Twins Notes: Sano, Mauer, Adrianza
Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey addressed the traffic incident involving Miguel Sano today (subscription link via Dan Hayes of The Athletic), telling reporters that “what has been most recently reported is what we are aware of around the accident.” Sano is not facing criminal charges after inadvertently backing into a police officer with his truck, as Dominican police officials have issued a statement declaring the incident to be accidental in nature, adding that Sano has been cooperative and offered to pay the medical expenses for the officer, who was a childhood classmate of Sano. That issue aside, Falvey also acknowledged that Sano is “at an important crossroads in his career” following a disastrous 2018 season. As Hayes notes, Sano reported to Spring Training in 2018 out of shape after offseason surgery to insert a titanium rod into his shin last winter prevented him from going through a full offseason workout regimen. The organizational hope will be that a full offseason can help Sano be better positioned for success in 2019. Falvey indicates that the Twins will “put resources around [Sano] and create a certain level of expectations” that’ll be monitored throughout the winter.
More news and notes out of Minneapolis…
- The Twins may not get a decision from Joe Mauer until after the conclusion of the postseason, writes La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Realistically, free agency doesn’t begin for a period of time here,” said Falvey of Mauer’s impending retirement decision. “We’re still in the window of playoff baseball. I think some time after that would be appropriate time to have any subsequent dialogue.” Still, Falvey said that the Twins have already discussed with Mauer what a potential return could look like, adding that the team made clear to Mauer’s camp that he would “certainly” be welcome back for a 16th season.
- Utility infielder Ehire Adrianza underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, Levine announced Tuesday (Twitter link via Hayes). Rayner Rico of SportsVenezuela.com first reported that Adrianza would require surgery. The procedure comes with a projected recovery time of three to four months, which would put Adrianza in line to be ready for Spring Training. The 29-year-old Adrianza hit .251/.301/.379 this season in a career-high 366 plate appearances while playing shortstop, second base, third base, left field and first base. The switch-hitter has never contributed much from an offensive standpoint in the Majors, but he’s generally been regarded as a solid defender. He’ll be arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter and has a $1.8MM projected salary for 2019, per MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.
Anibal Sanchez Plans To Continue Pitching
Late in the 2018 season, right-hander Anibal Sanchez said he wasn’t sure whether he’d continue pitching or retire, but the veteran righty now tells Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he hopes to pitch for multiple seasons beyond the 2018 campaign and would “love” to return to the Braves.
It’s the second straight offseason where a return to the Majors for Sanchez was somewhat up in the air, although the script has flipped substantially over the past 12 months. Whereas last October, the question was one of whether Sanchez had anything left in the tank, this winter it was merely one of whether he had a desire to return for his age-35 season.
Sanchez put to rest any concerns about his ability to succeed against Major League hitters, tossing 136 2/3 innings of 2.83 ERA ball with 8.9 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 0.99 HR/9 and a 45 percent ground-ball after joining the Atlanta organization on a minor league deal late in Spring Training. There was arguably no better bargain pickup last offseason than Sanchez, who played a significant role in helping the upstart Braves secure the NL East title.
Sanchez has never been a flamethrower, and this year’s 90.7 mph average on his fastball was largely in line with the velocity he’d displayed over the final few seasons of an ill-fated five-year deal in Detroit. However, he ramped up the use of his cutter, throwing that at a 23 percent clip, per Fangraphs, while also leaning a bit more on his changeup and relying less on his slider. It’s hard to argue with the results, as Sanchez posted his best swinging-strike rate and chase rate of the past half decade. Opponents seemingly had a difficult time squaring up that more prominently featured cut fastball; Sanchez’s hard-contact rate plummeted by nearly 10 percent, and his line-drive rate dropped from 24.7 percent to 18 percent.
There’s an argument to be made that the Braves have enough pitching depth to get by even without Sanchez and should either target a more definitive front-of-the-rotation upgrade or spend more heavily in the bullpen, in right field or at catcher. But Sanchez was an invaluable depth piece who also played a significant role in the Atlanta clubhouse as a veteran leader on a young pitching staff. He’s spoken to Burns in the past about his desire to work as a coach after his playing days are done, and the young Braves staff gives him ample opportunity to impart some of his experience on younger pitchers.
