younger. For his career, the Dominican has 133 home runs, a .280/.319/.414 slash line, and 18.2 fWAR over 1470 games since 2010.
3. Jason Kipnis (2020 Age: 33)
2019: 17 HR, .245/.304/.410, 7 SB, 82 wRC+, 1.1 fWAR in 121 games
Jason Kipnis has played a massive role on the strong Cleveland Indians teams of the 2010's, but at this point, it doesn't look like he's the impact player he was half a decade ago. In 2013, 2015, and 2016 he was worth 5.1 fWAR, 4.5, and 4.7, respectively, but he's slumped in recent years and was down to .245/.304/.410 in 2019. Still, he has a strong track record, strong plate discipline, and enough pop to keep pitchers honest, and he's still a good defender. That should fit the bill as a starting second baseman on a lot of teams, though he'd fit better into a lineup that wasn't set to win 95-100 games. For his career, the Chicago native who spent time with both Kentucky and Arizona State has 123 home runs, a .261/.333/.417 slash line, 135 stolen bases, and 22.8 fWAR over 1121 games since 2011.
Others: Jonathan Schoop (23 HR, .256/.304/.473, 1.4 fWAR, age 28)
Scooter Gennett (2 HR, .226/.245/.323, -0.5 fWAR, age 29-30)
Eric Sogard (13 HR, .290/.353/.457, 8 SB, 2.6 fWAR, age 33-34)
Shortstops
1. Didi Gregorius (2020 Age: 30)
2019: 16 HR, .238/.276/.441, 2 SB, 84 wRC+, 0.9 fWAR in 82 games
So much has happened over such a spread out period of time for Didi that it's hard to believe he's still only 29. He started with Cincinnati in 2012, was traded to Arizona that year and then to New York in 2014 in a pair of three team deals that included Trevor Bauer, Shin-Soo Choo, and Robbie Ray, took over for Derek Jeter at shortstop in The Bronx, posted three straight 20 home run campaigns, went down with Tommy John surgery in 2018/2019, and returned to play a pivotal role in getting the Yankees within two wins of a World Series berth. While his 2019 campaign, even after recovering from the surgery in June, wasn't the prettiest (.238/.276/.441, 84 wRC+), he's still one of the better hitting shortstops in baseball and certainly the best one available on the free agent market. Guys like Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez, Xander Bogaerts, and now Fernando Tatis Jr. have made the impact-hitting shortstop a bit easier to find nowadays, but they still don't grow on trees and Gregorius provides what a lot of teams, even contending teams, don't have. He can hit for some power, get on base fairly well, and play good defense at the toughest non-catcher position. As recently as 2018, when he slashed .268/.335/.494 with 27 home runs, he was worth 4.7 fWAR. For his career, the Netherlands-native has 110 home runs, a .264/.313/.429 slash line, and 17.5 fWAR over 851 games since 2012.
2. Jose Iglesias (2020 Age: 30)
2019: 11 HR, .288/.318/.407, 6 SB, 84 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR in 146 games
The juiced balls helped Iglesias get over the hump and start hitting for power in 2019, and his .288/.318/.407 slash line meant his highest OPS (.724) since 2013. Iglesias is so good with the glove that if he can hit at all, he's valuable, and his wRC+ marks of 89 in 2018 and 84 in 2019 fulfill the "at all" requirement. On a contending team, he would fit better as a slick fielding utility man, but he could certainly start on a non-contending team such as the Reds, where he played 2019. For his career, the Cuban has 32 home runs, a .273/.315/.371 slash line, and 11.6 fWAR over 802 games since 2011.
3. Asdrubal Cabrera (2020 Age: 34)
2019: 18 HR, .260/.342/.441, 4 SB, 98 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR in 131 games
Is Asdrubal Cabrera really a true shortstop at this point? Probably not, but he's spent a lot of time at second, short, and third over the past few seasons, and with shortstop being so shallow in this year's class, I'm including him over here. He's been so consistently average for so many teams for such a long time that he has kind of flown under the radar, but he's topped 130 games while hitting at least 14 home runs and 25 doubles in each of the past nine seasons, and that's enabled him to be worth at least 1.3 fWAR in each of those seasons. Set to turn 34 in November, I'm not sure how much longer he can keep this up, but Cabrera provides a solid bat with a flexible glove to whichever team chooses to pick him up. He was actually already a free agent once this season, as the Rangers released him after he slashed .235/.318/.393 with 12 home runs in 93 games for them, but the Nationals picked him up as bench depth and he caught fire, slashing .323/.404/.565 with six home runs in 38 games, effectively stealing the starting second base job from Brian Dozier. That's not sustainable, but it certainly helps his free agent value. For his career, the Venezuelan has 180 home runs, a .268/.331/.425 slash line, and 27.5 fWAR in 1660 games since 2007.
