2016 Non-Tender Candidates
There are currently about 200 players that are eligible for salary arbitration and, and the deadline to tender each of these players a contract for the 2017 season is tonight at 8pm. As we do each year at MLBTR, we’re providing a list of players whose teams could potentially elect not to tender them a contract, thus sending them into the free-agent pool earlier than expected. It should be emphasized that we’re not indicating that each of these players is likely to be non-tendered (though that’s certainly the case with some of them). Typically, we list any player for which we can envision a 10-20 percent chance of a non-tender. Many teams have already begun their 40-man maintenance by outrighting fringe players, trading semi-expensive veterans and making other cuts. For instance, both Chris Carter and Jeff Locke were on the initial iteration of this list, but both were designated for assignment earlier this week (making them each, in effect, non-tenders for their respective clubs).
I’ve broken the list down by division and included each candidate’s projected salary from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz in parentheses as a point of reference. For a full list of each team’s arb-eligible players, you can check out Matt’s team-by-team arbitration projections.
American League West
- Angels: None
- Astros: None
- Athletics: Yonder Alonso ($4.1MM)
- Mariners: Jesus Sucre ($600K)
- Rangers: Tanner Scheppers ($1.1MM), A.J. Griffin ($1.9MM)
American League Central
- Indians: None
- Royals: None
- Tigers: Andrew Romine ($1.2MM)
- Twins: Eduardo Escobar ($2.9MM)
- White Sox: Brett Lawrie ($5.1MM), Avisail Garcia ($3.4MM)
American League East
- Blue Jays: Darwin Barney ($1.6MM)
- Orioles: Vance Worley ($3.3MM), Ryan Flaherty ($1.7MM), T.J. McFarland ($700K)
- Rays: None
- Red Sox: Brandon Workman ($600K), Bryan Holaday ($900K)
- Yankees: None
National League West
- Diamondbacks: None
- Dodgers: Louis Coleman ($1.5MM)
- Giants: Cory Gearrin ($1.1MM)
- Padres: Alexi Amarista ($1.6MM), Hector Sanchez ($900K)
- Rockies: None
National League Central
- Brewers: Scooter Gennett ($3MM), Wily Peralta ($4.4MM)
- Cardinals: Seth Maness ($1.6MM)
- Cubs: None
- Pirates: Jared Hughes ($2.5MM), Wade LeBlanc ($1.6MM)
- Reds: None
National League East
- Braves: Chris Withrow ($1.2MM), Anthony Recker ($1MM), Paco Rodriguez ($900K)
- Marlins: None
- Mets: Rene Rivera ($2.2MM)
- Nationals: Ben Revere ($6.3MM)
- Phillies: Jeanmar Gomez ($4.6MM), Cody Asche ($1.3MM)
Nationals, Pirates Accelerating Talks On Andrew McCutchen
DEC. 2: Talks between the Nationals and Pirates have continued into the morning, tweets Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Pirates have been breaking down video footage of Nationals prospects this morning, he adds. The Nats remained “in the lead” for McCutchen as of late last night, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (on Twitter), though Morosi notes that the Rangers have been in contact with the Pirates about McCutchen as well.
DEC. 1: The Nationals and Pirates have “ramped up” their negotiations on a possible deal involving star center fielder Andrew McCutchen, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports. There are indications that the Nats would like to wrap up an agreement today; it seems the club may well non-tender shortstop Danny Espinosa if it adds McCutchen.
The connection between McCutchen and Espinosa involves Trea Turner, who could play either center or short. If Washington adds a new option in the outfield, Turner would surely move to his accustomed shortstop position, and the Nats would apparently not be interested in retaining Espinosa at a projected $5.3MM salary. (He could, of course, be traded.)
We’ve heard some chatter about possible pieces involved between these clubs, which reportedly explored a deal over the summer but couldn’t quite reach an agreement. The Bucs are said to be eyeing top outfield prospect Victor Robles, but it remains unclear whether the Nationals have any willingness to part with him. Stark notes that young, MLB-level pitchers such as Joe Ross and Reynaldo Lopez would hold appeal to Pittsburgh as well, and both (along with several other possibilities) certainly could be in play.
The Nationals would presumably utilize McCutchen in center, where he has long played in Pittsburgh. There were newfound questions about his ability to stick there after metrics panned his work in 2016, though perhaps Washington would only need to commit to him in center for a single season. Still, McCutchen isn’t quite as appealing an asset in a corner position, particularly given the risk that he doesn’t bounce back after a .256/.336/.430 year at the plate.