Sanchez originally inked a non-guaranteed Major League deal with the Twins last spring, but Minnesota cut him loose upon signing right-hander Lance Lynn — a sequence that seemed logical at the time but, in retrospect, certainly didn’t work out in the Twins’ favor. Minnesota’s loss was Atlanta’s gain, but this time around in free agency, Sanchez won’t have to settle for a non-guaranteed deal. At the very least, he seems poised to command a solid salary on a one-year deal, and his success could potentially even make a two-year deal plausible.
MLBTR Chat Transcript
Click here to read a transcript of this week’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Adrian Gonzalez Hopes To Play In 2019
Veteran first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (Twitter link) that he is “preparing to play next year.” If he does end up playing, though, he says that’ll likely be the end of his career.
Gonzalez opened the 2018 campaign with the Mets, who promised him only the league-minimum since the Braves (via the Dodgers) were already carrying the rest of the tab on the remainder of his contract. He ended up being cut loose after appearing in just 54 games. All told, the former star has struggle mightily over the past two seasons, producing a cumulative .240/.292/.363 slash with nine home runs in 439 plate appearances.
Needless to say, that recent track record suggests that Gonzalez will not be in significant demand this winter. It probably does not help that he has also dealt with back troubles and did not play again after being released by the Mets. Of course, the veteran will now be coming off of a lengthy rest.
Gonzalez says he did have options to put on another uniform in 2018, but elected not to since what was available “didn’t make sense.” Just what he’ll be looking for in the coming offseason isn’t quite clear, but it’s at best questionable that he’ll be offered a 40-man roster spot.
Beyond his lack of defensive versatility and limited baserunning capacity, Gonzalez’s limitations at the plate will be a major factor. Even those teams that think there could still be a spark will assuredly only see him as an option to hoist the bat against right-handed pitching. Gonzalez has, after all, struggled badly against southpaws over the past several years.
Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2019
As explained here, Matt Swartz and MLB Trade Rumors have developed an accurate model to project arbitration salaries. This is the eighth year we’ve done these projections, and I’m proud to present the results for 2019. Official service time is in parentheses next to each player. The Super Two cutoff has been announced as 2.134.
Angels (8)
- Tyler Skaggs (4.135) – $3.6MM
- Andrew Heaney (3.150) – $2.8MM
- JC Ramirez (3.139) – $1.9MM
- Luis Garcia (4.006) – $1.7MM
- Cam Bedrosian (3.153) – $1.7MM
- Nick Tropeano (3.068) – $1.6MM
- Hansel Robles (3.119) – $1.4MM
- Tommy La Stella (4.057) – $1.2MM
Astros (10)
- Gerrit Cole (5.111) – $13.1MM
- Roberto Osuna (3.097) – $6.5MM
- Collin McHugh (5.085) – $5.4MM
- Carlos Correa (3.119) – $5.1MM
- Lance McCullers (3.140) – $4.6MM
- Will Harris (5.102) – $3.6MM
- Ryan Pressly (5.039) – $3.1MM