Others: Adeiny Hechavarria (9 HR, .241/.299/.443, 0.7 fWAR, age 31)
Jordy Mercer (9 HR, .270/.310/.438, 0.6 fWAR, age 33-34)
Third Basemen
1. Anthony Rendon (2020 Age: 29-30)
2019: 34 HR, .319/.412/.598, 5 SB, 154 wRC+, 7.0 fWAR in 146 games
Over the past three years, Christian Yelich leads the National League in fWAR at 20.0, but Anthony Rendon is *right* behind him with 19.9. That mark leads all third basemen in either league, topping Alex Bregman (19.5), Jose Ramirez (17.9), and Nolan Arenado (17.4). He's grown tremendously as a ballplayer since slashing .270/.348/.450 with 20 home runs in 2016, jumping from 4.3 fWAR that year to 6.7 in 2017, 6.2 in 2018, and 7.0 in 2019. At this point, there are very few holes in his game, as he is the complete package at the plate with three straight seasons with at least 24 home runs, 41 doubles, and a .374 on-base percentage, and he topped out in all three with 34, 44, and .412 this year. Defensively, his exceptional reactions make him one of the best defenders in the league at the hot corner, and all together, he has a very strong argument against Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado as the best third baseman in baseball. That should net him nearly a decade on his contract and well north of $200 million, as he already turned down a seven year deal from the Nationals worth $210-215 million. For his career, the former Rice Owl has 136 home runs, a .290/.369/.490 slash line, and 32.7 fWAR over 916 games since 2013.
2. Josh Donaldson (2020 Age: 34)
2019: 37 HR, .259/.379/.521, 4 SB, 132 wRC+, 4.9 fWAR in 155 games
Donaldson slashed .246/.352/.449 with just eight home runs in 52 games during an injury-ravaged 2018 season, then took a one year, $23 million deal with the Braves as he bet on himself. As I, a big Josh Donaldson fan, figured, that turned out to be the right decision for both teams as Donaldson hit 37 home runs, drew 100 walks, and played great defense over at third base, looking almost like his old self. That should help him land a much larger deal this offseason as a middle of the order hitter with lots of defensive value, though teams will have to be cognizant that he turns 34 in December and has a bit of an injury history. Still, remaining healthy all year long in 2019 and playing in 155 games is a big help. For his career, the Auburn product has 219 home runs, a .273/.369/.509 slash line, and 41.4 fWAR over 1038 games since 2010.
3. Mike Moustakas (2020 Age: 31)
2019: 35 HR, .254/.329/.516, 3 SB, 113 wRC+, 2.8 fWAR over 143 games
Hopefully, the third time is the charm for Mike Moustakas. Two unlucky free agencies caused him to make much less than market value, but 101 home runs over the past three seasons as well as more leverage will help him fare better. Moustakas is a power hitter who also does a solid job of getting on base, and he proved some defensive versatility in 2019 by filling in at second base as well as playing his typical third base. He was young enough when he originally hit free agency after the 2017 season that he'll play most of the 2020 season at age 31, so he's still a solid, semi-long term piece who could hit near the middle of the lineup with some defensive value. For his career, the Los Angeles native has 182 home runs, a .252/.310/.441 slash line, and 16.1 fWAR over 1131 games since 2011.
Others: Todd Frazier (21 HR, .251/.329/.443, 1.9 fWAR, age 34)
Pablo Sandoval (14 HR, .268/.313/.507, 1.0 fWAR, age 33-34)
Jedd Gyorko (2 HR, .174/.248/.250, -0.7 fWAR, age 31)
Showing posts with label Josh Donaldson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Josh Donaldson. Show all posts
Monday, November 4, 2019
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Braves sign Josh Donaldson, Brian McCann
3B Josh Donaldson (Age 33): 8 HR, .246/.352/.449, 2 SB, 117 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR in 52 games
Contract: One year, $23 million
This contract makes perfect sense for both sides. Donaldson is an extremely productive, All Star caliber player coming off a string of borderline-MVP seasons followed by an injury-riddled disappointment of a 2018. By taking a one year contract, he can still bring in a very solid $23 million while rebuilding his value for a longer team deal after the season. From the Braves' perspective, $23 million is a lot to invest in a soon-to-be 34 year old coming off a disappointing season, but it's just a one year commitment and Donaldson could very well revert to his pre-2018 self, in which case they'd be getting a discount - and potential draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere - on a lineup anchor. In 2016, Donaldson's last healthy season, he slashed .284/.404/.549 with 37 home runs for the Blue Jays for a total of 7.6 fWAR, but that dropped slightly to .270/.385/.559 with 33 home runs and 5.1 fWAR while battling minor calf injuries in 2017. He injured his other calf in 2018 and the issue lingered all season, dropping his slash line to .246/.352/.449 as he finished with just eight home runs and 1.3 fWAR in 52 games. While the numbers aren't close to his usual standards, they aren't bad either; a .352 on-base percentage with a .449 slugging percentage still makes for a well-above-average hitter, and that's a hitter who was being dragged down by nagging injuries. A healthy Donaldson is still an All Star, and if he can't stay healthy, the Braves are not committed to him past 2019. For his career, the Auburn alum has 182 home runs, a .275/.367/.507 slash line, and 36.5 fWAR over 883 games since 2010.
C Brian McCann (Age 34): 7 HR, .212/.301/.339, 0 SB, 82 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR in 63 games
Contract: One year, $2 million
McCann is clearly a much smaller-scale addition, but for just $2 million, he has the opportunity to help the Braves by providing depth behind the plate as well as veteran leadership. A native of Duluth, Georgia, less than 25 miles from SunTrust Park and just ten miles from the Braves' AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, it's a homecoming for the former Brave in more ways than one. He was one of the best catchers in baseball during his time in Atlanta, accumulating 28.3 fWAR from 2005-2013 as a Brave. His bat has regressed as he has gotten older, and now he's a mediocre hitter with a pretty decent glove, and right now it looks like he'll split catching duties with fellow Atlanta-area native Tyler Flowers. Still, I see catcher as an area of need for the Braves and I don't think McCann fills it entirely. Neither Flowers nor McCann are starting-quality catchers for a playoff-hopeful team like the Braves, with McCann slashing .212/.301/.339 in 2018 and Flowers not much better at .227/.341/.359. On the other hand, it is cool to see an all-Atlanta born catching corps. For his career, McCann has 270 home runs, a .263/.338/.454 slash line, and 36.9 fWAR over 1670 games since 2005.
