MLBTR’s positional preview of the upcoming free agent class continues with a look at this winter’s thin crop of center fielders. It’s a bleak group, particularly if the potential top name available forgoes an opportunity to opt out and return to the open market. It’s worth reminding that veteran center fielder Kevin Kiermaier has said he plans to retire at season’s end. Kevin Pillar has suggested he’s likely to do the same. As such, neither is included below.
Player ages, listed in parenthesis, are for the 2025 season. Stats are through play on September 23. Only players who have appeared in the majors this year are included.
Other Entries: Catcher | First Base | Second Base | Shortstop | Third Base
The Opt-Out Possibility
Cody Bellinger (30)
Bellinger’s three-year, $80MM deal with the Cubs allows him to opt back into free agency either this winter or in the 2025-26 offseason. He’s having a solid year but has still posted lesser results than in his stellar rebound campaign in 2023. Bellinger has appeared in 126 games and taken 553 turns at the plate, batting .263/.324/.425 with 18 home runs in that span. He’s spent more time at first base than in center field, in part because of the emergence of top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong in center but also due to a decline in Bellinger’s own grades there.
Bellinger is the only free agent option in center who can be realistically expected to provide above-average offense. But his contract calls for a $27.5MM salary next season if he declines to opt out, with $25MM more to come in 2026. Bellinger could very likely top the remaining two years and $50MM in guaranteed money on his contract but not that $27.5MM salary for next season. And, since he has an opt-out provision next winter with a $5MM buyout, he could get the best of both worlds if he stays in Chicago, bets on a more productive 2025 campaign at the plate, and opts out next winter. There’s some risk and thus a case for Bellinger to opt out right now in search of a maximum guarantee, but he’s already bet on himself twice by taking short-term deals in free agency. If he wants to bet on himself once more, the path to the most earnings would be to take next year’s $27.5MM, turn in a big season, take the $5MM buyout and look to cash in post-2025.
Glove-First Players
Harrison Bader (31)
Bader’s .241/.290/.381 batting line this season is 11% worse than league-average, by measure of wRC+. He’s still smacked 12 homers and swiped 17 bags, though those steals have come in an unsightly 25 tries (68% success rate). Bader has long been a glove-first option in center, and at least as far as Statcast is concerned, that’s what he remains. Statcast credits him with a hefty 10 Outs Above Average thanks to good to great rankings in terms of sprint speed (74th percentile), arm strength (87th percentile) and range (96th percentile). Other metrics are more bearish, with Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating pegging him close to average.
That drop in DRS isn’t going to impact Bader much. He has a strong defensive reputation, and most clubs will look at the defensive tools and his overall track record and still count him as a plus defender. Bader is having a better offensive year than he did in 2023, after which he agreed to a one-year, $10.5MM deal with the Mets. It’s possible he could secure a multi-year deal this time around.
Enrique Hernandez (33)
Hernandez can play anywhere, but center has been his best defensive position. He’s a plus defender there by all accounts, though the Dodgers haven’t used him there much this year, instead deferring to players with more offensive upside (e.g. Andy Pages, James Outman). Hernandez isn’t going to land a job as someone’s everyday center fielder after hitting .219/.272/.362 this year, but his versatility and beloved clubhouse presence could net him a big league deal as a bench player.
Michael A. Taylor (34)
Only two players in baseball, regardless of position, have more than Taylor’s 55 Defensive Runs Saved over the past four seasons (Ke’Bryan Hayes, Andres Gimenez). Only five have a higher total of Outs Above Average (Hayes, Gimenez, Dansby Swanson, Francisco Lindor, Marcus Semien). Defense doesn’t get better than this. That said, after popping a career-high 21 homers with the 2023 Twins, Taylor was met with a frigid free agent market. He eventually landed in Pittsburgh on a one-year deal and has stumbled to the worst offensive performance of his career, hitting just .193/.253/.290 in 300 plate appearances. The glove is elite, and there’s clear power in Taylor’s bat, so he could still land another big league deal this offseason.
Depth Candidates
Garrett Hampson (30)
Hampson signed a $2MM deal with the Royals last winter but has turned in just a .227/.271/.300 slash without a homer in 220 plate appearances. He can run and plays solid defense all over the infield and outfield, but his lack of offense will probably limit him to a minor league deal.
