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10 Low-Cost MLB Deals Paying Dividends

By Jeff Todd | May 23, 2019 at 10:54pm CDT

We’ve spent some time looking at one-year MLB deals recently, with separate posts checking in on the highest-paid position players, starters, and relievers. More often than not, the results have been underwhelming for those players. There’s still time for turnarounds, but we’re already one quarter of the way through the full duration of those contracts.

Scan a bit further down the list in terms of dollars promised, however, and you’ll find some more promising outcomes. Indeed, quite a few players earning relative peanuts on one-year MLB contracts are turning in downright excellent results. (Note: we’re talking about deals that were guaranteed at the time of signing, not minor-league contracts.)

Here are the ten most impressive, ordered from most to least expensive:

Avisail Garcia, Rays, $3.5MM: An under-the-radar aspect of the Rays strong opening to the season has been the bargain-basement score of Garcia, who has stung the ball early on. He’s humming along at a .283/.343/.507 clip with eight long balls and three steals through 166 plate appearances. Contact quality will probably always be king for Garcia, who isn’t especially strikeout prone but doesn’t walk much. What’s he doing differently? I’m not exactly sure, but he’s barreling the baseball far more (14.3%) than ever before and is underperforming against Statcast’s expectations (.360 wOBA vs. .385 xwOBA).

Jonathan Lucroy, Angels, $3.35MM: The venerable backstop had fallen on hard times over the past two seasons. It was most noticeable at the plate, where the long-productive hitter fell into a deep hole, but the former pitch-framing posterboy also stopped winning strikes for his pitchers. The bounceback has been a rare bright spot in Anaheim, as Lucroy is slashing .265/.326/.439 and once again earning strong marks for his receiving ability behind the dish.

Adam Jones, Diamondbacks, $3MM: The esteemed veteran was all but frozen out of the free agent market this winter until the D-Backs came along with a decent offer. Jones hasn’t exactly morphed into a star, but he’s providing strong offensive output in an everyday role. Through 202 plate appearances, he’s slashing .265/.323/.476 with nine dingers, which is a rather vintage performance at the dish. That sort of production played better back when Jones was capable of playing center, but it’s good value regardless for a player who’s also a plus in the clubhouse.

James McCann, White Sox, $2.5MM: Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list when you look only at the top-line numbers, the younger of the two catching McCanns has been utterly on fire to open the season. He’s slashing a heretofore unheard of .340/.381/.538 in 113 plate appearances. Yeah, yeah … it’s not full-time action. And the regression warning lights are flashing, with a .421 BABIP and -.061 x/wOBA imbalance. McCann is also not getting the ravest of reviews in the framing arena. Still, at this cost, there’s no cause whatsoever for complaint. Bonus: McCann is arb eligible this fall.

Jordan Lyles, Pirates, $2.05MM: Many Pirates fans rolled their eyes and scoffed at this signing, and not without reason. It’s nice to find great value, but was Lyles really a buy-low candidate or just a cheap fill-in piece for a team that should be spending more? He has been one of the most cost-efficient starters in baseball thus far, providing 45 2/3 frames of sub-2.00 ERA ball in eight starts. His peripherals (9.3 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 43.0% GB%, 0.79 HR/9) don’t scream “ace,” but they do suggest he has been quite strong thus far. There’s good reason to think that Lyles has finally found himself after so many missed opportunities, with the Bucs benefiting.

Brian McCann, Braves, $2MM: The original behind-the-dish McCann hasn’t been flashy but has delivered everything the Braves hoped for when they brought him back to town. He’s producing right at the league average offensively through 92 plate appearances, grinding out tough at-bats by walking nearly as often as he’s striking out. The grizzled veteran is obviously valued as much or more for his ability to work with pitchers and nurture a youthful clubhouse as he is for his on-field contributions. It seems fair to say this is working out quite nicely thus far.

Neil Walker, Marlins, $2MM: If you look back at Walker’s career numbers, his rough 2018 season stands out as an outlier. Typically a steady producer at the plate, Walker looked like much the same hitter as ever but suffered from an unseasonably low .257 batting average on balls in play. This year, the BABIP gods have repaid him with a .363 mark, and his output has risen to a strong .290/.371/.427 level. Walker is helping hold down the fort for now in Miami but seems like a rather likely mid-season trade piece, as he ought to be able to help out a contending team as a multi-position infielder.

Blake Parker, Twins, $1.8MM: The Angels would take a do-over on their non-tender decision, as Parker has turned in 16 1/3 innings of 1.10 ERA ball for a bargain rate of pay. True, he’s carrying just 6.6 K/9 with 3.9 BB/9, but his strong 56.1% groundball rate is a nice base to work from. There’s really no reason to think that Parker will keep up the immaculate results, as he’s highly unlikely to carry a .195 BABIP and 96.2% strand rate all year long. Still, he has saved eight games for the streaking Twins and now seems to be a key part of the bullpen picture for a surefire postseason team. Parker is also eligible to be tendered a contract through arbitration one more time this fall.

