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Archives for January 2022

Adam Eaton Considering Retirement, Possible Coaching Position With Angels

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About a year ago, the White Sox signed Adam Eaton to a one-year, $7MM deal to be their right fielder.  By July, Eaton had been designated for assignment.  The Angels picked him up for the league minimum, and he lasted about a month with them before being released.  The 33-year-old Eaton is “at least considering retirement,” according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, in part because the Angels discussed a coaching position with him prior to the lockout.  However, MLB’s stance is that Eaton is locked out from discussing employment as a coach.

Minor league free agents like Jake Bauers – even with plenty of MLB time this year – have been able to sign minor league contracts during the lockout.  Though he was released by the Angels on August 20th, Eaton become a free agent via unconditional release waivers, and is therefore covered by the lockout.  That means Eaton is unable to sign with a team as a coach or a player.  “The union does not necessarily agree” that Eaton should be locked out, according to Rosenthal.

Rosenthal has more on the Angels’ coaching staff, including their addition of Bill Haselman as a catching instructor.  Haselman had a 13-year MLB career spanning 1990-2003.  Phil Nevin and Benji Gil are also known to have roles on Joe Maddon’s staff.

MLBTR Poll: Is Buck Showalter The Right Leader For These Mets?

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Just before Christmas, the Mets made perhaps their biggest decision of the offseason (which is saying a lot) by hiring Buck Showalter as their skipper. The Mets have been the picture of instability in recent seasons, especially when it comes to their management team. From Carlos Beltran’s hiring-and-firing, to the Jared Porter debacle, to the Mickey Callaway debacle, to the Zack Scott debacle, it’s been a comedy of errors for the Mets – and with this one decision, they hope to turn the tide.

Enter Showalter, who not only is a veteran skipper, but he’s well-respected throughout the game. If nothing else, he ought to be able to finish his contact without committing a crime. And yet, that’s not enough for a franchise that’s put together a solid collection of baseball talent. Just ask Luis Rojas. This team wants to win, and if it does, Showalter will big one of the reasons why.

The track record is there, even if Showalter carries the unfortunate distinction of leaving two different stops the year before they won the World Series. Championships are hardly linear, of course. Whether it should be seen as a positive or a negative that the Yankees and Diamondbacks both won titles the year after he left is a debate for another day.

Let’s stick to the facts for a moment: He has a .506 career winning percentage as a manager over 3,069 games. His teams made the playoffs five times in 20 seasons. His best season, by record, was cut short by the strike in 1994. His worst season, by record, was his last, a 115-loss disaster in 2018 with the Orioles.

Mike Puma of the New York Post went through Showalter’s managerial history, looking back on his stops with the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers, and Orioles. Wherever he went, Showalter was hailed as a solid tactician, incredibly intelligent about the game, and a strong communicator with his players. The latter may be the most important for a beleaguered bunch playing under the bright spotlight of New York.

Showalter has some of baseball’s best clubhouse veterans there to help him in Max Scherzer and Francisco Lindor. Along with Jacob deGrom, the Mets have the big names to match big expectations in the big apple. Having begun his career with the Yankees, Showalter knows a little something about what it’s like to play under those conditions.

The concern in hiring Showalter would be that he’s older now, and the last we saw of him in the dugout, he was perceived to be falling behind the times in terms of baseball’s analytics movement. Generalizations are stickier than comprehensive analysis, however, and there’s clearly more to Showalter’s time in Baltimore than just his decision to hold Zack Britton for a potential save that never came in the 2016 playoffs – even if that’s the moment that sticks.

The first test for Showalter is filling out his coaching staff. He appears to have made his first big decision by hiring Joey Cora to coach third base. Cora joins Showalter and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner on the staff. A lot more decisions are yet to come. Per the latest from MLB’s Anthony DiComo, Showalter said of filling out his staff, “There are so many good, qualified people out there. … We’re moving as fast as we can, but we don’t want to make a mistake. These are very precious and important jobs, and there’s got to be a collaboration with it.” 

Limited though our information may be, does the Showalter hire have the Mets on the right track? MLBTR readers, lend us your wisdom: is Showalter the right guy to lead these Mets? Let’s keep this simple for the poll and hash out the details in the comments.

(poll link for Trade Rumors iOS/Android app users)

Offseason Outlook: Washington Nationals

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For the first time since before Bryce Harper played for Washington, the Nationals are basement dwellers in the NL East for consecutive seasons. Coming off their title season in 2019, their 26-34 finish in the truncated 2020 was easy to write-off as a result of the pandemic, but after 97 losses in 2021, there’s little doubt left: the Nationals need a reboot.

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration-Eligible Players (projections from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Free Agents

It’s been barely two years since Howie Kendrick scraped paint off the Astros’ right field foul pole, but the mainstays from that 2019 title team are almost all gone now. The trade deadline deal that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers was a gut punch for the fanbase and the unofficial end to the first competitive era of Nationals baseball. The Nats got their rings at what now seems like the last possible moment for the Scherzer/Strasburg era.