- Brad Peacock (4.165) – $2.9MM
- Jake Marisnick (4.132) – $2.4MM
- Chris Devenski (3.000) – $1.4MM
Athletics (9)
- Khris Davis (5.104) – $18.1MM
- Marcus Semien (4.118) – $6.6MM
- Blake Treinen (4.065) – $5.8MM
- Sean Manaea (2.157) – $3.8MM
- Liam Hendriks (4.164) – $2.1MM – signed for $2.15MM
- Mark Canha (3.092) – $2.1MM
- Ryan Buchter (3.010) – $1.3MM
- Josh Phegley (4.087) – $1.2MM – signed for $1.075MM
- Ryan Dull (2.143) – $900K – signed for $860K
Blue Jays (9)
- Marcus Stroman (4.148) – $7.2MM
- Ken Giles (4.113) – $6.6MM
- Kevin Pillar (4.113) – $5.3MM
- Randal Grichuk (4.033) – $4.8MM
- Aaron Sanchez (4.069) – $3.8MM
- Devon Travis (3.163) – $2.4MM
- Ryan Tepera (3.008) – $1.7MM
- Brandon Drury (2.165) – $1.4MM
- Joe Biagini (2.134) – $1.0MM
Braves (8)
- Kevin Gausman (4.151) – $9.2MM
- Mike Foltynewicz (3.163) – $5.5MM
- Arodys Vizcaino (5.168) – $4.8MM
- Adam Duvall (3.096) – $3.1MM
- Dan Winkler (4.000) – $1.6MM
- Jonny Venters (5.159) – $1.5MM – signed for $2.25MM
- Sam Freeman (4.066) – $1.5MM
- Charlie Culberson (3.084) – $1.4MM
Brewers (10)
- Travis Shaw (3.088) – $5.1MM
- Corey Knebel (3.151) – $4.9MM
- Jimmy Nelson (4.107) – $3.7MM
- Hernan Perez (4.079) – $2.7MM – signed for $2.5MM
- Junior Guerra (2.155) – $2.7MM
- Zach Davies (3.020) – $2.4MM
- Domingo Santana (3.024) – $2.0MM
- Manny Piña (3.046) – $1.8MM
- Erik Kratz (4.156) – $1.7MM – signed for $1.2MM
- Tyler Saladino (3.053) – $1.0MM – signed for $887.5K
Cardinals (4)
- Marcell Ozuna (5.124) – $13.4MM
- Michael Wacha (5.062) – $6.6MM
- Dominic Leone (3.123) – $1.3MM
- Chasen Shreve (3.167) – $1.2MM – signed for $900K
Cubs (7)
- Kris Bryant (3.171) – $12.4MM
- Kyle Hendricks (4.081) – $7.6MM
- Javier Baez (3.089) – $7.1MM
- Addison Russell (3.167) – $4.3MM
- Kyle Schwarber (3.086) – $3.1MM
- Mike Montgomery (3.089) – $3.0MM
- Carl Edwards Jr. (2.134) – $1.4MM
Diamondbacks (11)
- David Peralta (4.120) – $7.7MM
- Robbie Ray (4.007) – $6.1MM
- Taijuan Walker (4.142) – $4.825MM
- Jake Lamb (4.053) – $4.7MM
- Steven Souza Jr. (4.072) – $4.0MM
- Nick Ahmed (4.054) – $3.1MM
- Archie Bradley (3.112) – $2.0MM
- Andrew Chafin (4.020) – $1.8MM
- T.J. McFarland (4.164) – $1.4MM
- Matt Andriese (3.071) – $1.1MM
- John Ryan Murphy (3.043) – $1.1MM
Dodgers (10)
- Joc Pederson (4.028) – $4.3MM
- Enrique Hernandez (4.054) – $3.2MM
- Chris Taylor (3.037) – $3.2MM
- Josh Fields (5.083) – $2.8MM
- Tony Cingrani (5.088) – $2.7MM – signed for $2.65MM
- Corey Seager (3.032) – $2.6MM
- Pedro Baez (4.059) – $1.8MM
- Yimi Garcia (3.149) – $900K
Giants (3)
- Sam Dyson (4.142) – $5.4MM – signed for $5MM
- Joe Panik (4.100) – $4.2MM – signed for $3.8MM
- Will Smith (5.155) – $4.1MM
Indians (7)
- Trevor Bauer (4.158) – $11.6MM
- Francisco Lindor (3.113) – $10.2MM
- Danny Salazar (4.162) – $5.0MM – signed for $4.5MM
- Leonys Martin (5.161) – $2.8MM – signed for $3MM
- Neil Ramirez (4.001) – $1.3MM – signed for $1.0MM
- Cody Anderson (3.017) – $900K
- Nick Goody (2.160) – $700K – signed for $675K
Mariners (1)
- Roenis Elias (3.069) – $1.0MM
Marlins (5)
- J.T. Realmuto (4.038) – $6.1MM
- Dan Straily (4.126) – $4.8MM
- Jose Urena (3.040) – $3.6MM
- Miguel Rojas (4.043) – $2.6MM