Contract: One year, $23 million
This contract makes perfect sense for both sides. Donaldson is an extremely productive, All Star caliber player coming off a string of borderline-MVP seasons followed by an injury-riddled disappointment of a 2018. By taking a one year contract, he can still bring in a very solid $23 million while rebuilding his value for a longer team deal after the season. From the Braves' perspective, $23 million is a lot to invest in a soon-to-be 34 year old coming off a disappointing season, but it's just a one year commitment and Donaldson could very well revert to his pre-2018 self, in which case they'd be getting a discount - and potential draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere - on a lineup anchor. In 2016, Donaldson's last healthy season, he slashed .284/.404/.549 with 37 home runs for the Blue Jays for a total of 7.6 fWAR, but that dropped slightly to .270/.385/.559 with 33 home runs and 5.1 fWAR while battling minor calf injuries in 2017. He injured his other calf in 2018 and the issue lingered all season, dropping his slash line to .246/.352/.449 as he finished with just eight home runs and 1.3 fWAR in 52 games. While the numbers aren't close to his usual standards, they aren't bad either; a .352 on-base percentage with a .449 slugging percentage still makes for a well-above-average hitter, and that's a hitter who was being dragged down by nagging injuries. A healthy Donaldson is still an All Star, and if he can't stay healthy, the Braves are not committed to him past 2019. For his career, the Auburn alum has 182 home runs, a .275/.367/.507 slash line, and 36.5 fWAR over 883 games since 2010.
C Brian McCann (Age 34): 7 HR, .212/.301/.339, 0 SB, 82 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR in 63 games
Contract: One year, $2 million
McCann is clearly a much smaller-scale addition, but for just $2 million, he has the opportunity to help the Braves by providing depth behind the plate as well as veteran leadership. A native of Duluth, Georgia, less than 25 miles from SunTrust Park and just ten miles from the Braves' AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, it's a homecoming for the former Brave in more ways than one. He was one of the best catchers in baseball during his time in Atlanta, accumulating 28.3 fWAR from 2005-2013 as a Brave. His bat has regressed as he has gotten older, and now he's a mediocre hitter with a pretty decent glove, and right now it looks like he'll split catching duties with fellow Atlanta-area native Tyler Flowers. Still, I see catcher as an area of need for the Braves and I don't think McCann fills it entirely. Neither Flowers nor McCann are starting-quality catchers for a playoff-hopeful team like the Braves, with McCann slashing .212/.301/.339 in 2018 and Flowers not much better at .227/.341/.359. On the other hand, it is cool to see an all-Atlanta born catching corps. For his career, McCann has 270 home runs, a .263/.338/.454 slash line, and 36.9 fWAR over 1670 games since 2005.
Friday, November 2, 2018
Top Free Agents for 2018-2019: Infielders
First Basemen
1. Matt Adams (2019 Age: 30)
2018 Stats: 21 HR, .239/.309/.477, 0 SB, 107 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR in 121 games
This is a very shallow first base class, with really no true starters available. There are, however, quite a few platoon bats, with Matt Adams leading the way. Though 2014 was his only full season as a starter, he has been a very valuable power bat as a platoon or bench option since then. In 2017, he slashed .274/.319/.522 with 20 home runs in 131 games, including .295/.342/.554 against right handed pitchers. In 2018, a late season slump with the Cardinals brought him down to .239/.309/.477 with 21 home runs overall, including .242/.316/.494 against right handers, but he is still a very potent option at the plate against that right handed pitching. He doesn't provide much defensive value, but I did watch him make some nice plays at first base and in left field for the Nationals. Also, because he just turned 30 at the end of August, he's not old as far as free agents go. For his career, the Central Pennsylvania native has 96 home runs, a .266/.314/.470 slash line, and 5.4 fWAR over 707 games since 2012.
2. Steve Pearce (2019 Age: 36)
2018 Stats: 11 HR, .284/.378/.512, 0 SB, 140 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR in 76 games
It's hard to know what to make of Pearce. He has up years and down years completely unpredictably, with the case in point being his drop from a breakout .293/.373/.556 line in 2014 to .218/.289/.422 in 2015. Though he played in only 76 games, this past year was an up year, as he slashed .284/.378/.512 with 11 home runs, good for a 140 wRC+, and his playoff heroics led to the World Series MVP Award. Fangraphs does not like his defense, but he has shown a knack for stretching for bad throws this year, so that's up to the teams to decide, but they'll all be buying his bat. He routinely hits left handed pitching better than right handed pitching, though he's not a true platoon bat because he is still serviceable against right handers. This past year, the line was .304/.400/.559 against left handers and .265/.359/.469 against righties, and you can see that the former is an All Star line while the latter is still worth having in your lineup. Of course, with all of his inconsistency, we don't know which Steve Pearce will show up in 2019. On the down side, he turns 36 in April, so there are definitely younger options. For his career, the former South Carolina Gamecock has 90 home runs, a .257/.336/.447 slash line, and 8.7 fWAR over 737 games since 2007.