They weathered the loss of Harper for that one magical season, but since their road warrior heroics at Minute Maid Park, the franchise has been in relative disarray. Losing mainstays like Anthony Rendon and Sean Doolittle changed the complexion of the roster, but no loss will be felt quite like Scherzer and Turner. Scherzer and Turner are two of the more visually stunning talents in the game as well as two of the most productive at their positions. After years of enjoying the brute force of Scherzer’s personality and Turner’s whiplash-inducing speed/power combo, the Nats no longer offer a symphony of baseball talent to the crowds in Southeast DC – they now have a one-man-band.

That said: Juan Soto is a gem. Had the Nationals been anywhere near the playoffs, the 22-year-old might have his first MVP award. Instead, a .313/465/.534 campaign yielded “just” his first All-Star appearance and second silver slugger. He is the runner-up in MVP voting, somehow notching his third top-10 finish in four seasons. He might have the best plate discipline of any hitter since Barry Bonds, and despite his age, he’s now led the Majors in on-base percentage for two years running.

There is no praise too high for Soto. Given a league-wide re-draft, Soto would be a top-5 pick, full stop. The only thing keeping him from being among the highest jersey sales in the league is his market and physical skills that don’t jump out of the screen as it does for the three juniors, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuna Jr., and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Even the downsides to his game are fairly innocuous: Soto won’t steal 30 bases, and he doesn’t play a premium position. Reach deep and you could say that his power is relatively mortal (.221 ISO this season, 29 home runs). He may not be a power hitter of the strictest order, but he’s on his way. It’s a tool in his toolbelt and an area of potential growth as he ages into his physical prime.

He’s not going to get any faster, but he has shown an ability and willingness to improve in the outfield, even as he shifted from left to right field. It’s certainly possible to imagine a future where Soto spends some time as a designated hitter, but that’s not going to bother Nats’ fans. Where he plays in the field isn’t nearly as pressing as which field he calls home.

With three years until Soto’s free agency, the Nationals have entered the countdown era. It’s easy to imagine the cloud of Soto’s potential departure hanging over this franchise much like Kris Bryant’s free agency timeline dominated narratives for the post-title Cubs. Unfortunately, as a Scott Boras client, Soto isn’t likely to surrender his leverage anytime soon. And it’s hard to ignore the Nats’ recent habit of letting giant stars walk out the door.

The optimists would cite Boras’ purportedly good relationship with Nats’ ownership. Sure, Rendon and Harper both walked, but it was unclear how fully committed the Nats were to bring them back. They committed to Strasburg, and he did return – for better or for worse.

For Soto, it ought to help that he already won a ring in Washington, but GM Mike Rizzo will probably have to convince ownership to make Soto the richest man in the game in order to lock him up long-term. Luckily, the Nats are one of many teams that can’t really be priced out for any one free agent. Whatever the cost, they can pay it if they’re willing.

Regardless, the next three seasons are likely to play out as an extended courtship wherein Rizzo and owner Mark Lerner try to convince Soto that they can build a competitive engine around him that’s worth helming. Ironically, the Nationals are asking the Majors’ walks and OBP leader for patience.

That process began in earnest with the Scherzer/Turner trade. The move wasn’t just about sucking a last bit of value from Scherzer before he departed in free agency. It kickstarted a retooling effort around Soto. That much was evident in their return package.

Josiah Gray stepped directly into Scherzer’s rotation spot, and they need to see him turn into a mid-rotation starter by the end of 2022. The big fish of the deal, however, was Keibert Ruiz, a long-touted catching prospect who may replace Victor Robles as Soto’s primary running mate on the position player side. Ruiz may not be a middle-of-the-order bat, but he makes contact, should hit for power, and if he turns into a first division catcher as expected, he’ll play a large role in managing the pitching staff.

Amazingly, entering his age-23 season, Ruiz will be young for a rookie in his first full season, and still older than Soto. Regardless, after posting a 101 wRC+ in 96 plate appearances, which included a particularly resilient end to the year (112 wRC+ in Sept/Oct), Ruiz will enter 2022 as Washington’s starting catcher. That’s an exciting development for Nats fans and a good first step to the “Courting Soto” era of Nats’ baseball, but it’s not enough to make them a contender.

Side note: Riley Adams, acquired from the Blue Jays for Brad Hand before the Dodgers’ deal, nicely complements Ruiz as the backup catcher, even if he does look as big as a house crouching behind the dish. After years of Matt Wieters underperformance and the steady-but-uninspiring upgrade to Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki, the Nationals have their most exciting catchers’ room, perhaps, in franchise history.

Next to Soto in the outfield, Robles is the dream, but Lane Thomas is the reality. Acquired in an under-the-radar deal that sent Jon Lester to the Cardinals, Thomas took off while getting playing time as the Nats’ everyday centerfielder. The 26-year-old hit .270/.364/.489 in 206 plate appearances – easily the most opportunity he’s seen in the bigs. Thomas figures to see more chances in 2022, but what that means for Robles isn’t totally clear. Thomas could return to a fourth outfielder role, but since the Nats don’t currently have a left fielder, it’s difficult to speculate. Robles may have to play himself back into a regular role if he’s able.

