Teams looking for an everyday center fielder in free agency are down to Michael A. Taylor. The 2021 Gold Glove winner is arguably the best unsigned outfielder overall, making it a surprise that he remains on the market into March.
Clearly, teams have yet to meet the asking price set by Taylor and his camp at ALIGND Sports Agency. While the specific ask isn’t known, Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reports that Taylor views himself comparatively to fellow glove-first center fielders Kevin Kiermaier and Harrison Bader. Those players signed one-year pacts for $10.5MM with the Blue Jays and Mets, respectively, earlier in the offseason.
It’s not an unreasonable comparison. Taylor is coming off a better offensive season than Bader had in 2023. He only hit .220 with a .278 on-base percentage, but he slugged a personal-high 21 home runs over 388 plate appearances for the Twins. Bader had a similarly paltry on-base mark but managed just seven homers in 344 trips to the plate between the Yankees and Reds.
Kiermaier’s offensive profile is built far more around contact skills than Taylor’s is. His .265/.322/.419 showing was slightly superior to Taylor’s batting line. By measure of wRC+, Kiermaier was four percentage points better than a league average hitter a season ago. Taylor was four points below par. While that’s not a huge gap, Kiermaier has a multi-year track record of roughly average offensive results. Taylor’s 2023 hitting production was his best in six years.
All three players are easy plus defenders in center field. Kiermaier is among the best defenders of his generation. Statcast graded him 12 runs above average in a little less than 1000 innings last season. Bader rated as +8 runs in just over 750 frames, while Taylor checked in seven runs above par in nearly 1000 innings. All three players have battled injuries and spent at least a minimal amount of time on the IL a year ago. The 29-year-old Bader has a clear age advantage over Kiermaier and Taylor, both of whom are approaching their mid-30s, although that’s not as big a factor on a one-year contract.
It’s easy to see why Taylor would put himself in the same conversation as those other players. That said, it’s difficult to imagine him landing a comparable contract at this point of the offseason. The market generally isn’t kind to middle-tier free agents who remain unsigned into Spring Training. A number of teams have indicated they’re up against the player payroll they’re prepared to carry into the upcoming season.
At points this offseason, Taylor has drawn reported interest from the Red Sox, Dodgers, Padres, Angels, Pirates, Reds, Blue Jays and the incumbent Twins. A handful of those teams instead addressed the outfield in other ways. The Dodgers brought back Enrique Hernández. That signing was in conjunction with a trade shipping Manuel Margot to Minnesota, essentially ending the chance of Taylor returning to the Twin Cities. Toronto retained Kiermaier to play center field.
The Red Sox, Reds, Pirates and Angels could still benefit from a right-handed complement to their projected starting outfield. They’d probably all view Taylor as more of a fourth outfielder than an everyday center fielder, however. San Diego stands as the cleanest fit to offer him regular run in center field. Yet given their organizational payroll constraints, it’s unlikely they’re willing to offer a salary in line with the Kiermaier and Bader deals.
If Harrison Bader can get a nice one-year 10 million dollars deal, this guy can do the same. No offense to Bader fans, but I didn’t even think he would get a Major League deal after his horrible 2023 season.
If you’re on the right side of 30, can go get it like Bader in CF, and can post max EVs in the low 110s someone is gonna believe in you. 10.5 mil says they think he’s slightly better than 1 WAR. He probably is but i do think funds could be allocated better for sure. I thought he’d get about half that.
It was in large part a game of musical chairs. Those teams believing and needing made their choices. He has an exceptional glove but last year was likely an outlier at the plate. He also lacks infield defense like Hernandez. If I was looking for a righty bat OF, I’d personally choose Duvall.
Harrison Baders butler calls him Master Bader.
Here we go
Wrong..it’s Lord Bader
It no longer matters what somebody else got. The remaining teams aren’t willing to pay it. End of story. He signs for about half that or sits and waits.
On the right team, Bader has value as a bench guy who provides really good defense in center field. If he hits even a little bit, the Mets should be able to get a semi-interesting prospect for him at the deadline.
I’d love for the Pirates to sign him even more than another pitcher. We need a defensive center fielder.
Although Suwinski had a much better year than Taylor offensively, moving Suwinski to RF and improving the defense with Taylor in CF could be huge. Seems unlikely at this point unless his price drops to $4-5m.
That’s about where my Pads would have interest as well…
The bat and glove is similar to Grisham who they didnt want to give 5 mill. Worse he’s older and hits RH. I don’t see it unless he’s willing to drop into 2-3 mill range
Btw are you “Brown” from GLB?
Depends on if you like Brown… haha no, I don’t peruse GLB.
I think moving Grish was at the Yank’s request, otherwise this would all be a moot point.
It’s a rotten shame considering what the payroll is at but this is NOT happening. They are clearly done spending on free agents.
I don’t know why I continue to put myself thru this misery with this team but I can’t help it.
Who sits? Got to have Jack’s bat in lineup. Bae needs chance also.
This is my thought as well. I’d rather Bae get that playing time in CF, or occasionally play Triolo, Olivares or Joe in CF and load up on lefty mashers in the lineup.
Agree ! Let them grow together! Play ball. We get some pitching and Bucs could cause problems.
The Angels already have a couple of outfielder that can play center part time.
Michael Taylor got a tiny head. Thats why two of his nicknames are Tiny Head Taylor and Minimind
Strike 3, yer out Christ! At least you went down swinging.
Please stop talking to me.
You’re an idiot. Goodbye!