- Adam Conley (2.147) – $1.3MM
Mets (7)
- Jacob deGrom (4.139) – $12.9MM
- Noah Syndergaard (3.149) – $5.9MM
- Zack Wheeler (5.098) – $5.3MM
- Michael Conforto (3.043) – $4.4MM
- Travis d’Arnaud (5.044) – $3.7MM
- Steven Matz (3.099) – $3.0MM
- Kevin Plawecki (2.167) – $1.3MM
Nationals (7)
- Anthony Rendon (5.130) – $17.6MM
- Tanner Roark (5.055) – $9.8MM
- Trea Turner (2.135) – $5.3MM
- Michael Taylor (4.010) – $3.2MM
- Kyle Barraclough (3.059) – $1.9MM
- Joe Ross (3.067) – $1.5MM
- Sammy Solis (3.061) – $900K – signed for $850K
Orioles (3)
- Jonathan Villar (4.113) – $4.4MM
- Dylan Bundy (3.026) – $3.0MM
- Mychal Givens (3.069) – $2.0MM
Padres (6)
- Kirby Yates (4.021) – $3.0MM
- Austin Hedges (2.166) – $1.8MM
- Travis Jankowski (2.169) – $1.4MM
- Bryan Mitchell (3.049) – $1.2MM – signed for $900K
- Robbie Erlin (4.078) – $1.1MM
- Greg Garcia (3.083) – $900K – signed for $910K
Phillies (9)
- Cesar Hernandez (4.154) – $8.9MM
- Aaron Nola (3.076) – $6.6MM
- Maikel Franco (3.170) – $5.1MM
- Vince Velasquez (3.086) – $2.6MM
- Hector Neris (3.068) – $2.0MM
- Jose Alvarez (4.035) – $1.7MM
- Jerad Eickhoff (3.045) – $1.7MM
- Aaron Altherr (3.028) – $1.6MM
- Adam Morgan (3.017) – $1.1MM
Pirates (3)
- Corey Dickerson (5.101) – $8.4MM
- Keone Kela (4.000) – $3.2MM
- Michael Feliz (3.026) – $900K – signed for $850K
Rangers (4)
- Nomar Mazara (3.000) – $3.7MM
- Jurickson Profar (4.165) – $3.4MM
- Delino DeShields Jr. (3.116) – $1.9MM
- Alex Claudio (3.114) – $1.3MM
Rays (4)
- Mike Zunino (4.165) – $4.2MM
- Tommy Pham (3.107) – $4.0MM
- Matt Duffy (4.059) – $2.6MM
- Chaz Roe (3.094) – $1.4MM
Red Sox (12)
- Mookie Betts (4.070) – $18.7MM
- Xander Bogaerts (5.042) – $11.9MM
- Jackie Bradley Jr. (4.150) – $7.9MM
- Eduardo Rodriguez (3.130) – $4.8MM
- Brock Holt (5.052) – $3.4MM
- Tyler Thornburg (5.057) – $2.3MM – signed for $1.75MM
- Sandy Leon (4.149) – $2.3MM
- Matt Barnes (3.110) – $1.5MM
- Brandon Workman (4.051) – $1.4MM
- Steven Wright (4.087) – $1.4MM
- Heath Hembree (3.106) – $1.2MM
- Blake Swihart (2.164) – $1.1MM
Reds (5)
- Yasiel Puig (5.102) – $11.3MM
- Scooter Gennett (5.071) – $10.7MM
- Alex Wood (5.123) – $9.0MM
- Jose Peraza (2.141) – $3.6MM
- Anthony Desclafani (4.062) – $2.1MM
- Michael Lorenzen (3.159) – $1.9MM
- Curt Casali (2.151) – $1.3MM
Rockies (8)
- Nolan Arenado (5.155) – $26.1MM
- Trevor Story (3.000) – $6.4MM
- Chad Bettis (4.096) – $3.2MM
- Jon Gray (3.062) – $3.2MM
- Tyler Anderson (3.065) – $2.9MM
- Chris Rusin (4.092) – $1.7MM – signed for $1.6875MM
- Scott Oberg (3.063) – $1.2MM
- Tony Wolters (2.161) – $1.1MM
Royals (3)
- Jesse Hahn (3.067) – $1.7MM – signed for $800K
- Cheslor Cuthbert (3.030) – $1.1MM – signed for $850K
- Brian Flynn (3.086) – $1.0MM – signed for $800K
Tigers (6)
- Nicholas Castellanos (5.029) – $11.3MM
- Shane Greene (4.075) – $4.8MM
- Michael Fulmer (2.157) – $3.0MM
- Matthew Boyd (2.136) – $3.0MM
- Daniel Norris (3.073) -$1.4MM
- Blaine Hardy (3.108) – $1.2MM
Twins (10)
- Jake Odorizzi (5.042) – $9.4MM
- Kyle Gibson (5.039) – $7.9MM
- C.J. Cron (4.097) – $5.2MM – signed for $4.8MM
- Eddie Rosario (3.120) – $5.0MM
- Max Kepler (2.152) – $3.2MM
- Miguel Sano (3.066) – $3.1MM
