Free agent outfielder Cameron Maybin has hired a new agent in Gene Mato of Mato Sports Management, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).
Maybin is in his third straight winter of an extended trip through free agency. It took the veteran until past mid-February in each of the last two offseasons to land contracts — a MLB contract with the Marlins in February 2018, and then a minors pact with the Giants in February 2019. That latter deal gave way to another minor league deal with the Indians after San Francisco released Maybin near the end of Spring Training, and Cleveland then traded Maybin to the Yankees in April.
After all that movement last spring, Maybin rather surprisingly emerged with one of the best seasons of his 13-year career. Maybin hit .285/.364/.494 with 11 home runs over 269 plate appearances for New York, becoming one of many unheralded roster additions who made big contributions to an injury-plagued Yankees team. There was a bit of good luck involved in Maybin’s performance (a .365 BABIP, and a .363 wOBA that was decently higher than his .337 xwOBA), though Maybin posted a career-best 37.7% hard-hit ball rate and an 11.2% walk rate that nearly matched his 11.3% career high from 2017.
That strong season hasn’t resulted in much free agent buzz, however, as the Pirates (whose interest was only reported earlier today) have been the only team linked to Maybin this offseason. Maybin turns 33 in April, and given how he didn’t produce much in 2017 or 2018, clubs could be waiting until deeper into Spring Training to consider Maybin, possibly in the event of an injury or a trade that creates a roster need. Indeed, Pittsburgh may have only entered the picture in the wake of Starling Marte being dealt to the Diamondbacks.
Maybin expressed interest in returning to the Yankees in 2020, and the possibility exists that the Bronx Bombers could choose to augment their outfield depth with a familiar face, especially since Aaron Hicks will miss at least the first three months of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Aaron Judge, Mike Tauchman, and the re-signed Brett Gardner represent New York’s starting outfield, with Giancarlo Stanton (who will mostly see DH duty), Clint Frazier, utilityman Tyler Wade, Miguel Andujar (who will be tried out in left field), and minor leaguers Rosell Herrera and Zack Granite representing further outfield options.
Alvarez’s change in representation is reflected in MLBTR’s Agency Database, which contains agent info on thousands of Major League and Minor League players. If you see any errors or omissions within our listing, please let us know by e-mailing mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.
Proof positive that can’t miss prospects might never really cash in on the potential. Maybin always had talent on Cutch’s level.
Somehow it feels like he’ll get a go with the As and be a CoCo Crisp type contributor that helps them take the West.
It could be that dui he got during spring training with the giants. It could be that he popped for amphetamine in 2014. It could also be that he isn’t that good. I remember him on the padres. Man could he cover center field. He also broke like a china doll. He never could stay healthy in any extended play and he would go into long slumps as a starter.
He was great on the Yankees. Great on the pine with the guys, great in bursts on the field. With 26 man rosters, he should find a home. I’d love to see him in pinstripes again, even though we have more than enough OF…
He wasn’t a starter. He had limited use. 260 or so at bats with a 1.1 war
Read the reports on Maybin’s DUI. He is not a bad guy, he made a bad decision.
Read the reports on players using a ADHD diagnosis to get amphetamines. Maybin got caught and did his time after admitting his mistake and apologizing. Not a bad guy.
He was once the headline return on a trade that sent Cabrera to Detroit. Maybin was a cant miss elite prospect.
pirates should get him for cheap!
Now he will get a 1,000,001 dollar contract instead of a 1,000,000 dollar contract.
I believe the last paragraph should start with “Maybin’s change in representation…” as opposed to the currently written “Alvarez’s change in representation…”
Pirates should try to trade for Michael Taylor from Nats !
Mets minor deal please
You won’t be disappointed
Cheap but good idea for the Pirates/Giants
Will his agent act as his designated driver?
Nothing screwed last year up for Cameron Maybin as much as Cameron Maybin. How can an agent overcome objections when the player himself did something as stupid and potentially deadly as drinking and driving?
The Giants would have surely given Maybin a chance considering their outfield woes. He’s lucky to have gotten what playing time he did.
Yeah, don’t do stupid stuff.
Let’s hope he learned from his mistake and widened up.
No excuse for a DWI. He could of called for a taxi.
Don’t forget his drug pop in 2014
And that he was on the 2017 Astros
Yeah, but since he got only 7 at bats in their playoff run*, he will not be hunted.
AARP ?
That’ll get him going
LA or Padres who ends up with Betts? that’s the question. I don’t see LA taking on more than half of Prices’ contract, that’s a hold up. Lots of names thrown around but nothing real serious. LA will not gibe up their top tier players no way nor will the Padres. Good luck Sox you have a one yr rental with a very high contract for 2020.
Lets hear for Cameron and Asheville NC
Rangers and Red Sox could use a 4th OF’er. Giants, Indians, Pirates, Mariners all need help in the OF, someone will at least give him an invite to spring training.
It’s telling that the Yankees avoided playing him in CF. He’s strictly a corner-OF type now, and he’d be ok in that role again. After spending most of his career hitting down on the ball to take advantage of his speed, the Yankees told him to lift the ball and trust his strength. Couple that with the rabbit ball and he did well. High energy, seemed popular with his teammates. Wouldn’t be surprising at all if he came close to repeating his 2019 performance if he maintains his new approach. He’ll latch on somewhere as a fourth OFer.