As for left field, Yadiel Hernandez posted a solid 98 wRC+, though that number was dragged down by a 79 wRC+ in 55 plate appearances as a pinch-hitter. But he’s also 34-years-old and not probably more than a backup plan for Washington. Andrew Stevenson is the other name on the roster, and he’s proven best as a fourth or fifth option coming off the bench. There’s likely to be another outfielder to join this group once the lockout is resolved. Think Kyle Schwarber again, though probably not Kyle Schwarber again.

Another potential option that they explored in 2021 was using Josh Bell in left field. That’s not an ideal plan for a guy most people think is best-suited as a designated hitter. Bell could very well be dealt before the start of the season, but if not, he’s more likely to be the everyday first baseman and a break-in-case-of-emergency option in the grass.

At shortstop, Alcides Escobar made it back to the Majors for the first time in years, managed to play respectably, and earned a one-year, $1MM deal to stay in Washington. He’s the presumptive starter heading into the year, but the financial commitment isn’t exactly starter’s money. They could surprise everyone by making a play for Carlos Correa, and they could afford it, but there’s been little indication that Rizzo is ready to make that kind of splash this offseason.

That said, there’s not necessarily a shortstop of the future anywhere in the minors until you get to Jackson Cluff or young Brady House. The latter is years away and could end up at third base anyhow. Luis Garcia may be the answer the Nats are ready to settle on. He was a top prospect who was rushed to the Majors in 2020, and there have been growing pains since. He’s a second baseman, but since Cesar Hernandez was brought in on a one-year, $4MM deal, the keystone may be occupied. That could signal a desire for the 21-year-old to get more seasoning time in the minors, and it could mean that they are ready to let Garcia play short. Both options are somewhere in the playbook.

At the hot corner, time is running out for Carter Kieboom. The former top prospect is still just 24, but he’s put up successive seasons of 67 and 68 wRC+, and it’s not as if he’s been a stud with the glove. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of other options for the Nationals right now. They’ve been tied at times to Bryant, and it’s been suggested that they could be a landing spot for a salary dump like Mike Moustakas, but that’s all speculative for now.

For the first part of the offseason at least, the Nationals took a throw-as-many-options-at-the-wall-as-possible approach. They signed Dee Strange-Gordon, Maikel Franco, and Richard Urena to minor league contracts. They claimed fleet-footed Lucius Fox off waivers from the Orioles. They brought back long-time extra body Adrian Sanchez on a minor league deal. They snagged Andrew Young off waivers from the Diamondbacks. That’s a veteran group that looks very Nationals-y, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see one or a pair of them make the roster.

The real problem for the Nationals, however, is the pitching. The rotation is up there as the most uncertain group in all of baseball. Gray is still establishing himself, Strasburg is perennially injured, and Corbin was among the worst rotation arms in baseball last season. If he can figure out his slider, and Stras can get himself back on the mound, there’s some ceiling for this group, but it’s not a real likely potentiality.

Joe Ross (again) flashed some ability to be a mid-range starter, but he (again) finished the year on the injured list. Ross looks to have avoided Tommy John surgery for now, but the rest-and-rehab approach doesn’t always end well. Counting on Ross for quality innings is about as reckless as counting on Strasburg, Corbin, and Gray.

Josh Rogers and Paolo Espino would be in the 6-10 range for most organizations, but they are starters number four and five as of right now. Espino has been surprisingly productive for an older player without much Majors experience, and Rogers brings plenty of character, but not much of a track record. Erick Fedde and Austin Voth have both started without a whole lot of success, but they’re there in the bullpen just in case.

There are, however, some interesting arms on the horizon. Cade Cavalli is the biggest of the bunch, and he’s rising fast enough that he could surprise and make it to the Majors next year. The Nationals need Cavalli to stay healthy and develop into an impact arm. He looked the part in Double-A before getting touched up a bit in seven starts in Triple-A, where he should return to start 2022. Jackson Rutledge, Aldo Ramirez, Andry Lara, and Mason Denaburg are all names worth tracking, but they aren’t near enough to the Majors to make a difference.

For prospect arms capable of logging significant big league innings, look to Seth Romero, Joan Adon, Gerardo Carrillo, or maybe Evan Lee, all of whom are on the 40-man roster. Cole Henry is highly thought of within the organization, but he has just 8 starts in High-A and would have to be added to the 40-man. Carrillo was part of the Scherzer trade, and though he’s not a top prospect, an organization change always sets off alarms for a development jump. There’s no explicit evidence for that jump yet, and he has yet to make a stop in Triple-A.

On the whole, the Nats are beginning to put together an interesting collection of depth arms, but they don’t have the foundational pieces in the Majors. Not in the rotation, and not in the bullpen. They big adieu to Suero, a regular-use, one-pitch setup arm that’s been in the bullpen for years, and they DFA’ed Ryne Harper as well, another veteran option. Will Harris is the most proven arm remaining in the pen, but he hasn’t been healthy enough to prove it since yielding that long ball to Kendrick while with the Astros way back when.

