Free agent first baseman Miguel Sanó will host a showcase for interested clubs next Tuesday, repots Darren Wolfson of SKOR North (Twitter link). That marks the first update on the 6’4″ slugger since the Twins bought him out at the beginning of the offseason.
Sanó is searching for a new team after 12 years in the Minnesota organization. Praised as a prospect for his prodigious power potential, he’s shown middle-of-the-order upside at his best. Sanó has four 25-plus homer seasons on his résumé, including 34 longballs in just 105 games in 2019. The Twins signed him to a three-year, $30MM extension after that monster year.
That extension didn’t go as the club envisioned. Sanó’s longstanding strikeout concerns peaked in 2020, when he reached base at just a .278 clip while going down on strikes almost 44% of the time. He rebounded with a 30-homer season in 2021, albeit with a slightly below-average .312 OBP. Sanó’s last season in the Twin Cities was a disaster, as a pair of right knee injuries limited to just 20 games and 71 plate appearances of .083/.211/.133 hitting. He didn’t play after July 29.
It’s clearly not the manner in which the former All-Star envisioned testing the open market for the first time. He’s a bounceback target for teams seeking to bolster their first base depth. He’ll be limited to a low base salary on a big league deal at best and it doesn’t seem out of the question he may need to accept a minor league contract with a non-roster Spring Training invite.
Sanó turns 30 in May and has a career .234/.326/.482 line over parts of eight MLB campaigns. An extreme three-true-outcomes hitter, he’s walked at a quality 11.6% clip and struck out at a massive 36.4% rate while averaging 34 homers per 600 plate appearances (roughly the equivalent of one season of playing time).
Sanó is one of a handful of buy-low first basemen still lingering on the market. Former AL batting champ Yuli Gurriel and MLB home run king Luke Voit are also looking for bounceback opportunities after disappointing 2022 showings, while multi-positional players like Mike Moustakas and Donovan Solano also have ample first base experience.
Twins need a RH 1b XD
Sano would be a good NRI candidate for a rebuilding team like the Nationals. It would be fun to see him with the Rockies in Coors Field.
Rockies are swimming in first basemen.
Nats have Dom Smith, Matt Adams, and Joey Meneses. Seems like they have 1B covered.
Don’t forget Michael Chavis.
Oh good, I’m sending my beer league softball team’s scouts to take a look
I’d pay to see Sano in a competitive eating contest.
He’d probably whiff at T-ball.
Maybe instead of holding a workout for teams he could just….ya know, workout first?
Excellent comment YC!
If he looks good at that showcase I could see someone giving him a small guarantee on a big league deal..probably won’t get more than what the pad’s gave Cruz. I could see the Rangers or Angels taking a flier on him..he hits 30 Homers and the gm will look like a genius..if he doesn’t work out no biggie if u only give him a mil..I think I’d still rather have Voit though.
Angels are already going to struggle to find AB’s for Walsh, Drury, and Urshela and have Ohtani at DH.
The Rangers are possible if they consider putting Mitch Garver back behind the plate. Still a minor league deal for them makes sense.
Urshela isn’t a first baseman. And, as you say, the dh spot is already taken although I wonder what position (other than P) Ohtani would play if he wasn’t strictly a dh.
Seems like he played RF when he did play the OF in Japan but i wonder if 1B would be a better option if he were to actually play the field
There should be a major league contract at minimum salary somewhere for Donnie Barrels.
Love me some Donnie Barrels. Would bring him back in a minute.
I’m surprised no one has signed Voit yet. Gurriel is one season removed from being the AL batting champ and not signed. I figured Sano would also be somewhere by now. Weird market the last few years for limited 1B/DH types. Miguel Cabrera is a legend but I’d play any of those three over him…if the Tigers actually had a chance to contend this year.
Gurriel also had a successful postseason
Miggy will play only because it’s his farewell tour and someone needs to put butts in the seats for home games, but I don’t see him playing more than a couple games a week. I expect the bulk of the other 1B/DH at-bats to go to Torkelson and Carpenter as we’re trying to figure out if they can be part of our core to build around over the next few years. I don’t think Voit fits the profile of what Harris wants (doesn’t walk enough) plus he’ll probably find a major league deal somewhere. Gurriel is too old, but I do think Sano would be an interesting minor league signing for us though.
I agree. I want to see what Carpenter brings to the table over a full season. I think Tork bouncces back at 1B this year. Sano might be interesting on a minor league deal as a flier. If we were competitive then Miggy wouldn’t be playing. We’re not So I’m okay with a farewell tour for one of the greatest Tigers ever…just not at the expense of the young guys developing.
Tiger fans are so used to KoolAid, they have forgotten what the minor leagues are for……the team has been that far gone for so long…..fans literally talk of developing players on the MLB level……
It is not supposed to be this way……
Hire the Superfife. Set things right.
