TODAY: Also heading to Excel is outfielder A.J. Pollock, another key piece of the free agency puzzle this winter. Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription link), Pollock is staying with his own agent, Brian Peters, who’s also moving to Excel.
YESTERDAY: Outfielder Michael Brantley has hired Excel Sports Management to represent him in free agency, SB Nation’s Devan Fink recently reported on Twitter. He is moving to Excel from The Legacy Agency along with agent Kenny Felder and some of Felder’s other clients, including George Springer of the Astros and Lewis Brinson of the Marlins.
Of this trio, Brantley’s case is of particular note since he’s now a free agent. He recently reached the open market without having received a qualifying offer, meaning any team can sign him without surrendering draft compensation.
Brantley, 31, spent ten seasons with the Indians. The latter half of his time in Cleveland was played under an extension that included an option for the 2018 season, which the club picked up at $11MM. However, the $17.9MM QO proved too rich for the Indians, even after watching Brantley turn in a nice effort in 2018.
While he’s hardly an eye-popping power threat for a corner outfielder, Brantley is an exceptional contact hitter who is plenty valuable on offense. He finished the 2018 campaign with a .309/.364/.468 slash along with 17 home runs and a dozen steals. Brantley was a tough out, with a 9.5% strikeout rate that only just exceeded his 7.6% walk rate.
Brantley’s new reps will no doubt pitch their client as a high-quality performer with the bat who showed recently that his particular skills haven’t waned. He can also provide some value on the bases, though Brantley isn’t particularly well-regarded defensively and is also somewhat vulnerable to left-handed pitching.
The biggest questions surrounding Brantley, though, don’t involve his quality of play. Rather, they concern his ability to stay on the field. Brantley has endured a series of travails that cast some doubt on his durability, particularly given the cumulative effects. At the same time, he was healthy in 2018 and offers a hitting skillset that isn’t easy to come by. MLBTR recently named him the tenth-best free agent on the market, predicting a three-year, $45MM contract.
Find up-to-date information on player representation in MLBTR’s Agency Database.
xabial
Should’ve QO’d him. How is Brantley’s profile any different from Pollock? If anything.. Had better numbers than Pollock! Biggest Non-QO surprises: Brantley (CLE) and Morton (HOU)
partyatnapolis
i’m with you there. should have QO’d him. seemed like a no brainer.
Polish Hammer
At $10 mil it was worth the risk but at $18 mil he’s not; they offer him the QO and he pulls up lame and Cleveland’s FO is a bunch of morons for doing it, you can’t win…
Solaris601
That’s the thing with Brantley – he’s great when healthy which, unfortunately, isn’t often. Tribe wisely passed on the QO since they are cutting salary. I think they’re hoping to acquire a low cost young OF talent in a Kluber trade.
trendysayings
I feel like a bigger-market team would have picked up the QO more easily. He’s worthy of it, for sure.
debubba
For one, if you QO him and he doesn’t take it, they are predicting a three year-45 mil offer. Five million below what would give a comp pick. Pollock, plays a great center field, Brantley a declining product in left, both have been hurt. I would take pollock over Brantley in a heartbeat and I’m a Brantley fan. If he takes the 17 mil, Indians will have way too many holes to fill under their current salary structure.
Cardinals17
I’d like to see him in a Cardinal uniform. But the Cardinals only get low hanging fruit this time of year. Brantley isn’t low hanging fruit.
batty
He’s not very good defensively (-3 DRS) and the Cards need better defense, not worse.
fasbal1
Brantley may end up being the prize of this years class and wont be getting a 300 plus million contract
imgman09
Who cares,just a free Pub Excell
southbeachbully
If the Yanks pass on Harper I would not be mad at all to see either Brantley or Markakis (my pick) in LF next year in the Bronx.