- Ehire Adrianza (4.131) – $1.8MM – signed for $1.3MM
- Taylor Rogers (2.145) – $1.6MM
- Byron Buxton (2.160) – $1.2MM
- Trevor May (4.012) – $1.1MM
White Sox (5)
- Jose Abreu (5.000) – $16MM
- Alex Colome (4.118) – $7.3MM
- Yolmer Sanchez (3.134) – $4.7MM
- Carlos Rodon (3.168) – $3.7MM
- Leury Garcia (4.025) – $1.9MM – signed for $1.55MM
Yankees (9)
- Didi Gregorius (5.159) – $12.4MM
- Sonny Gray (5.061) – $9.1MM
- Dellin Betances (5.078) – $6.4MM
- Aaron Hicks (5.041) – $6.2MM
- James Paxton (4.151) – $9.0MM
- Luis Severino (2.170) – $5.1MM
- Austin Romine (5.045) – $2.0MM
- Tommy Kahnle (3.131) – $1.5MM
- Greg Bird (3.053) – $1.5MM
Padres To Replace Hitting Coach Matt Stairs, Infield Coach Josh Johnson
The Padres are slated to make at least two modifications to manager Andy Green’s coaching staff in the offseason, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Hitting coach Matt Stairs and infield coach Josh Johnson will not return to their posts.
Stairs, a long-time MLB slugger, joined the Friars after serving in the same capacity with the Phillies in 2017. He lost that job when the Philadelphia organization made broader changes to its field staff. Prior to that point, Stairs had served mostly as a broadcaster after wrapping up his playing career in 2011.
As for Johnson, not to be confused with the former starting pitcher of the same name, he too will be bumped from the mix after just one season. The former third-round draft pick never made it to the majors as a player. His only prior coaching experience came in one season as the skipper of the Nationals’ Gulf Coast League affiliate.
Despite these changes, it does not appear that the San Diego organization will be embarking on a full hiring search. Rather, per the report, the club intends to promote existing personnel to fill the openings.
NL Notes: Correa, Arenado, Suzuki, Mattingly
If you haven’t yet come across this recent profile of former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa, via SI’s Ben Reiter, then you’ll certainly want to give it a read. The analytical guru ended up in federal prison after impermissibly accessing the computer systems of the Astros. While he’s still mostly remaining silent on details of that stunning episode, Correa offers a fascinating glimpse into his time behind bars.
The latest from the National League:
- While it’s hard to see the 2018 campaign as anything but a success for the Rockies, the organization faces some tough decisions in the offseason to come. One of those involves franchise cornerstone Nolan Arenado, who is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility. As Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports, extension scenarios have yet to be discussed by team and player. Arenado’s arb salary will force the sides to the bargaining table, but it’s not yet clear whether there’ll be a clear path to a long-term deal. It is certainly possible to imagine a trade scenario, though that’d be a tough call to make for the organization. For his part, Arenado says he loves playing in Colorado and anticipates remaining with the organization, but does acknowledge that “things can get a little iffy because of the business side of it.”