McCutchen also isn’t particularly cheap. With $14MM coming to him next season and a $14.5MM option for 2018, he’s hardly expensive. And that’s a pittance if he can return to his former superstar form. Having just turned 30, McCutchen represents a reasonable risk for a high-spending contender like the Nationals, though just how much willingness the team has to part with major young assets to take that chance remains to be seen.
Heyman’s Latest: Sale, Encarnacion, Astros, Martinez, Mets, Yankees, CarGo
The Nationals, Astros, Red Sox, Rangers and Braves are at the forefront of the Chris Sale market, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman in his latest notes column. However, an exec with one of those clubs that spoke to Heyman still said he’s not sure that Sale is moved at all due to the exorbitant nature of the White Sox‘ asking price. The Nationals, for instance, have been asked for Trea Turner as part of the package but have balked at the idea, Heyman notes, with one Washington source calling the budding star “too valuable” to part with. It’s similarly difficult to envision a player like Alex Bregman or Dansby Swanson being moved for Sale as well. The White Sox do like Dodgers prospect Cody Bellinger, writes Heyman, but L.A. has yet to show a significant inclination to pursue Sale, he adds. (And, from my vantage point, the Dodgers would need to add quite a bit more than Bellinger to a Sale package anyhow.)
A few more highlights…
- The Yankees, Astros and Blue Jays all remain in the mix for Edwin Encarnacion, but Heyman joins others in writing that Twitter reports of a deal between Houston and Encarnacion were premature. The Astros are being aggressive on Encarnacion, according to Heyman, though agent Paul Kinzer told him that there are “a couple” of other teams in the mix beyond this group as well. Perhaps signaling their desire to add an impact bat, the Astros made a legitimate run at Yoenis Cespedes both this offseason and last winter, Heyman adds, noting that last winter’s pursuit flew largely under the radar.
- One general manager who has spoken to the Tigers about a J.D. Martinez trade tells Heyman that he believes Martinez is “all but certain” to be traded. Detroit, Heyman points out, is now the somewhat surprising MLB payroll leader with several Dodgers hitting free agency and with the Yankees trading Brian McCann.
- The Mets would like to add not one but two left-handed relievers to their bullpen, Heyman writes. They’re interested in a reunion with southpaw Jerry Blevins, who spent the past two seasons in the organization, but other reports have indicated that Blevins is likely to receive a multi-year deal that will exceed the Mets’ comfort zone. The Mets might also consider adding catching help, though that’s not characterized as a priority in this report, which also notes that the team considers Michael Conforto to be close to untouchable in trade talks.
- The Yankees have spoken to other teams about third baseman Chase Headley and outfielder Brett Gardner but received minimal interest in that pair. Headley has $26MM in guaranteed money remaining on his deal and quietly rebounded from a disastrous start to post a solid overall season in the Bronx last year, while Gardner is owed a similar $25MM through 2018 and also has a club option for the 2019 season on his deal. Gardner would seem to have more trade value to me, and perhaps teams would show more interest later in the winter once some of the free-agent options in the outfield have come off the board.
- There’s been no formal extension offer made by the Rockies to Carlos Gonzalez, who said last week that the team has expressed interest in an extension. According to Heyman, that could be due to the fact that initial suggestions were deemed “too low” by Gonzalez’s camp to even merit an official offer. CarGo is just one year away from free agency and could be an appealing trade piece for the Rox this summer if the team doesn’t contend in 2017.
Agency Changes: Jackson, K-Rod, Gallo
A few notable agency changes from around the game that have been reported in recent days…
- Free agent outfielder Austin Jackson is now a client of Octagon, reports Tommy Stokke of FanRag Sports (via Twitter). After a pair of very nice seasons at the plate in 2012-13, Jackson’s bat has taken a significant step back, and while the resulting .260/.311/.361 batting line would cut it if he were still a premium defensive center fielder, metrics have soured on his outfield work along the way as well. Jackson also seems to have slowed down quite a bit, as the former 20-steal threat swiped just two bases in three attempts in 54 games with the White Sox last year before suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee that ended his season. Despite his veteran status, though, Jackson is still just 29 years old, so he’s certainly young enough for a career revival despite the lackluster play in recent years.
- Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez is now represented by agents Rick Thurman and Cesar Suarez of the Beverly Hills Sports Council, per FanRag’s Robert Murray (also on Twitter). Rodriguez, the active saves leader, won’t see his current offseason impacted in the way that Jackson will by the switch, but he’s just a year removed from free agency after Detroit exercised his $6MM club option back in October. While “K-Rod” no longer boasts the mid-90s heater he did in his younger days, the 34-year-old (35 next week) has still delivered quality results over the past four seasons, turning in a 2.82 ERA with 9.4 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 in 230 innings. And while his K/9 rate dropped to a solid-but-career-low 8.0 in 2016, he also registered a career-best 54.7 percent ground-ball rate in 2016.
- FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Rangers prospect Joey Gallo is now represented by agent Scott Boras. Gallo has yet to establish himself in the Majors and has continued to post alarming strikeout totals to go along with his enormous power, but it should also be stressed that he he also only just turned 23 in mid-November. Gallo has received 80 grades on his power in scouting reports in recent years but will need to improve his contact skills to better tap into that ability, as he whiffed in nearly 35 percent of his plate appearances last year in Triple-A. Still, given his youth, there’s time for some improvement in that area, as even in his second tour through Triple-A this past year, he was more than four years younger than his average opponent. Third base no longer looks like a potential long-term home for Gallo in Texas due to the two-year extension signed by fellow Boras client Adrian Beltre, but the slugger could land across the diamond at first base and also see some time at DH in the next couple of years.
All of the changes reported here can be seen in MLBTR’s Agency Database, which contains representation information on more than 2,500 Major League and Minor League players. If you see any errors or omissions, please let us know via email: mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.
Latest On Dexter Fowler’s Market
The Giants, Cardinals and Blue Jays are all believed to be interested in free agent outfielder Dexter Fowler, per Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, who hears that Fowler’s camp is of the mind that they can land a multi-year deal that will pay the switch-hitter $18MM on an annual basis (Twitter link).
[Related: Dexter Fowler’s Free Agent Profile]
Any of the three listed clubs make perfect sense as a landing spot for Fowler. The Giants saw Angel Pagan hit free agency and have somewhat of a vacancy in left field. Beyond that, they could see a significant amount of money come off the books following the 2017 season. Matt Cain‘s ill-fated contract extension will come to a close at the end of next year’s campaign, and if he repeats the form he displayed in 2016, Johnny Cueto figures to opt out of the remaining four years and $88MM on his contract. Infielder Eduardo Nunez, too, will be a free agent at season’s end.
As for the Cardinals, they’ve been linked to Fowler for most of the offseason due to the potential void they face in the outfield. Signing Fowler would allow Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty to flank Fowler in the outfield. While many are quick to point out that Fowler isn’t necessarily a defensive upgrade over Grichuk in center — improved glovework is said to be a priority for GM John Mozeliak — an outfield alignment of Grichuk, Fowler and Piscotty would be superior to last year’s mix of Matt Holliday, Brandon Moss, Grichuk and Piscotty.
As for the Blue Jays, they’ve previously been linked to Fowler on more than one occasion but also represent an easy on-paper fit. Toronto’s primary corner outfielders from the 2016 season, Jose Bautista and Michael Saunders, are both free agents. Fowler would represent a defensive upgrade while providing the Jays with lineup balance and speed — two elements that GM Ross Atkins has gone on record to call desirable this offseason (when speaking generally and not specifically of Fowler). Signing in Toronto would surely require Fowler to shift to an outfield corner, as Kevin Pillar is arguably the game’s best defensive player, but Fowler’s reported talks with the Orioles last offseason potentially signaled a willingness to do just that. His openness to an outfield corner this winter hasn’t been stated to this point, but he’d certainly widen his market if he were comfortable shifting off of center field.
An $18MM average annual value represents a lofty goal for Fowler, who one year ago languished in free agency for nearly the entire offseason as teams were reluctant to part with a draft pick in order to sign him. Multiple reports indicated that he agreed to a three-year deal with the Orioles in February, but that deal was either never agreed to or never finalized, as Fowler wound up back with the Cubs on a more modest one-year deal worth $13MM. The decision represented a show of faith in Fowler’s talent and somewhat of a gamble from both the player and his agents at Excel Sports, but Fowler’s terrific 2016 season made the decision look wise; in 551 plate appearances with the Cubs, Fowler batted .276/.393/.447 with 13 homers and 13 stolen bases in addition to vastly better defensive and baserunning contributions.
It’s also worth noting that an $18MM annual value can mean a variety of different things, as contract length is often a larger deterrent than AAV for teams when signing players to a long-term pact. An $18MM AAV over five years would represent a massive commitment to Fowler and seems decidedly unlikely, but an $18MM AAV over a four-year term would line Fowler up for the same payday that Alex Gordon scored from the Royals last winter. That outcome seems more plausible, depending on the level of interest in Fowler, but the market for his services does seem to be more robust this year than last.