Both possess skill sets the Yanks need. A lefty that can play LF. Neither strikes out much at all, Both are solid batting average/obp guys with some pop and good gap/doubles power that should play up in Yankee stadium. I think Markakis can be had on a shorter-term deal tho. Both are Paul O’Neil type of hitters. Hopefully, their character would be similar to Paul too,
Slevin
Markakis tailed off last year, and will be 35 for next year. Gardner would be a better choice as opposed to those two, especially with Brantley’s injury history.
MetsYankeesRedSox
ey approves this post
Slevin
I saw where she stole that.
LB27
Seems like someone the cardinals might go after if they don’t land a Bryce Harper.
simschifan
He’s going to the Cubs… oh wait the Rickets don’t want to win anymore.
sufferforsnakes
Bye, Dr. Smooth.
JayRyder
Qualifying Offer seems alittle high. For age. And injury history. Plus if your Cleveland, why pay for one year. When you can resign him for multiple years. . . I like the 3/45 mil senario. Looking at his stats. . . I don’t know too much about his defense. Or arm. I’m thinking he reups with Cleveland. For about asking price. Or maybe can hold out for something like 4/60. . . Lorenzo Cain money, I don’t see it. . . . .
Polish Hammer
Average defense and no arm which is why he’s in LF.
mattynokes
His arm is fine. For UZR it grades out as positive. It’s his range that drags him down. He’s in LF because the Indians didn’t want the stress of playing CF holding him back. That and his lack of range (but that didn’t stop them from playing Chisenhall in CF).
Palmerpark
Watching Fall league the Indians have a couple of youngsters almost there, mgt is changing you don’t need to overpay injury history players for Disneyland type money when youngsters can slip right in and perform, it’s not collusion it’s smart business. Young players coming in have been so well coached by the time they leave school now it is strictly the best business move.
Slevin
The Indians have one player in the AFL Connor Marabell who’s not exactly a blue chip prospect.
Burgeezy
Yu Chang is in the AFL for Cleveland. I wouldn’t call him a blue chip prospect, but the dude has some potential.
Slevin
My bad, but I wouldn’t say the “has some potential”.
juicemane
The only good prospect Cleveland had, they traded for Brad Hand who sucked forever until two years ago
mattynokes
Castro is solid defensively, but hasn’t shown much with the bat, and has been thrown out too often when stealing. Chang is a better prospect at this point.
mattynokes
Marabell and Longo look like solid enough prospects and could be MLB contributors next year, but neither offer the contact ability of Brantley. They’re just poor man’s versions of him.
batty
I’ve been a Brantley fan from his first season in Cleveland. Injuries really curtailed his career and now, any team signing him has to take that into consideration. MLBTR’s guesstimate on what he’ll get is right in line with what i was thinking. He’s better suited to an AL team, as his defense is nothing to write home about. A team that rotates players in and out of the DH spot and has need of a LFer would be ideal.
Frank kemble
I’m sure he will get 3 years and 45 is a good number there..but he’s going to decline more, so it wouldn’t be far fetched to see him settle into a platoon situation by the 3rd season. Good hitter, would pair well “eventually” with a power bat in left. So, while he will get a decent payday -now- I think you’ll see more of a role player as time goes by, especially with how teams are starting to play more platoons and adjust to flexibility and analytics. Wouldn’t mind him in Philly in LF, while moving Hoskins to first and Santana to 3b, then trading Franco in a package deal.
mattynokes
Santana was dreadful in Cleveland at 3B. He can probably handle the corner outfield spots well enough, but other than that, he’s gotta play at 1B.
johnrealtime
Brantley reminds me a lot of Dexter Fowler (albeit with more RBI’s and a bigger injury history). Similar age in FA too
leftcoaster
Pollock would be better served hiring a strength and conditioning coach to help him stay on the field.
Erie4312
Braves sign Brantley for a couple of years for around 13 mil a year.
Trade Riley, Soroka, and alex jackson for JT
sign some bullpen arms in FA
allow young pictures to develop and see who is for real on rotation
trade for a veteran starter with postseason experience at trade deadline if needed