3. Lucas Duda (2019 Age: 33)
2018 Stats: 14 HR, .241/.313/.418, 1 SB, 97 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR in 107 games
Lucas Duda is not coming off a great season, as he lives by his bat and he slashed just .241/.313/.418 with 14 home runs in 107 games. That's a moderately productive bat, but you have to expect more from someone who provides little value on defense. The good news is that he looked better last year, when he slashed .217/.322/.496 with 30 home runs in 127 games, his 12.2% walk rate helping mitigate his low batting average. Like Adams and Pearce, he has a platoon split, hitting much better against right handed pitching (.264/.336/.477 in 2018) than against left handers (.180/.255/.258). He either fits as a platoon bat on a team with enough depth to offset it or on a non-contending team that can live with his struggles against left handed pitching. For his career, the former USC Trojan has 152 home runs, a .242/.337/.452 line, and 8.1 fWAR over 919 games since 2010.
Other Notable
Logan Morrison (15 HR, .186/.276/.368, 1 SB, 74 wRC+, -0.7 fWAR)
Mark Reynolds (13 HR, .248/.328/.476, 0 SB, 112 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR)
Hanley Ramirez (6 HR, .254/.313/.395, 4 SB, 89 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR)
Second Basemen
1. Brian Dozier (2019 Age: 31-32)
2018 Stats: 21 HR, .215/.305/.391, 12 SB, 90 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR in 151 games
Dozier had the worst year of his career at the worst possible time, which puts him in a bad position but which could also give a lucky team a bargain. Dozier accumulated 11.2 fWAR from 2016-2017 while hitting 76 home runs, the former of which was second among second basemen only to Jose Altuve's 14.4 fWAR and the latter of which led all second basemen. However, his slash line dropped to .215/.305/.391 this year just a year after it had sat at .271/.359/.498 for 2017. Interestingly, his strikeout and walk rates remained fairly in line, and his 37.3% hard hit rate was the highest of his career. The problem lied in how he hit the ball; to summarize a bunch of Fangraphs and Baseball Savant data, he wasn't squaring the ball up as much, rather getting under or on top of it too much. Since he was still hitting the ball hard, it likely will only take some minor adjustments to get him back on track. Fortunately, even in his down year, he maintained a very solid 11.1% walk rate. If he rebounds, he's a near-All Star caliber second baseman, though he's more of a backup if he doesn't. It's a risky signing, but one that could pay off. For his career, Dozier has 172 home runs, a .246/.324/.444 slash line, and 22.1 fWAR over 1002 games since 2012.
2. Jed Lowrie (2019 Age: 35)
2018 Stats: 23 HR, .267/.353/.448, 0 SB, 122 wRC+, 4.9 fWAR in 157 games
Lowrie has been one of the game's more underrated players, accumulating the second most fWAR (8.5) among all second basemen over the last two seasons, trailing only Jose Altuve's 12.5. His recent offensive resurgence led to two nearly identical seasons over the last two years, as he slashed .277/.360/.448 in 2017 and .267/.353/.448 in 2018. His 40.1% hard hit rate this year was his best since his 40.4% rate in 2010, when he slashed .287/.381/.526 in 55 games for the Red Sox, and it easily tops his full season career high of 34.5%, set just back in 2017. His combination of on-base ability, moderate power, and good defense, in addition to veteran leadership, make him a valuable starting second baseman even at this stage of his career (he turns 35 at the start of the 2019 season). For his career, the Stanford alum has 104 home runs, a .262/.335/.414 slash line, and 20.0 fWAR over 1109 games since 2008.
3. Daniel Murphy (2019 Age: 34)
2018 Stats: 12 HR, .299/.336/.454, 3 SB, 110 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR in 91 games
Murphy is an older option, so a long term deal likely won't be the way to go, but he likely has at least two more solid offensive seasons left in him where he could be a real contributor to a lineup. His defense is shaky and probably isn't going to get any better, so the value is tied to the bat. Even with the downward slope of his career, he likely provides average on-base ability and at least average power for the foreseeable future, meaning he could even fit on some contending teams. Upon signing Murphy, teams also get a bonus hitting coach, as he has been credited by many Nationals players for helping them with their swing mechanics, getting the ball off the ground and into the air. For his career, the Jacksonville native and Jacksonville University alum has 122 home runs, a .299/.344/.458 slash line, and 24.6 fWAR over 1280 games since 2008.