Kyle Finnegan laid claim to the closer’s role, saving 11 games over 68 appearances with a 3.55 ERA/4.62 FIP. He’d be a useful arm in a first division pen, but not someone to build around. Tanner Rainey has the best stuff, but he took a step back last year and has struggled with consistency throughout his career. There’s a world in which Rainey goes big-time in ’22, but as with most of the Nats’ arms, Rainey’s stardom is more dream than reality right now.

Patrick Murphy was an interesting pickup worth watching as a guy who can go short or long, depending on need. The rest of the bullpen is very much a work in progress with Fedde, Voth, and late-developing Andres Machado highest on the pecking order.

In the first part of free agency, the Nationals weren’t very active, and it shows in the state of their roster. They need a left fielder and a DH/first baseman to split time with Bell if the DH arrives in the National League. Zimmerman could return still, and he’d fit nicely on a cheap contract as a right-handed complement for Bell, but he’s not an everyday player anymore.

They could stand upgrades at shortstop and third base, though it’s probably not worth displacing Garcia/Kieboom unless they get a significant star (and that seems unlikely this offseason). Besides, any money they have to spend should really be committed to pitching, though there’s not as much available on the free-agent market.

Long-term, Corbin has “just” three years left on his deal, so there’s light at the end of the tunnel. As of now, they’re still roughly $50MM under their 2021 payroll, and even that $162MM number was their lowest in years. Strasburg’s money is significant, and Boras willing, they’ll plunk down a king’s ransom for Soto at some point. But otherwise, their ledger is mostly empty. Unfortunately, so is their talent pool.

The Nationals are a slow-and-steady franchise, and with the most patient superstar in baseball now the centerpiece of their organization, they’re playing for the future. With just three years left of team control for Soto, that future is fast approaching. The Nats will strike to build a contender around Soto before he leaves. We know that much. We just don’t know the when or the how. To crack those codes, all we need is patience.

Robert Stock Signs With KBO’s Doosan Bears

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Free-agent Robert Stock will sign with the Doosan Bears of the KBO for $500K in guaranteed money over one year. He can earn an additional $200K in incentives, per Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News (via Twitter).

News first broke of Stock’s potential signing on New Year’s Day. As noted in this initial write-up from MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald, Stock posted solid numbers in Triple-A with the Cubs and Mets last season, though he was slowed by injuries.

In his fourth consecutive season seeing time in the bigs, Stock made three starts in the Majors, one for the Cubs, and a pair with the Mets. In Triple-A, however, he managed to post a very good strikeout rate of 26.2% and an acceptable walk rate of 8.1%, as well as an overall 3.57 ERA over 35 1/3 innings.

Stock has mostly been a reliever throughout his career. His three starts this season were his first in 55 games of big-league experience. Even in the minors, he has just 13 career starts. The 32-year-old seems likeliest to pitch out of the bullpen for the Bears, though he wouldn’t be the first player to re-invent himself upon arrival in the KBO. That said, the Bears reportedly like Stock’s big arm, with a fastball that averaged more than 96 mph and the ability to hit triple digits.

Brewers’ Enviable Rotation Depth Could Open Trade Possibilities For Front Office

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The Brewers’ star rotation trio of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta has drawn plenty of well-deserved attention. Burnes won the NL Cy Young Award for his excellence in 2021. Woodruff and Peralta were well-deserved All-Star selections, with the former also receiving a solid amount of Cy Young support.

Essentially no one else around the league can match that kind of firepower at the top of the rotation. But Burnes, Woodruff and Peralta weren’t the only Milwaukee starters to have strong showings in 2021. Fourth and fifth starters Adrian Houser and Eric Lauer may not have been as electric as their rotation mates, but they’re both overqualified for back-end roles.

Houser pitched to a 3.22 ERA over a career-high 142 1/3 innings last season. The righty’s 17.5% strikeout rate wasn’t impressive, but Houser’s a ground-ball machine who’s had a decent amount of success despite mediocre whiff rates throughout his career. He owns a solid 3.78 ERA since the start of 2019, showing a knack for suppressing opponents’ exit velocities and keeping the ball in the yard.

Lauer came over from the Padres as part of the Trent Grisham – Luis Urías swap over the 2019-20 offseason. He barely pitched in the majors during his first season in Milwaukee, but the southpaw held down a rotation spot for most of last year. Across 118 2/3 frames, Lauer posted a 3.19 ERA that was far and away the best mark of his career. His strikeout and walk rates — 23.9% and 8.4%, respectively — were right around the respective league averages.

Unlike Houser, Lauer doesn’t excel at keeping the ball on the ground. A 4.24 SIERA suggests he’s probably closer to a league average rotation arm than his ERA — which befits a #2/3 type starter — might suggest. Even still, league average production would be a notable upgrade for many clubs’ starting staffs around the league. There are quite a few hopeful contenders expected to look for back-of-the-rotation help coming out of the lockout, and there’s not much reliability with the remaining free agent starters. Teams like the Reds and A’s might make notable starters available, but clubs looking for back-end help could also view the Brewers as a plausible trade partner.