- As he wraps up his contract with the Braves, backstop Kurt Suzuki tells Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) that he’d like to find a way back into the fold. The Atlanta organization has already struck a deal to retain Tyler Flowers, who has combined with Suzuki to form a solid and cost-effective duo. Continuing that situation surely holds some appeal, though it’s also quite reasonable to expect that the Braves front office will look into the acquisition of a top-tier option behind the dish. [RELATED: 2018-19 Market Snapshot: Catcher]
- Even as the Marlins make some changes to their coaching staff, they haven’t given indication that they’ll replace skipper Don Mattingly in his post. That said, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that there hasn’t been any effort on the part of the team to extend Mattingly’s contract, which is entering its final season. It’s certainly possible that’ll still come to pass, though it would hardly be surprising if the club preferred instead to maintain the status quo.
Rays Announce Extension With Manager Kevin Cash
9:50am: It’s now official, with the Rays announcing the deal.
8:24am: The Rays have agreed to a long-term extension with skipper Kevin Cash, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. While not yet official, the deal is expected to be formally announced in short order.
It’s a lengthy new commitment for the Rays, who have now installed Cash through the 2024 season. The contract also includes an option for another year, per Topkin, with financial details still unknown. This pact replaces the prior deal that, according to the report, still included one more season and a two-year option. (Prior indications were that Cash’s deal was for five years in duration, but it seems the final pair of campaigns had not been guaranteed.)
Cash guided the Tampa Bay club to a 90-72 record this season, utilizing a variety of unorthodox means of deploying the roster. While that wasn’t enough to earn a spot in the postseason, the showing created quite a bit of optimism in the near future. It also obviously demonstrated to the front office that Cash is the right person to translate their theories into action.
While it has long seemed that Cash was in harmony with the higher-ups, the results had lagged over his first three years on the job. Hired in a 2014-15 offseason that saw massive organizational change — top baseball ops exec Andrew Friedman and manager Joe Maddon both left town — Cash ended up overseeing a pair of middling 80-82 campaigns sandwiched around a brutal 2016 effort (68-94).
As the 2018 campaign approached, the Tampa Bay organization was under pressure. Panned by the media and pursued by the MLBPA for their cost cutting, the Rays were forced to defend their decision to sell off a series of still-controlled veteran players late in the offseason. The club ended up shipping out yet more veterans, with staff ace Chris Archer (link) following catcher Wilson Ramos (link), starter Nathan Eovaldi (link), closer Alex Colome and outfielder Denard Span (link) out the door during the course of the season.
Despite the exodus of MLB talent, the roster performed admirably. As late in the season as August 5th, the Rays sat at .500. But the team finished on a 34-16 tear. Cash, aided by a data-driven ops department, wielded a variety of emerging young players to excellent effect.
When the season closed, the Rays were left looking at an intriguing depth chart, largely blank future balance sheet, and lauded farm system. There’s even renewed hope of enhanced future revenues, as the organization pursues new ballpark plans, though that’ll certainly take some time and still faces hurdles. Further success on the field would no doubt be a welcome development from a business perspective.
Cash, then, will again be tasked with squeezing value from every corner of the roster. He’ll enter this new phase of his stint with a big vote of confidence and ample job security. Expectations, too, are raised. Much of his roster is set, though it’ll certainly be interesting to see what sort of additional tinkering is pursued over the winter to come.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
2018-19 Market Snapshot: Catcher
As we enjoy the postseason festivities, it’s an opportune time to prepare for the coming wheeling and dealing of the winter. We always take an in-depth look at every team’s situation and also focus in on the major free agents. To get things rolling, though, we’ll also add a new angle with this market snapshot series.
Whether analyzing things from the perspective of a given team looking to address a certain position or from a player hoping to find a fit, the broader market context is a key consideration. Accordingly, we’ll use this series to get a general sense of the market setting at each position.
Teams In Need
Quite a few organizations will be interested in finding new options to take the lion’s share of the time behind the dish. The Angels, Astros, Athletics, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Nationals, and Rays all plainly lack clear-cut, number-one options behind the dish and could be interested in significant upgrades.
Other teams could mostly roll with what’s already on hand but will likely at least dabble in the market for regulars. The Braves, Brewers, Mets, Phillies, Red Sox, and Rockies could justifiably go after top backstops, for instance, and are also among the teams that will be eyeing part-time contributors.
Meanwhile, the Yankees‘ views on Gary Sanchez could represent a major wild card in the development of the market. And, of course, catching depth is always valued even for clubs whose MLB roster spots are already mostly accounted for.