Other Notable
DJ LeMahieu (15 HR, .276/.321/.428, 6 SB, 86 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR)
Asdrubal Cabrera (23 HR, .262/.316/.458, 0 SB, 111 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR)
Ian Kinsler (14 HR, .240/.301/.380, 16 SB, 87 wRC+, 2.3 fWAR)
Daniel Descalso (13 HR, .238/.353/.436, 0 SB, 111 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR)
Josh Harrison (8 HR, .250/.293/.363, 3 SB, 78 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR)
Marwin Gonzalez (listed as OF)
Shortstops
1. Manny Machado (2019 Age: 26-27)
2018 Stats: 37 HR, .297/.367/.538, 14 SB, 140 wRC+, 6.2 fWAR in 162 games
Easily the top shortstop available, Machado might be able to challenge Bryce Harper as the best player available overall. It's not often that a team can buy a potential franchise cornerstone, a new face of the franchise, on the open market. How do you price that out? $300 million, more? That's for the teams to figure out. Machado is coming off his third six win season in the past four years, slashing .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs and 6.2 fWAR while appearing in all 162 games, albeit for two different teams. This past season was his best offensively, with his .377 wOBA and 140 wRC+ both setting career highs, and the ability to play a pretty good shortstop makes him even more of a franchise player. He has posted four straight seasons of at least 33 home runs, 30 doubles, and 156 games played, his 21.7 fWAR over that frame trailing only Francisco Lindor's 22.8 among players who are now shortstops (Machado was a third basemen for the first three years of that span). In fact, the 21.7 fWAR are ninth in all of baseball among position players in that time frame. Throw in that he doesn't turn 27 until July, and you've got a guy set for a ten or more year deal. For his career, the Miami native has 175 home runs, a .282/.335/.487 slash line, and 30.2 fWAR over 926 games since 2012.
2. Freddy Galvis (2019 Age: 29)
2018 Stats: 13 HR, .248/.299/.380, 8 SB, 85 wRC+, 1.2 fWAR in 162 games
There's a big drop from the top shortstop available to the second best, but Freddy Galvis is still a good starting option for a non-contending team or a back-up option for a contender. He's not much with the bat, performing consistently below average, though he does have a bit of a power stroke and he has knocked 49, 47, and 49 extra base hits over the last three seasons. While he struggles to get on base (career high in OBP is .309), the moderate power is nice to have, and his generally solid defense at shortstop makes him overall a useful package. On top of that, his active streak of 325 consecutive games played is the longest in the majors, making him one of the more durable players in the game. As a bonus, he's also one of the younger free agents available. For his career, the Venezuela native has 65 home runs, a .246/.290/.374 slash line, and 7.2 fWAR over 804 games since 2012.
3. Jose Iglesias (2019 Age: 29)
2018 Stats: 5 HR, .269/.310/.389, 15 SB, 90 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR in 125 games
After he was anointed the Red Sox' "shortstop of the future" at the beginning of the decade, the baseball world kind of stopped paying attention to Jose Iglesias when he was traded to Detroit. He has actually been fairly good, not an All Star but good enough to warrant some notice on the free agent market. In fact, he has been worth at least 1.5 fWAR in each of the past five seasons he played in (he missed the 2014 season with shin issues), mostly due to very good defense. The defense is his calling card, as his bat has been above average just once in his career: wRC+ of 102 in 2013. However, he does hold his own at the plate, knocking 64 doubles over the past two seasons. While he probably wouldn't be a good option for contending teams, he should be able to start on teams with shallower rosters, and because he'll play the entire 2019 season at 29 years old, he's one of the younger free agents available. For his career, the Cuba native has 21 home runs, a .270/.315/.363 slash line, and 10.0 fWAR over 656 games since 2011.
Other Notable
Jordy Mercer (6 HR, .251/.315/.381, 2 SB, 85 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR)
Adeiny Hechavarria (6 HR, .247/.279/.345, 2 SB, 67 wRC+, 0.4 fWAR)
Alcides Escobar (4 HR, .231/.279/.313, 8 SB, 60 wRC+, -0.3 fWAR)
Eric Sogard (0 HR, .134/.241/.165, 3 SB, 14 wRC+, -0.8 fWAR)
Andrew Romine (0 HR, .210/.260/.244 43 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR)
Jed Lowrie, Asdrubal Cabrera (both listed as 2B)
Third Basemen
1. Josh Donaldson (2019 Age: 33)
2018 Stats: 8 HR, .246/.352/.449, 2 SB, 117 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR in 52 games
This down year came at the worst time for Donaldson, who from 2013-2017 put up five straight seasons with more than 5.0 fWAR. His 34.3 total fWAR in that span placed him second in all of baseball behind only the great Mike Trout's 44.2, and third place Paul Goldschmidt's 27.7 were far behind both. In that stretch, he was one of the game's premier hitters and racked up an incredible 16.2 fWAR between just 2015 and 2016 alone, again only behind Mike Trout's 18.9. Donaldson hit for power, got on base, and played third base all at elite levels, making him one of the game's premier stars. However, he was dogged by calf injuries in 2018 and played just 52 games with a mediocre (by his standards) .246/.352/.449 slash line. To throw in a however to the first however, Donaldson's performance also improved as he got farther and farther from the calf injury, shown in improving quality of contact as well as plate discipline. I don't think he's a safe bet to get back to his MVP caliber 2015-2016 form, but I would be comfortable expecting him to return to 2017 form (33 HR, .270/.385/.559) at least for the near future. Turning 33 over the offseason, he's not young, but he's also not too old yet. He's not as safe a bet as Machado to be a franchise cornerstone, but his bat - and glove - are still very valuable and should net him a large contract. For his career, the Auburn alum has 182 home runs, a .275/.367/.507 slash line, and 36.5 fWAR over 883 games since 2010.
2. Mike Moustakas (2019 Age: 30)
2018 Stats: 28 HR, .251/.315/.459, 4 SB, 105 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR in 152 games
Moustakas is a power bat that is a pretty safe bet for 20-30 home runs. I doubt he hits 38 again like he did in 2017, but it's still a profile that fits on most contending teams. He plays good defense at third base and while his on-base percentages aren't the greatest, he gets on enough given his power. He's also a good player to have in the clubhouse, and overall I'd call him a good all around player, one that's not a star but who can contribute from a supporting role. For his career, the Los Angeles native has 147 home runs, a .251/.307/.431 slash line, and 13.2 fWAR in 988 games since 2011.