Milwaukee’s squarely in win-now mode, and there’s a case to be made for them to hold onto their rotation depth. Each of Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta, Houser and Lauer made 20+ starts last year, and the injury risk associated with any pitcher could make banking on a repeat of that kind of rotation durability risky. On the other hand, Milwaukee also has another promising young arm who could step into a permanent rotation role.

Aaron Ashby has been one of the top prospects in the Brewers system for the past few seasons. Public prospect evaluators have raised some questions about his spotty control, but Ashby has the kind of stuff to succeed against MLB hitters already. He debuted last season and flashed special ability. His 4.55 ERA over 31 2/3 innings isn’t eye-catching, but Ashby struck out 29.3% of opponents and racked up ground-balls at a massive 61.3% clip that even slightly exceeded Houser’s mark. Only White Sox setup man Aaron Bummer matched Ashby’s combination of strikeouts and grounders.

That alone doesn’t guarantee Ashby will be an impact starter. There’d be risk in moving one of Houser or Lauer to entrust him with a full-time rotation spot. But the Brewers at least have to be encouraged by the promise Ashby showed, and a Houser or Lauer trade could enable the front office to creatively address the offense. Milwaukee’s lineup was a touch below-average last season, and they’ve since lost Avisaíl García to free agency. The Brewers acquired Hunter Renfroe to replace García in right field, but the overall lineup could stand to pick up another bat, particularly if the new collective bargaining agreement adds the designated hitter to the National League.

Houser and Lauer are each entering their first season of arbitration eligibility. Assuming there aren’t any changes to the service time structure in the next CBA, they’d remain controllable through 2024. Both pitchers are projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for modest salaries between $2MM and $3MM next season. With Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta and Ashby all controllable for at least three more years themselves, the Brewers could contemplate dealing from their enviable rotation depth to bolster the offense after the transactions freeze.

Jorge Polanco’s Bounceback Season

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In advance of the 2019 campaign, Twins infielder Jorge Polanco signed a $25.75MM guarantee that extended the team’s window of contractual control by three seasons through 2025. It proved to be an opportune time to strike for the Minnesota front office, as Polanco had a breakout showing that year.

Serving as the primary #2 hitter in a Twins lineup that set an all-time record for home runs, the switch-hitting Polanco tallied 704 plate appearances and posted a .295/.356/.485 line. He wasn’t the biggest power threat on that team, but he did pop 22 home runs. Perhaps of more importance, he was one of the lineup’s better contact hitters and on-base threats, setting himself up to score plenty of runs in front of middle-of-the-order presences Nelson Cruz and Max Kepler. Polanco earned his first All-Star appearance and some down-ballot MVP votes for that showing.

Going into 2020, Polanco looked like one of the better offensive middle infielders around. That year’s shortened season was a struggle, though. Over 226 plate appearances, he stumbled to a .258/.304/.354 slash, managing just four homers. His batted ball metrics dipped, and his overall offensive output checked in 20 percentage points below the league average by measure of wRC+.

Polanco’s bat bounced all the way back last season. He played in 152 games and tallied 644 trips to the dish, slugging a career-best 33 homers. From a power perspective, the Dominican Republic native had easily his best single-season marks. His .235 ISO (slugging minus batting average) was markedly above the .171 league average. So too were Polanco’s 89.4 MPH average exit velocity, 10.1% barrel rate and 37.4% hard contact percentage, all personal bests.

Few players had a starker improvement between 2020 and 2021. Among players with 200+ plate appearances in 2020 and 500+ plate appearances in 2021, only nine had a bigger year-over-year jump in wRC+. He’d shown in 2019 that he’s capable of putting up this kind of production, but it seems Polanco made an effort to be a bit more aggressive last year.

Before 2021, he’d never offered at more than 45% of pitches he’d seen in a season. Last year, Polanco swung 49.3% of the time, attacking pitches both inside and outside the strike zone at a greater frequency. That’s particularly true on the opening pitches of a plate appearance.

Polanco’s first-pitch swing rate last year was a career-high 26.9%, a few ticks above his 2019 mark of 23.5% and well above 2020’s 16.8%. In each of his two best seasons, Polanco’s done a strong amount of damage on opening pitches of an at-bat. Swinging more often early in counts held his walk rate to a below-average 7%, but his combination of bat-to-ball skills and power meant he was very productive even without drawing many free passes.

In spite of Polanco’s bounceback, the 2021 season was a nightmare for the Twins. The expected contenders fell into last place in the AL Central at 73-89, never looking like realistic postseason threats. They’re not planning to rebuild, and Polanco’s going to enter the 2022 campaign as Minnesota’s regular second baseman. If the Twins continue to struggle and an organizational reboot becomes more plausible at this summer’s trade deadline or next winter, a Polanco trade may eventually become a possibility. For now, the organization will hope the rest of the roster can have a similar bounceback in 2022 as Polanco himself did last year.