Carpenter was in the minors and worked his way up. No one rushed him in my view. Tork on the other hand may have benefitted from another minor league season.
After what he did to that female journalist, I could care less about this dude!
**could NOT care less.
Ben10 Who did what with the female journalist?
Betsy Bissen, a Female photographer who followed the Twins and worked for Twins Daily, accused Miguel Sano of sexual assault at the end of 2017. The assault was alleged to have happened 2-1/2 years earlier in 2015. Sano was alleged to have tried to kiss Bissen and prevent her from leaving a hallway in a major mall.
Police investigated and closed the case saying there was insufficient evidence to file charges.
MLB investigated the accusation for several months and determined there was insufficient evidence to punish Sano for violating league policy.
Sure sounds like bullsh*t Tom, more at 11.
Solano to the White Sox.
Only if he’s a minor leaguer or has been DFA’d.
I am surprised no one has took a flyer on Moustakas. At the league minimum a good veteran presence and a possible bounce back.
If this guy spent his time and effort towards weight loss and conditioning this offseason, you’d think it would’ve already made news. Having not read a word about his off-season, I assume he’s still the rotund whiffer
Rays should take a look, especially if Sano will sign a split contract…
Ideally, the Rays need a LH bat.
Moustakas?
Miguel Sano is going to have to show up at least 50lbs lighter than last year to earn an MLB contract. It was pretty obvious the Twins had a serious issue with his conditioning and were beyond fed up with Sano’s lack of commitment.
I don’t think any team is going to have to give Sano an MLB contract to be honest. a MiLB contract with an invite to Spring Training and an opt out is the best I think he can hope to get.
I don’t get how Solano’s still out there. Dude’s adequate at 3 positions, has good obp skills, and would me a solid utility option for just about anyone. Wonder if he backed himself into a corner based on asking price..
It’s an odd year. That means Sano is gonna hit .240 with 35+ home runs.
A lot of teams would sign up for that type of production.
You know they’re gonna juice the ball this year to make up for last year..
They have to in order to prove making the shift illegal was a good move.
BIg Mig has just over 7yrs service time, a checkered past and @32$ in earnings…
He needs to bide his time accept any platoon contracts and get to 10yr and that guaranteed retirement $. Hope he sees the easy path….or not…..
Don’t really have any thoughts about him, but sooo many dudes blow getting to the 10yr threshold by failing to look in the mirror…
I doubt Miggy needs the money that comes with ten years of service.
I see 5 future Tigers mentioned here, can’t be worse than Miggy and company the Tigers are currently planning on
The Pirates should send a 1st year intern to watch and chat. Just to waste his time. (I know, here come the Pirate crappy franchise jokes)
The Marlins were interested in Yuli Gurriel and then backed out. If price was the issue than Sano should be right up their alley.
The Orioles have collected several LH options for backup 1B and still don’t have a set DH (though it could be Santander if Frazier plays the OF and Vavra plays 2B)
The Brewers could be an interesting fit as well
Former home run king Luke Voit…..Many players have been a hr king for a couple months. To say that without even mentioning it was 2020 is misleading.
You bit the hook Rishi
I was gonna say I hope he’s saying it tongue in cheek
Padres and Voit would be a nice reunion…
If he’ll take a minor league deal, Sano would be smart if Boston signed him just in case Justin Turner gets hurt or Casas isn’t ready to play full time. If he comes around, he could at worst be a platoon DH with Turner and a power bat off the bench.
Ya this has a Bloom written all over it another player who had some good yrs but they were years ago
Years ago as in 2021. Not a great year but plug that in at DH/1B and you are doing fine.
Dorothy_Mantooth
If he’ll take a minor league deal, Sano would be smart if Boston signed him
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I agree. The problem is that every team should be willing to give him a split contract. I’m just conjecturing, but he might have $10-15M in his bank account. He has to see that even one full-season of his average stats would line him up for a future $30M/3 contract.
I’d love to see the RS sign him to a split contract.
Just Sayno
its all the swing and miss the talent isnt the issue its KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK HR KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK How can you show case that ???????
He’s not going to get an MLB contract. He might get an minor league offer or an invite to a camp.
We all know the upside. We all know the downside.
It would seem to me that some team could use him. But my guess is he’s going to be in AAA
He’ll sign with Boston and miraculously hit .340 with 50 homers
50 doubles.
Why wouldn’t you want an overweight lady’s man like this playing kissy face in the hallways while getting interviewed? Keep in mind he can also be a food taste tester for the team chef. Teams will be lining up to sign him.
Johnny Cheeseburgers wants another crack at the hot beat writers
He’ll probably strike out during batting practice!
Maybe he should get under the 300 pound mark first
I’d say go to Japan and put together a good year to sign a major league deal next offseason.
I like him with Buffalos wandering the Plains
So how many scouts were there?
How many teams were represented?
What was Sano’s overall condition?
Where is the follow-up????