3. Adrian Beltre (2019 Age: 40)
2018 Stats: 15 HR, .273/.328/.434, 1 SB, 99 wRC+, 1.2 fWAR in 119 games
It's not known whether Beltre will return for a 22nd major league season in 2019, but if he does, my guess is he'll either return to the Rangers or sign with a contender that will give him a chance to win a World Series, which he has not done yet. Amazingly, even as Beltre is set to turn 40 at the start of next season, he's still a good player that puts out essentially league-average production on both sides of the ball. He's a great clubhouse guy to have and he's probably one of the most fan-friendly pick-ups a team could possibly make, and because he's just 23 home runs shy of 500, all it would take would be an unlikely but not unrealistic power surge to get there. For his career, the Dominican future Hall of Famer has 477 home runs, a .286/.339/.480 slash line, and 84.0 fWAR over 2933 games since 1998.
Other Notable
Jung Ho Kang (0 HR, .333/.333/.333, 0 SB, 83 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR)
Luis Valbuena (9 HR, .199/.253/.335, 3 SB, 59 wRC+, -0.9 fWAR)
Chase Headley (0 HR, .115/.233/.135, 0 SB, 13 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR)
Ryan Flaherty (2 HR, .217/.298/.292, 4 SB, 57 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR)
Manny Machado (listed as SS), Marwin Gonzalez (listed as OF), Asdrubal Cabrera (listed as 2B)
1. Matt Adams (2019 Age: 30)
2018 Stats: 21 HR, .239/.309/.477, 0 SB, 107 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR in 121 games
This is a very shallow first base class, with really no true starters available. There are, however, quite a few platoon bats, with Matt Adams leading the way. Though 2014 was his only full season as a starter, he has been a very valuable power bat as a platoon or bench option since then. In 2017, he slashed .274/.319/.522 with 20 home runs in 131 games, including .295/.342/.554 against right handed pitchers. In 2018, a late season slump with the Cardinals brought him down to .239/.309/.477 with 21 home runs overall, including .242/.316/.494 against right handers, but he is still a very potent option at the plate against that right handed pitching. He doesn't provide much defensive value, but I did watch him make some nice plays at first base and in left field for the Nationals. Also, because he just turned 30 at the end of August, he's not old as far as free agents go. For his career, the Central Pennsylvania native has 96 home runs, a .266/.314/.470 slash line, and 5.4 fWAR over 707 games since 2012.
2. Steve Pearce (2019 Age: 36)
2018 Stats: 11 HR, .284/.378/.512, 0 SB, 140 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR in 76 games
It's hard to know what to make of Pearce. He has up years and down years completely unpredictably, with the case in point being his drop from a breakout .293/.373/.556 line in 2014 to .218/.289/.422 in 2015. Though he played in only 76 games, this past year was an up year, as he slashed .284/.378/.512 with 11 home runs, good for a 140 wRC+, and his playoff heroics led to the World Series MVP Award. Fangraphs does not like his defense, but he has shown a knack for stretching for bad throws this year, so that's up to the teams to decide, but they'll all be buying his bat. He routinely hits left handed pitching better than right handed pitching, though he's not a true platoon bat because he is still serviceable against right handers. This past year, the line was .304/.400/.559 against left handers and .265/.359/.469 against righties, and you can see that the former is an All Star line while the latter is still worth having in your lineup. Of course, with all of his inconsistency, we don't know which Steve Pearce will show up in 2019. On the down side, he turns 36 in April, so there are definitely younger options. For his career, the former South Carolina Gamecock has 90 home runs, a .257/.336/.447 slash line, and 8.7 fWAR over 737 games since 2007.
3. Lucas Duda (2019 Age: 33)
2018 Stats: 14 HR, .241/.313/.418, 1 SB, 97 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR in 107 games
Lucas Duda is not coming off a great season, as he lives by his bat and he slashed just .241/.313/.418 with 14 home runs in 107 games. That's a moderately productive bat, but you have to expect more from someone who provides little value on defense. The good news is that he looked better last year, when he slashed .217/.322/.496 with 30 home runs in 127 games, his 12.2% walk rate helping mitigate his low batting average. Like Adams and Pearce, he has a platoon split, hitting much better against right handed pitching (.264/.336/.477 in 2018) than against left handers (.180/.255/.258). He either fits as a platoon bat on a team with enough depth to offset it or on a non-contending team that can live with his struggles against left handed pitching. For his career, the former USC Trojan has 152 home runs, a .242/.337/.452 line, and 8.1 fWAR over 919 games since 2010.