Mets Close To Hiring Joey Cora As Third Base Coach

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The Mets are finalizing a deal with Joey Cora to make the 56-year-old their next third base coach, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post. He’ll replace Gary DiSarcina, who was let go after the season and has since taken on the same role with the Nationals.

Cora has spent the past five seasons as the Pirates third base coach, a stint that overlapped with those of a pair of managers (Clint Hurdle and Derek Shelton). After the season, Pittsburgh announced that Cora would not be brought back, eventually promoting field coordinator Mike Rabelo to take over the position.

New Mets skipper Buck Showalter is apparently set to bring Cora to Queens in what’ll be his first coaching hire. A big league second baseman from 1987-98, Cora began his coaching career as a skipper in the Mets farm system. He made the jump to a big league staff under Ozzie Guillen with the White Sox in 2003, serving as the third base coach on the South Siders 2005 World Series-winning club. Cora, the older brother of Red Sox manager Alex Cora, also spent some time on the Marlins staff.

Showalter and the Mets front office still have plenty of work to do in building out the staff over the coming weeks. Jeremy Hefner, who served as pitching coach under former skipper Luis Rojas, is retaining that position with Showalter. Yet bench coach, hitting coach, first base coach and bullpen coach all remain to be filled.

Puma names a pair of potential candidates for the bench coach vacancy, suggesting John Russell and Clayton McCullough as possibilities. Russell, who managed the Pirates from 2008-2010, spent the 2011-18 seasons on Showalter’s staffs with the Orioles. The bulk of that time came as bench coach. McCullough, meanwhile, is currently the Dodgers first base coach. He interviewed for the Mets managerial vacancy last month. While he obviously didn’t land that position, Puma writes he made a favorable enough impression the team could look to add him to the staff as Showalter’s top lieutenant.

Where Will Castellanos And Schwarber Land?

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As comparable bat-first players, Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber were the topic of a Free Agent Faceoff post by Darragh McDonald last week.  Back on November 8th, MLBTR projected a five-year, $115MM contract for Castellanos (who also requires draft pick compensation) and a four-year, $70MM deal for Schwarber.

We debated whether such a financial gap makes sense – is Castellanos really that much better right now?  Ultimately we projected the difference to represent our guess at the perception of the two players: Castellanos has always been a regular in his career and signed a four-year, $64MM free agent deal already, while Schwarber was non-tendered after the 2020 season and was often shielded against lefties as a member of the Cubs.  We could be wrong about this supposed difference in perception; the post-lockout market will provide the answer.  On November 29th, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweeted that Castellanos sought a seven or eight-year deal.

Since switching to the outfield full-time in 2018, Castellanos has spent the vast majority of his defensive innings in right field.  Schwarber settled in as a left fielder as of 2017, though the Red Sox used him as a first baseman in 10 regular season games plus another nine in the postseason.  In a perfect world, both players might spend most of their time at designated hitter, which seems likely to become a permanent part of the National League in 2022.  One key difference between the two is that Castellanos bats right-handed, and Schwarber bats left-handed.  Let’s take a look at potential suitors.