Tim Beckham, Mariners, $1.75MM: It was a crafty move for M’s GM Jerry Dipoto to double down on the buy-low middle infielders. After acquiring J.P. Crawford, he grabbed a seat-warmer/bounceback piece in Beckham. That combination spread the bets and boosted the upside potential. It has been a hit so far, with Crawford hitting well at Triple-A and Beckham showing big thus far in the majors. Through 171 plate appearances, the former first overall pick owns a .259/.316/.506 slash with nine long balls. Regression may well be in store — Beckham is striking out at a 29.2% clip and hasn’t sustained prior breakouts — but it’s nice to have the production for the time being and he could still be flipped via trade or tendered for 2020.

Brett Anderson, Athletics, $1.5MM: You have to tip your cap to Anderson, who’s still pushing to get to the mound despite a lengthy run of injury woes. He has been able to stay active this year, turning in ten starts and 54 1/3 badly needed innings for the pitching-starved A’s, who brought him back on a late-breaking deal. Anderson isn’t exactly shoving, with a 4.14 ERA and just 4.6 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9 along with a sturdy 51.9% groundball rate, but thus far he’s tamping down the long balls and doing just enough to succeed. Not convinced of the value? Just take a look at the return other teams have received on higher-priced, one-year starters.

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25 Comments

  1. CoachWes2000

    6 years ago

    How is Derek Dietrich & José Iglesias not on this list?
    Both were signed to Minor League deals heading into Spring Training before making the team.
    Doesn’t make sense.

    1
    Reply
    • Zachg547

      6 years ago

      These are major league deals not minor league deals. Read the title.

      4
      Reply
    • redsfan48

      6 years ago

      That’s why they didn’t make the list. I’m guessing there’s another article (or will be soon) that looks at minor league signings, but this is guaranteed MLB deals only

      Reply
      • deweybelongsinthehall

        6 years ago

        Should have combined them into one “best find” type list.

        Reply
  2. snotrocket

    6 years ago

    +1 for “ravest of reviews”. Love it.

    Reply
    • layventsky

      6 years ago

      Maybe someday Peter O’Brien will put it together and make this list.

      Reply
  3. aceofrainbows

    6 years ago

    RAVE REVIEWS

    I try to mention that every couple of months so it isn’t forgotten but the writers do a pretty excellent job of it themselves.

    Reply
  4. Miguel Jr

    6 years ago

    Tommy LaStella $1.35 million this year.

    AB 139 AVG .302 HR 12 RBI 31

    Oh, this is 1 HR ahead of Mike Trout for team lead!

    3
    Reply
    • ryanw-2

      6 years ago

      That was a trade.

      1
      Reply
      • Miguel Jr

        6 years ago

        Gotcha! Makes sense why he wasn’t on the list Thanks for sharing RyAn.

        Reply
  5. Sky14

    6 years ago

    Martin Perez signing deserves mention. It was panned as an overpay at the time but he’s been a bargain thus far.

    Reply
    • Cat Mando

      6 years ago

      He was already mentioned on the “starters” list here……. mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/the-10-most-expensive-o…

      Reply
  6. wvpirate

    6 years ago

    Melky Cabrera???

    Reply
    • tylerall5

      6 years ago

      Minors deal, this is for guys who signed one year, guaranteed MLB deals

      Reply
    • tk100

      6 years ago

      Believe Melky was a minor league free agent.

      Reply
  7. jdodson1822

    6 years ago

    Lucroy is -.5 defense on BBRef, -8 drs and 24% caught stealing (league is 28%). Halos also lead the league in “wild pitches”… not sure who is giving him positive defensive marks. This is arguably his worse defensive season of his career

    Reply
  8. jb10000lakes

    6 years ago

    Cron and Schoop on the Twins come to mind.

    Reply
    • Michael Chaney

      6 years ago

      Cron was a waiver claim if I remember correctly

      Reply
    • Cat Mando

      6 years ago

      Schoop was mentioned on the dozen most expensive rental players list ($7.5MM)
      mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/checking-in-on-the-doze…

      Reply
  9. tcdude

    6 years ago

    Martín Perez?

    Reply
    • Cat Mando

      6 years ago

      He was already mentioned on the “starters” list
      mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/the-10-most-expensive-o…

      Reply
  10. jorge78

    6 years ago

    Who is McCann’s brother? It’s not listed on Baseball Reference.

    Reply
    • bhambrave

      6 years ago

      There are two McCann catchers, but they aren’t related.

      Reply
  11. bhambrave

    6 years ago

    I guess Markakis’ option disqualified him for this list. Too bad. He’s been a great value.

    Reply
    • Cat Mando

      6 years ago

      He is on the dozen most expensive rental FA players list
      mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/checking-in-on-the-doze…

      Reply

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