Other Notable
Logan Morrison (15 HR, .186/.276/.368, 1 SB, 74 wRC+, -0.7 fWAR)
Mark Reynolds (13 HR, .248/.328/.476, 0 SB, 112 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR)
Hanley Ramirez (6 HR, .254/.313/.395, 4 SB, 89 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR)
Second Basemen
1. Brian Dozier (2019 Age: 31-32)
2018 Stats: 21 HR, .215/.305/.391, 12 SB, 90 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR in 151 games
Dozier had the worst year of his career at the worst possible time, which puts him in a bad position but which could also give a lucky team a bargain. Dozier accumulated 11.2 fWAR from 2016-2017 while hitting 76 home runs, the former of which was second among second basemen only to Jose Altuve's 14.4 fWAR and the latter of which led all second basemen. However, his slash line dropped to .215/.305/.391 this year just a year after it had sat at .271/.359/.498 for 2017. Interestingly, his strikeout and walk rates remained fairly in line, and his 37.3% hard hit rate was the highest of his career. The problem lied in how he hit the ball; to summarize a bunch of Fangraphs and Baseball Savant data, he wasn't squaring the ball up as much, rather getting under or on top of it too much. Since he was still hitting the ball hard, it likely will only take some minor adjustments to get him back on track. Fortunately, even in his down year, he maintained a very solid 11.1% walk rate. If he rebounds, he's a near-All Star caliber second baseman, though he's more of a backup if he doesn't. It's a risky signing, but one that could pay off. For his career, Dozier has 172 home runs, a .246/.324/.444 slash line, and 22.1 fWAR over 1002 games since 2012.
2. Jed Lowrie (2019 Age: 35)
2018 Stats: 23 HR, .267/.353/.448, 0 SB, 122 wRC+, 4.9 fWAR in 157 games
Lowrie has been one of the game's more underrated players, accumulating the second most fWAR (8.5) among all second basemen over the last two seasons, trailing only Jose Altuve's 12.5. His recent offensive resurgence led to two nearly identical seasons over the last two years, as he slashed .277/.360/.448 in 2017 and .267/.353/.448 in 2018. His 40.1% hard hit rate this year was his best since his 40.4% rate in 2010, when he slashed .287/.381/.526 in 55 games for the Red Sox, and it easily tops his full season career high of 34.5%, set just back in 2017. His combination of on-base ability, moderate power, and good defense, in addition to veteran leadership, make him a valuable starting second baseman even at this stage of his career (he turns 35 at the start of the 2019 season). For his career, the Stanford alum has 104 home runs, a .262/.335/.414 slash line, and 20.0 fWAR over 1109 games since 2008.
3. Daniel Murphy (2019 Age: 34)
2018 Stats: 12 HR, .299/.336/.454, 3 SB, 110 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR in 91 games
Murphy is an older option, so a long term deal likely won't be the way to go, but he likely has at least two more solid offensive seasons left in him where he could be a real contributor to a lineup. His defense is shaky and probably isn't going to get any better, so the value is tied to the bat. Even with the downward slope of his career, he likely provides average on-base ability and at least average power for the foreseeable future, meaning he could even fit on some contending teams. Upon signing Murphy, teams also get a bonus hitting coach, as he has been credited by many Nationals players for helping them with their swing mechanics, getting the ball off the ground and into the air. For his career, the Jacksonville native and Jacksonville University alum has 122 home runs, a .299/.344/.458 slash line, and 24.6 fWAR over 1280 games since 2008.
Other Notable
DJ LeMahieu (15 HR, .276/.321/.428, 6 SB, 86 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR)
Asdrubal Cabrera (23 HR, .262/.316/.458, 0 SB, 111 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR)
Ian Kinsler (14 HR, .240/.301/.380, 16 SB, 87 wRC+, 2.3 fWAR)
Daniel Descalso (13 HR, .238/.353/.436, 0 SB, 111 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR)
Josh Harrison (8 HR, .250/.293/.363, 3 SB, 78 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR)
Marwin Gonzalez (listed as OF)
Shortstops
1. Manny Machado (2019 Age: 26-27)
2018 Stats: 37 HR, .297/.367/.538, 14 SB, 140 wRC+, 6.2 fWAR in 162 games
Easily the top shortstop available, Machado might be able to challenge Bryce Harper as the best player available overall. It's not often that a team can buy a potential franchise cornerstone, a new face of the franchise, on the open market. How do you price that out? $300 million, more? That's for the teams to figure out. Machado is coming off his third six win season in the past four years, slashing .297/.367/.538 with 37 home runs and 6.2 fWAR while appearing in all 162 games, albeit for two different teams. This past season was his best offensively, with his .377 wOBA and 140 wRC+ both setting career highs, and the ability to play a pretty good shortstop makes him even more of a franchise player. He has posted four straight seasons of at least 33 home runs, 30 doubles, and 156 games played, his 21.7 fWAR over that frame trailing only Francisco Lindor's 22.8 among players who are now shortstops (Machado was a third basemen for the first three years of that span). In fact, the 21.7 fWAR are ninth in all of baseball among position players in that time frame. Throw in that he doesn't turn 27 until July, and you've got a guy set for a ten or more year deal. For his career, the Miami native has 175 home runs, a .282/.335/.487 slash line, and 30.2 fWAR over 926 games since 2012.
2. Freddy Galvis (2019 Age: 29)
2018 Stats: 13 HR, .248/.299/.380, 8 SB, 85 wRC+, 1.2 fWAR in 162 games
There's a big drop from the top shortstop available to the second best, but Freddy Galvis is still a good starting option for a non-contending team or a back-up option for a contender. He's not much with the bat, performing consistently below average, though he does have a bit of a power stroke and he has knocked 49, 47, and 49 extra base hits over the last three seasons. While he struggles to get on base (career high in OBP is .309), the moderate power is nice to have, and his generally solid defense at shortstop makes him overall a useful package. On top of that, his active streak of 325 consecutive games played is the longest in the majors, making him one of the more durable players in the game. As a bonus, he's also one of the younger free agents available. For his career, the Venezuela native has 65 home runs, a .246/.290/.374 slash line, and 7.2 fWAR over 804 games since 2012.