Aaron Hicks (35)
Released by the Yankees early in the 2023 season, Hicks had a resurgence in Baltimore when he hit .275/.381/.425 in 226 plate appearances as an Oriole last year. That landed him a big league roster spot with the Angels, but he opened the season in a .140/.222/.193 funk (63 plate appearances) and was quickly released. He hasn’t signed elsewhere since. If Hicks wants to keep playing, he’ll need to take a minor league deal.
Travis Jankowski (34)
Jankowski gave the ’23 World Series Champions roughly average offense and quality glovework across all three outfield spots, but his bat fell flat in his 2024 return to the Rangers. He’s hit just .209/.269/.253 through 99 games and 197 plate appearances. Jankowski went unclaimed on outright waivers in late August and will be looking at a minor league deal this winter.
Manuel Margot (32)
Twice traded in the offseason, Margot went from Tampa Bay to Los Angeles and from the Dodgers to the Twins, with both the Rays and Dodgers taking on portions of his salary along the way. Margot has hit lefties in Minnesota but hasn’t done much else well, with an overall .239/.293/.339 slash on the season. His contract has a $12MM club option with a $4MM buyout, and the Rays are on the hook for that buyout under the terms of his original trade to Los Angeles. He’ll certainly be bought out and, like most of the other “depth candidates” on this list, figures to sign a minor league deal in the offseason.
Tommy Pham (37)
Pham has little business playing center field in 2024, but the White Sox trotted him out there for 223 innings out of necessity. He’ll be viewed as an emergency option there by most teams. Pham is hitting .251/.311/.376 on the season — below-average production overall. Pham could still land a small one-year deal or another minor league deal with a decent base salary if he plans to continue playing into his age-37 season.
Austin Slater (32)
Slater has more experience in center than at any other individual position in the majors, but he draws better defensive ratings in the outfield corners. He’s also played first base for a couple hundred innings and had brief cameos at second base and third base. Typically a menace to left-handed pitchers (career .270/.363/.438), Slater’s output against southpaws has tanked in 2024 (.181/.305/.224). He’s hitting only .205/.317/.263 on the whole and will presumably be limited to minor league offers this winter.
“Hernandez isn’t going to land a job as someone’s everyday center fielder after hitting .219/.272/.362 this year, but his versatility and beloved clubhouse presence could net him a big league deal as a bench player.” Ladies and Gentleman… Presenting the starting left fielder for the Seattle Mariners!
Yeah but you have a great center fielder who is a ton of fun to watch.
Also, saw him sign for tons of kids in spring training last March. On the back fields, far from cameras. That always gets my respect.
Judging by the lists of FA’s I’ve seen so far I’m atually kind of glad the Cubs really don’t need any FA’s for the field. It’s pretty sad. As for C, Since looking at that list I’m perfectly OK with them re signing Bethancourt and trotting him back out there. He has a superior arm and is a pretty good framer so I’m OK with that. So a Closer and a Starter and I’m happy.
They could trade belli for Salvador Perez similar contracts
Sensible outlook Uncle. As far as catcher I’m hearing Astros Victor Caratini’s name mentioned as a potential trade candidate.
Fred- Re: Bethancourt V Caratini.. Betancourt is a way better defensive C. Caratini is a better hitter probably and a SH too. So 50/50. He shouldn’t cost much at this stage so……..
This is the least uninspiring free agent class in a while, at least in the position player front.
HalosHeavenJJ;
The past 3-5 years or so teams have been getting better and better at locking up their quality players.
We have a few name players, but the FA starting pitchers are questionable, and the FA relivers are shades of crapshoots.
It’s all about finding guys that were either coached / played incorrectly then having the team signing them make the necessary adjustments to their game and how they’re used.
Not easy.
And then once you do find those guys and fix the issue they’re out the door. Cause teams can only give them a one year make good deal for fear they too will get it wrong while the player only wants one year for the upside
Yep. With that in mind I’m hoping the Angels are talking with Neto and O’Hoppe now.
Halos- Just looked and the Angels 40 man payrol for ’24 sits at 191m. Trout/rendon take up bit over 75m of that and are collecting that figure for another 2y. Will they make another expenditure with players collecting that much?
Spotrac has the figure much lower but doesn’t account for all the arbitration guys.
Most likely there’s not a ton of free agent signings this year, nor should there really be. But the Rendon albatross only has 2 years left, Anderson is in his final year, and there’s not much other than Trout on the future payroll.