Free Agents
This class certainly isn’t exactly loaded with stars, but that’s never really the case at the catching position. It does appear to have two clear regulars on offer, along with a variety of other backstops who might be entrusted with significant playing time again in 2019.
Likely Regulars:
Yasmani Grandal and Wilson Ramos have each hit quite well this year, but the former has the edge in framing and health. Both should secure strong, multi-year deals.
Top Timeshare/Reserve Options:
Kurt Suzuki and Martin Maldonado are arguably the top options here, the former owing to his solid bat and the latter to his well-regarded defensive work. A few former everyday receivers — Jonathan Lucroy, Brian McCann, and Matt Wieters — seem likely to be forced into lesser roles. Otherwise, A.J. Ellis, Nick Hundley, and Devin Mesoraco turned in solid campaigns this year.
Depth: Drew Butera, Chris Gimenez, Bryan Holaday, Jeff Mathis, Rene Rivera, Bobby Wilson
Trade Targets
It’s tough to know just how many of these players will truly be made available — at least, at a palatable price. And the market could feature some other names as well, particularly if a player is freed up to be moved based on other maneuvering.
Likely Regulars:
With two more seasons of arbitration control remaining, and coming off of a huge campaign, J.T. Realmuto of the Marlins ought to be pursued by a variety of contenders. Francisco Cervelli (Pirates, 1/$11.5MM) had an outstanding year and could be on the block if the Bucs see a chance to achieve an intriguing return and fill in with cheaper pieces. There’s no indication the Royals will deal Salvador Perez (3/$36MM), but he’ll surely be asked about.
Top Timeshare/Reserve Options:
Some might argue that Robinson Chirinos (Rangers, 1/$2.375MM) did enough in 2018 to be viewed as a regular, but the guess here is that he’d be valued as a primary but not everyday type catcher who has an attractive contract. He might also be an extension target. Both Welington Castillo (White Sox, 1/$7.75MM + option) and Russell Martin (Blue Jays, 1/$20MM) could be moved to save at least some of the remaining cash owed and to clear the way for younger options on both rosters. It’s plenty imaginable that the Red Sox will do some trimming, with three catchers (Sandy Leon, Christian Vazquez, and Blake Swihart) on hand.
Players Electing Free Agency
Quite a few players will hit the open market this fall, and they’ll do so by way of varying mechanisms. The end of the regular season triggered a recent wave of free agents, consisting of a certain subset of players — namely, those who were outrighted from 40-man rosters during the season and accepted minor-league assignments at that time despite having the right to elect free agency. Players in that situation are entitled instead to hit the open market at season’s end, if they were not added back to the 40-man roster in the meantime.
As conveyed by Matt Eddy of Baseball America, who also covers quite a few other minor moves, these players have now elected free agency:
Athletics: RHP Raul Alcantara, LHP Danny Coulombe
Blue Jays: RHP Mike Hauschild, INF/OF Darnell Sweeney
Braves: LHP Rex Brothers, RHP Miguel Socolovich
Cardinals: LHP Tyler Lyons
Indians: RHP Evan Marshall, RHP Alexi Ogando
Mariners: RHP Christian Bergman, LHP Ross Detwiler, RHP Mike Morin, INF Zach Vincej
Marlins: OF JB Shuck
Mets: RHP Chris Beck, OF Bryce Brentz, RHP Scott Copeland, OF Matt den Dekker, INF Ty Kelly
Nationals: LHP Tommy Milone, OF Moises Sierra, RHP Carlos Torres
Orioles: RHP Jhan Marinez, INF Luis Sardinas
Padres: OF Matt Szczur
Phillies: INF Trevor Plouffe
Pirates: LHP Buddy Boshers, RHP Casey Sadler, RHP A.J. Schugel
Rangers: C Juan Centeno, LHP Anthony Gose, RHP Drew Hutchison, INF Tommy Joseph, RHP Chris Rowley
Rays: INF Brandon Snyder, RHP Ryan Weber
Reds: C Tim Federowicz, RHP Kevin Quackenbush
Tigers: INF Dixon Machado, RHP Jacob Turner
White Sox: RHP Tyler Danish