3. Jose Iglesias (2019 Age: 29)
2018 Stats: 5 HR, .269/.310/.389, 15 SB, 90 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR in 125 games
After he was anointed the Red Sox' "shortstop of the future" at the beginning of the decade, the baseball world kind of stopped paying attention to Jose Iglesias when he was traded to Detroit. He has actually been fairly good, not an All Star but good enough to warrant some notice on the free agent market. In fact, he has been worth at least 1.5 fWAR in each of the past five seasons he played in (he missed the 2014 season with shin issues), mostly due to very good defense. The defense is his calling card, as his bat has been above average just once in his career: wRC+ of 102 in 2013. However, he does hold his own at the plate, knocking 64 doubles over the past two seasons. While he probably wouldn't be a good option for contending teams, he should be able to start on teams with shallower rosters, and because he'll play the entire 2019 season at 29 years old, he's one of the younger free agents available. For his career, the Cuba native has 21 home runs, a .270/.315/.363 slash line, and 10.0 fWAR over 656 games since 2011.
Other Notable
Jordy Mercer (6 HR, .251/.315/.381, 2 SB, 85 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR)
Adeiny Hechavarria (6 HR, .247/.279/.345, 2 SB, 67 wRC+, 0.4 fWAR)
Alcides Escobar (4 HR, .231/.279/.313, 8 SB, 60 wRC+, -0.3 fWAR)
Eric Sogard (0 HR, .134/.241/.165, 3 SB, 14 wRC+, -0.8 fWAR)
Andrew Romine (0 HR, .210/.260/.244 43 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR)
Jed Lowrie, Asdrubal Cabrera (both listed as 2B)
Third Basemen
1. Josh Donaldson (2019 Age: 33)
2018 Stats: 8 HR, .246/.352/.449, 2 SB, 117 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR in 52 games
This down year came at the worst time for Donaldson, who from 2013-2017 put up five straight seasons with more than 5.0 fWAR. His 34.3 total fWAR in that span placed him second in all of baseball behind only the great Mike Trout's 44.2, and third place Paul Goldschmidt's 27.7 were far behind both. In that stretch, he was one of the game's premier hitters and racked up an incredible 16.2 fWAR between just 2015 and 2016 alone, again only behind Mike Trout's 18.9. Donaldson hit for power, got on base, and played third base all at elite levels, making him one of the game's premier stars. However, he was dogged by calf injuries in 2018 and played just 52 games with a mediocre (by his standards) .246/.352/.449 slash line. To throw in a however to the first however, Donaldson's performance also improved as he got farther and farther from the calf injury, shown in improving quality of contact as well as plate discipline. I don't think he's a safe bet to get back to his MVP caliber 2015-2016 form, but I would be comfortable expecting him to return to 2017 form (33 HR, .270/.385/.559) at least for the near future. Turning 33 over the offseason, he's not young, but he's also not too old yet. He's not as safe a bet as Machado to be a franchise cornerstone, but his bat - and glove - are still very valuable and should net him a large contract. For his career, the Auburn alum has 182 home runs, a .275/.367/.507 slash line, and 36.5 fWAR over 883 games since 2010.
2. Mike Moustakas (2019 Age: 30)
2018 Stats: 28 HR, .251/.315/.459, 4 SB, 105 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR in 152 games
Moustakas is a power bat that is a pretty safe bet for 20-30 home runs. I doubt he hits 38 again like he did in 2017, but it's still a profile that fits on most contending teams. He plays good defense at third base and while his on-base percentages aren't the greatest, he gets on enough given his power. He's also a good player to have in the clubhouse, and overall I'd call him a good all around player, one that's not a star but who can contribute from a supporting role. For his career, the Los Angeles native has 147 home runs, a .251/.307/.431 slash line, and 13.2 fWAR in 988 games since 2011.
3. Adrian Beltre (2019 Age: 40)
2018 Stats: 15 HR, .273/.328/.434, 1 SB, 99 wRC+, 1.2 fWAR in 119 games
It's not known whether Beltre will return for a 22nd major league season in 2019, but if he does, my guess is he'll either return to the Rangers or sign with a contender that will give him a chance to win a World Series, which he has not done yet. Amazingly, even as Beltre is set to turn 40 at the start of next season, he's still a good player that puts out essentially league-average production on both sides of the ball. He's a great clubhouse guy to have and he's probably one of the most fan-friendly pick-ups a team could possibly make, and because he's just 23 home runs shy of 500, all it would take would be an unlikely but not unrealistic power surge to get there. For his career, the Dominican future Hall of Famer has 477 home runs, a .286/.339/.480 slash line, and 84.0 fWAR over 2933 games since 1998.
Other Notable
Jung Ho Kang (0 HR, .333/.333/.333, 0 SB, 83 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR)
Luis Valbuena (9 HR, .199/.253/.335, 3 SB, 59 wRC+, -0.9 fWAR)
Chase Headley (0 HR, .115/.233/.135, 0 SB, 13 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR)
Ryan Flaherty (2 HR, .217/.298/.292, 4 SB, 57 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR)
Manny Machado (listed as SS), Marwin Gonzalez (listed as OF), Asdrubal Cabrera (listed as 2B)
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