Okay. I hope that goodbye is permanent.
Not as permanent as your brain damage!
Joel the Troll!
So are you going to continue taking to me or not? You said “Goodbye” after I asked you to stop talking to me.
Do you need to vent for bit? Sound off if you need it.
I used a baseball analogy to relay that your humor sucked. This is a public forum, so I suggest signing off if you wish to not be responded to. That being said, have a good night!
Oh okay! So when you said “goodbye”, you meant “I will keep responding to you even though I don’t like you”.
If you don’t like my humor then you can ignore it, since it is a public forum and not everybody shares your humor.
When you don’t like a joke, do you stand up and exclaim you don’t find it funny? Because that is what you’re doing now. If that’s your thing, that’s hilarious.
Keep signing into your multiple accounts to thumbs up truly “nothing statements”… that’s hilarious. How about instead of good night it’s just gfy Joel? Deuces beach
Weird, my original response mocking you was deleted. So I’ll try again.
It must have been the international crime syndicate that supports me. They provide me with the 2 maybe 3 accounts I need get 2-3 likes on my bad jokes.
And who is Joel? I honestly don’t know who you are talking about. Should I call my internationally connected syndicate to track him down?
Do you really think people are signing into multiple accounts to upvote their own comments on this site?
Are you projecting? Or are you just a weirdo?
I love this mute feature.
Yeah. He do be lookin like my mans from the Beetlejuice moovie
Nice an anemic .220 batting average sure to disappoint any team in a big spot
gold glove .220 hitters make fine late inning defense replacements.
Until it’s his time to bat and there a 78% chance of recording an out
For the league as a hole, there is a 75.2% chance of making an out (based on BA alone). Would you prefer the 75.2% with a mediocre glove, or the 78% with a gold glove?
Seems like we have a lot of guys who are going to holdout long enough that they’ll get to stay home and retire.
Most of these dudes still hunting for deals will also be at risk of having awful years by getting a late start.
Too bad he’s a dumb loser
What?!?
His multi year deal with the Royals was a bit of a shocker at the time. Not surprised his market is all that different now. Almost any team should be happy to have him as a 4/playooner OF at $5-8 million
Keep pricing yourself out. if there was a legit market, he would have signed. No one wants to sign him now especially at 10 million. Bader and Keirmeyer signed earlier. In my opinion – I take those 2 before taylor too.
He will have to settle for something very different or stay unemployed.
It’s almost like MLB is trying to show players they should sign early…which is what they recently announced they want…hmmm. Wonder if it’s a collective effort? Not like MLB has done that before, right?
He wants 10 and will probable accept 2/14. Not at all sure anyone will offer that at this point.
IMHO, Michael Taylor is slightly inferior to Keven Kiermaier and vastly superior to Harrison Bader.
2021-2023 Cumulative WAR
Kiermaier 8.3
Taylor 7.7
Bader 0.5
Bader was an overpay
Taylor needs to better assess his skills.
Bad Agent!
His best choice now would be to sign with the team that gives him a starting job, on a one year contract, with a buy out of size on a second year. How much shouldn’t be as important. Getting ABs in ’24 is the only way to get paid in future years. Once he signs as a bench bat, he will be paid as such going forward.
We’re three weeks out from opening day. How many teams are looking for a starting CFer? He mistimed the market. He won’t get a two-year deal and he won’t get the same dollars as KK or Bader.
I love players like him. Defense first center fielders are extremely valuable to teams. They are a glue for the outfield. Allow you to play not so defensively savvy offense first corner outfielders with minimized damage from poor defense.
I agree with you, but those guys rarely get top dollar contracts. Taylor is in a spot at 31 where he wants one last large payday as a starter and it doesn’t look like it’s out there. I get what he was looking for, but in this market what you describe is a $4m item. The 20HR he’s basing his value on came from playing time way above the role you describe and it’s not there.
He’s definitely not worth an astronomical amount but I’d say more than $4m. He’s way more durable than Bader.
I don’t see him being a fit with the Red Sox. As it is they already have an OF surplus with O’Neil, Duran, Abreu, Yoshida and Refsnyder. Not to mention what happens if Cedanne Rafaela winds up making the team as the starting CF that would probably require the Sox to release Refsnyder who has mashed LH pitching and is on a guaranteed $2M contract — so with that said Taylor just doesn’t make sense. If the Red Sox were to add an OF bat it really would have to be an offensive addition as there is an argument to be made for the need for a RH impact bat period, regardless of position – which again means Taylor just doesn’t fit.
The Yankees might pick him up for 5 mill. They’d love another gold glove fielder that can’t hit in MLB.
Love MAT and wish him the best. His highest previous salary was $4.5 million. I can’t see him getting close to $10 million per year now.
The fourth OF’er on the league minimum is the best I see for him.
He should call the A’s and see if they have an interest or the Mexican Beer League.
Taylor mashed left handed pitching. Blue Jays should sign him as a RH outfield bat.
He’s better defensively in CF than Duvall, but I’d rather have Duvall if my team needed one. He’s obviously serviceable there because teams run him out there. Plus, they can move him around if they have another part timer/4th OFer.
If he could demonstrate a little more patience at the plate, just enough to attain league average as a hitter, his value would skyrocket. His runs saved in the outfield is incredible, and he isn’t near aging out of the standard he has set for himself. I just don’t see a club ponying up 20 million for a career 83 OPS+ player, regardless of his defensive pedigree.
Padres will sign Taylor,Pham or Duval