  • White Sox: Eloy Jimenez is entrenched in left field and Jose Abreu will play first base in ’22, but the Sox could consider an upgrade at right field or designated hitter, where Adam Engel, Andrew Vaughn, and Gavin Sheets currently project to see time.  Signing Castellanos would result in the club forfeiting their second-highest draft pick in ’22 and having their international signing pool reduced by $500K, assuming rules from the previous CBA carry over for the remainder of the offseason.  I don’t see the White Sox making this level of financial commitment with decent options already in-house.
  • Guardians:  The Guardians’ DH spot is occupied by Franmil Reyes, but they don’t have much going on at the outfield corners and figure to make some sort of addition.  The franchise has never guaranteed a player more than the $60MM they gave Carlos Santana five years ago.  It’s possible the price tag for Castellanos or Schwarber falls into that range.  The Guardians have perhaps $36MM accounted for across eight players earning more than the league minimum.  Aside from Jose Ramirez at $12MM, they might not have another player set to earn more than $5MM in 2022.  If the team runs a $50MM Opening Day payroll again, then Castellanos and Schwarber won’t be part of it, but the team reached $135MM as recently as 2018.  The Guardians also face a smaller draft pick penalty, as they’d surrender only their third-highest pick for Castellanos.
  • Tigers: Castellanos was a first round draft pick of the Tigers in 2010 and remained with the organization until his 2019 trade to the Cubs.  On the way out, he called Comerica Park “a joke,” so he’s probably not looking to return.  Aside from that, Castellanos would actually look really good at an outfield corner or the DH spot for the Tigers, and their draft pick compensation would be reduced since they already signed Eduardo Rodriguez.  But the club hasn’t given indications it’s looking to upgrade at those spots, so both Castellanos and Schwarber are probably out.
  • Royals: The Royals have never given a free agent more than $72MM, and that was their own guy in Alex Gordon.  Otherwise, I think adding one of these players at right field or DH would improve the club.
  • Twins: The Twins could upgrade on projected left fielder Trevor Larnach, but given the state of their starting rotation this doesn’t seem likely.
  • Red Sox: Though they traded for Schwarber during the summer, I’m not sure a big commitment to either player is necessary or fits Chaim Bloom’s m.o.  They’ve got good first base options in Bobby Dalbec and Triston Casas.  J.D. Martinez has the DH spot at least for 2022.  Boston’s outfield is a bit unsettled with the swap of Hunter Renfroe for Jackie Bradley Jr., but they’ve still got Alex Verdugo, Kiké Hernández, and Jarren Duran in the mix.  Hernandez could play second base and Schwarber or Castellanos could work here, if Bloom is OK with the commitment.  Bloom did maintain interest in Schwarber in his public comments, even after Martinez opted in.
  • Yankees:  The Yankees have Aaron Judge and Joey Gallo at the outfield corners, Giancarlo Stanton at DH, and Luke Voit at first base.  Adding Castellanos or Schwarber doesn’t make much sense.  They still haven’t added a shortstop or starting pitching.
  • Rays: The Rays have never given a free agent more than $30MM in the Stuart Sternberg era.  They’re also flush with outfielders, even if they’re not at the proven offensive levels of Castellanos and Schwarber.  Perhaps if the bottom drops out for Schwarber’s market, the Rays trade away an outfielder or two, and they decide they’d like a big bat, this could make sense.  But it’s highly unlikely.
  • Blue Jays: Between right field and DH, the Jays could accommodate Castellanos or Schwarber.  A third baseman would seem a more obvious fit, but the Jays could pivot to one of these bats if needed or even add at both spots.
  • Astros: There’s simply not a spot for either player, with Michael Brantley, Kyle Tucker, Yordan Alvarez, and Yuli Gurriel already in tow.
  • Angels:  Adding Castellanos or Schwarber would involve pushing aside Brandon Marsh or Jo Adell, who have had limited success in the Majors thus far.  It’s not out of the question, but the Angels have more pressing needs at shortstop and in the rotation.  The Angels would have to give up their third-highest pick to sign Castellanos, having already forfeited their second rounder to sign Noah Syndergaard.
  • Mariners: It’d be odd to see the Mariners sign Castellanos or Schwarber instead of extending Mitch Haniger, who has one more year of team control.  Uber-prospects Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez are long-term outfield answers, and Kyle Lewis is also in the mix.  You could shoehorn in one of the free agent bats in Seattle, but it’s not an ideal fit.  The Mariners would surrender only their fourth-highest pick for signing Castellanos, having already signed Robbie Ray.
  • Rangers:  The Rangers have already lost their second and third-highest draft picks in 2022 for signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.  They’d give up their fourth-rounder to sign Castellanos.  You could view that as a lessened draft pick penalty, or you might say that the team won’t be inclined to further decimate their draft.  Kole Calhoun is slated to spend time in right field for the Rangers, but both outfield corners and DH are possible areas of upgrade.  Unless the Rangers have mostly reached their spending or draft pick forfeiture limit, Castellanos and Schwarber make sense here.

If the National League gets the DH, Castellanos and Schwarber could fit position-wise into any of these teams, since none of them actually have an incumbent DH.