So, extending young guys now makes sense. You get cost certainty for the years you have more payroll freedom and hopefully a cast ready to compete.
It’s still better looking than the class of 2026 and 2027. A lot more reliable names. I think the top ones will get plenty of suitors and they’ll want to go to a winner or an up and comer. The Angels are screwed bc now they’re off the radar for those that want a winning org and they won’t match any top offer for a big free agent. So standing pat if they stay healthy and a little luck they may be a .500 team over the next few yrs.
There isn’t a winner in the bunch, lame, lamer, lamest. Take your pick. Next! Ahahaha!
It’s a bad year to need a CF. Bellinger probably stays in CHI, beyond him, there’s nothing.
Slim pickings here. How do $27.5 and $25 add up to $50?
Cubs would owe him a $2.5 million buyout if he opts out. $50 million breakeven if he opts out.
Mets could target Santander and move Nimmo back to CF, in addition to bringing back Alonso.
Realistically, Soto’s going back to the Bronx.
Ben K;
I tend to believe that under Stearns the Mets will be looking to sign undervalued players and then coach them up.
The rotisserie league signings will be left to the Yankees and other desperate owners / FO heads.
Baseball has always been a young mans game. FO’s continue to get smarter and smarter.
I don’t think we can really assume that Stearns will strictly continue the approach he took in Milwaukee out of necessity now that he’s gm for a team with big market spending capacity. When you have pockets as deep as the mets’ you can afford to shop in fancier aisles to build out your roster around your core. I would think Stearns had players he would have wanted to extend or bring in with the brewers if he’d had the budget.
Maybe..
Depends what they think they can get from the farm.
I think marte moves to DH full time. Vientos to first. Mauricio/baty at 3b. Acuna will be at 2b.
Nimmo, tytay and some others in the OF. Santander is a good fit imo. I’d think one of Jett and Drew also have a shot with Drew on the inside track.
None of these guys will set the world afire and I think folks are even still a little leery of Bellinger long term.
That’s not really what “securing a multi year deal” means.
You understand that’s worse than the $10.5/1 he’s on now, right?
Unless you’re saying $16m per. That might do it.
Sure, in this threadbare market where he’s legit the #2 cf available coming off a year in which he outperformed the year that got him 10.5/1 and remained nearly entirely healthy while doing it.
Good luck with your $8m/1 with a team option, white Sox.
Thoughts and prayers for your team. May your record stand forever.
You are very, very confused.
I think he’ll get around $25m over 2 years +/- from whatever options or opt outs are involved
Tim Anderson is available, afaik
Bader is going to be the annual Pirates free agent one year deal outfielder that the front office crosses their fingers on hoping it works out. I’m guessing Anthony Rizzo is the first baseman equivalent this offseason for the Bucs.
Tim Anderson had his last guaranteed mlb deal, until he proves he can hit the ball on a Milb deal in the minors, or goes to KBA/Japan and plays. He’s just gotten his last big deal in the bigs after the 2024 disaster.
Jankowski in depth section? These gms just aren’t smart enough to realize how elite he is.
That “we” language is hilarious here. Though it can’t be ruled out that an actual white sox employee is spamming bad Homer takes in the mlbtr comments section lol.
I still think that Bellinger opts out. Yes, his 2024 production was lower but he also no longer has the QO. Somebody will offer him 4/90 or 5/110 as a starting corner OF who can also be the primary backup at CF/1B. With four man benches these days, being able to cover four positions well defensively will have some value.
I love how the orioles thought that they should give opportunities to slater and Jimenez to solve their problem of too many leftys (Jimenez was an ok pickup at the time)
Trading Austin hays was a good thing for them but that was their only good trade that deadline, someone like Tommy Pham would’ve been a good fit
Jack Suwinski, Oliveras, Bae, and Taylor from the Pirates should all be available this offseason as well. We all know Taylor’s fate, but Suwinski and Oliveras will probably be removed from the 40-man because they have a ton of players to protect ahead of the Rule V.
I’ve read differently. Who are these rule V players that need protected?
bucsondeck.substack.com/p/whos-eligible-for-the-ru…
Need to add Trent Grisham to the list. Highly likely that the Yankees non-tender him after the season.
Free agency is shaping up to be quite slow this offseason.
Cedric Mullins?
Looks like a good year to have a CF available for trade. I wonder if CWS will get an offer they like to move on from Robert at a low point.