  • Cubs: The Cubs’ decision to non-tender Schwarber looked foolish in 2021, but I don’t expect them to respond by signing him to a large free agent contract.  Castellanos was a popular, productive player in his brief time with the Cubs, and he could supplant Jason Heyward in right field.  But even if Castellanos’ demands dropped into the Cubs’ comfort zone (probably three years), the club would likely be reluctant to surrender their second-round draft pick.  If somehow Castellanos is not liking the offers (and perhaps the season starts late), perhaps he could pull a Keuchel/Kimbrel and sign after the draft.  In that case I could see the Cubs becoming interested, but it’s a long shot.
  • Reds: With the club in cost-cutting mode, they’re not expected to re-sign Castellanos or any other big free agent.
  • Brewers: The Brewers are set on the outfield corners with Christian Yelich and Hunter Renfroe.  DH is open, and there could be first base at-bats as well, but I think payroll restrictions would be the issue here unless one of the players drops his demands and/or they clear salary.
  • Cardinals: With Tyler O’Neill, Dylan Carlson, and Paul Goldschmidt, the clearest path to playing time would be at DH.  The Cardinals are not out of the question, but it’d be a surprise.
  • Braves: The Braves have Marcell Ozuna and Adam Duvall slated for the outfield corners.  It’s unclear what they plan to do with Ozuna following last year’s domestic violence incident.  I could see the Braves looking into Castellanos or Schwarber at three years or fewer, but probably only in a scenario where Freddie Freeman signs elsewhere.
  • Marlins: As a native of Hialeah, Florida, Castellanos has often been linked to the Marlins.  They already signed Avisail Garcia to play right field, but were said to still be in the market for outfielders.  On December 2nd, Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald wrote that the club viewed Castellanos as too expensive, but Schwarber “particularly appeals to them.”  Jackson and Mish reported that Schwarber’s asking price was in the three-year, $60MM range.
  • Mets: The Mets could potentially squeeze in one of these players at DH, though the rotation would seem to be a greater priority.  Castellanos is likely out, as signing him would require the Mets to forfeit the #14 pick in the draft.
  • Phillies: The Phillies could add a bat at left field or DH, though neither Castellanos or Schwarber would help with their center field void.  There’s a Dave Dombrowski-Castellanos connection from their time in Detroit together, and they’re known to have had contact prior to the lockout.  The club reportedly pursued Schwarber as well.
  • Nationals: The Nats could use Schwarber back in left field or at DH, but signing either player long-term wouldn’t fit as part of a reboot.  Still, asked if he wants Schwarber back, GM Mike Rizzo replied, “Why wouldn’t we?” back in November.  Starting pitching would seem to be a greater priority.
  • Rockies: The Rockies have yet to address their outfield this offseason, and I think they’re a viable suitor for both players.  Either one could be plugged in easily at an outfield corner or DH.
  • Dodgers: Castellanos or Schwarber would likely have to split time between left field and DH if they were to sign with the Dodgers.  It doesn’t seem like their type of signing, and the rotation is more pressing.
  • Padres: Left field and DH both work here, and the Padres are known to be looking for a bat.  The Padres are a viable suitor for either player, though they may need to clear payroll space.  The club reportedly showed strong interest in Castellanos prior to the lockout.
  • Giants: The Giants have Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade Jr. penciled in at the outfield corners, and I think Castellanos or Schwarber would be an easy roster fit.  The Giants can afford to sign any player they want, so it’s really just a matter of whether they like the value of these players, wherever their contracts land.  The Giants are not thought to be interested in $100MM contracts, though Castellanos won’t necessarily land there.

We’ll let the MLBTR readership weigh in. Where will each player end up?

(poll links for app users)

 

 

Christian Colon Accepts Minor League Coaching Position With Royals

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Former big leaguer Christian Colón has accepted a coaching position within the Royals’ organization, MLBTR has learned. The recently-retired infielder is expected to open the season on staff with the club’s Double-A affiliate in Northwest Arkansas.

Colón appeared in parts of six MLB seasons over a twelve-year professional career. He’s best known for his playing days in Kansas City. Selected by the Royals with the fourth overall pick of the 2010 draft, he reached the big leagues in July 2014. The right-handed hitting infielder spent the next three-plus years with the Royals, hitting .263/.323/.329 over 348 plate appearances.

Of greatest importance, Colón appeared in the postseason in each of his first two seasons. The Royals won back-to-back American League pennants in 2014-15, claiming a World Series title in the latter season. Colón etched his place in franchise history during that championship run. In his only plate appearance of the 2015 playoffs, he came off the bench to pinch hit in the top of the twelfth inning during Game 5 of the World Series. Colón rapped a go-ahead RBI single to spur a five-run rally that gave Kansas City a 7-2 victory in the Series-clinching contest.

After his playing days in Kansas City ended in 2017, Colón bounced between a few organizations. He suited up for the Marlins and Reds through 2020 before spending the 2021 campaign in the Blue Jays’ system. The 32-year-old announced his retirement last month. In a chat with MLBTR readers shortly thereafter, he expressed a desire to get into coaching at the time. He’ll begin his post-playing career with his original organization, working in a Royals’ farm system that Baseball America ranked as the league’s third-most talented in August.

Read The Transcript From Our Chat With Former MLB Outfielder Jody Gerut

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Drafted in the second round in 1998 by the Rockies out of Stanford, Jody Gerut joined the Indians in a 2001 trade.  He’d finish fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2003, popping 22 home runs in 127 games.  Injuries sidetracked Gerut’s career, and he missed all of the 2006-07 seasons.  Gerut stayed resilient and bounced back with a strong ’08 season for the Padres, putting up 2.9 WAR in only 100 games.

In total, Gerut played in 574 games for the Indians, Cubs, Pirates, Padres, and Brewers, smacking 59 home runs along the way while playing all three outfield positions.  Jody homered off many of the era’s great pitchers, including Pedro Martinez, Jake Peavy, and Bartolo Colon.  He also hit the first home run in the history of Citi Field when it opened in 2009 and hit for the cycle against the Diamondbacks in 2010.

Jody serves as a youth hitting coach in the Chicago suburbs in his spare time, and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting him when my son took lessons.  Jody now works as a mortgage consultant, and you can find his website here.  I’ve found him friendly and insightful about hitting as well as MLB.  He was already an MLBTR reader and I was thrilled to have him for a live chat with our readers today.  Click here to read the transcript!

We’ve got another fun MLB player chat lined up for tomorrow.  All the players who have participated have enjoyed the experience.  If you’re a former or current MLB player and you’d like to join in for an hour, drop us a line!

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