It’s probably fair to rule out the Cubs as a candidate to make a big splash for Fowler given their signing of Jon Jay and the glut of outfielders up and down the rest of their roster, but plenty of other teams make sense. In addition to the three listed by Heyman, the Mariners, Rangers, Phillies, Dodgers, Nationals, Indians and Orioles (if that bridge isn’t burned) are all logical suitors, though that list is speculative on my behalf.
NL East Notes: Mets, Volquez, Hammel, Marlins, Nationals
The Braves have already grabbed headlines tonight by acquiring lefty Jaime Garcia from the Cardinals in a four-player trade, but here are a few other notes from around the division…
- While domestic violence charges against Mets closer Jeurys Familia may soon be dropped, that doesn’t mean he won’t face league discipline. That possibility must be considered by the organization as it charts its offseason, GM Sandy Alderson says, as ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin reports. Of course, it still seems unlikely that the club will be motivated to spend big on a new late-inning arm, particularly with Addison Reed capable of filling in for the ninth inning after an excellent 2016 season. It’s possible that a reliever, or perhaps some array of young talent, could end up moving to New York if (or, more likely, when) the team deals one of its left-handed-hitting corner outfielders, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports. The Mets’ strong preference is still to trade Jay Bruce rather than Curtis Granderson; it seems that the latter player may be expected to share time in center with Juan Lagares.
- Alderson also said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio today (Twitter link) that he’d be “surprised” if the Mets got involved with a top-level center fielder in free agency due not only to the draft pick they’d have to forfeit (referring to Dexter Fowler and Ian Desmond) and also due to the fact that the team has other needs on the roster. Following the re-signing of Yoenis Cespedes, the Mets are looking to move an outfielder, with reports indicating that Jay Bruce is the name they hope to shed. However, Curtis Granderson is reportedly drawing more interest, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman reports that the Orioles are among the teams with interest in Granderson (Twitter link). Baltimore doesn’t appear to have much interest in Bruce, however, he adds.
- The Braves put in a strong pursuit of righty Edinson Volquez before he went to the Marlins, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted yesterday. The team’s interest in Volquez came after it had already landed both R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon, but the Braves have been said to be focused on acquiring short-term assets in the rotation or front-of-the-rotation arms that would require enormous trade packages. As such, it’s possible that Atlanta only had interest in Volquez on a one-year deal, but he received two years and $22MM from the Marlins. Atlanta acted quickly to grab another short-term rotation commodity with tonight’s Garcia trade.
- The Marlins, too, still appear to be shopping for arms, as Heyman reports that they have potential interest in free-agent right-handers Jason Hammel and Doug Fister. The Fish are also looking for bullpen help, Heyman notes, which has been a priority in Miami for much of the offseason. Tim Healey of the Miami Sun-Sentinel writes that Miami is hoping to keep right-hander David Phelps in the bullpen following his dominance in that role in 2016. “Ideally, if we can keep a deep bullpen, we can keep him as that multi-inning effective bridge to the back-end guys,” said president of baseball ops Michael Hill to Healey. “He impacts more games for us that way. But we know he has the versatility if he has to move into the rotation to do that seamlessly and not miss a beat.”
- The Nationals are still looking for a closer, tweets Heyman, but it’s likely that they consider Aroldis Chapman to be too expensive. The Nats are interested in a reunion with Mark Melancon, however, he notes, adding that Washington “loved” Melancon’s clubhouse presence in his short stint with the team following a trade-deadline rental this past summer.
Jung Ho Kang Arrested, Charged With Leaving Scene Of DUI Accident In South Korea
Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang was arrested in South Korea today after a car crash that reportedly occurred under the influence of alcohol, according to Jee-ho Yoo of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. Yoo cites Gangnam Police Station in Seoul in reporting that Kang “was booked for fleeing the scene after crashing into a guard rail on his way to his hotel,” further adding that an unnamed passenger in the car first attempted to take responsibility by claiming that he or she was the driver. Korean police, however, investigated the car’s black box and found Kang to be the driver, at which point he was called in for questioning.
Kang’s blood-alcohol content was 0.084, per the Yonhap report, just over the American legal limit but more noticeably north of South Korea’s legal limit of 0.05. According to Yoo, Kang admitted to the charges upon being questioned. Pirates president Frank Coonelly offered the following statement on the matter, via press release:
“We have been made aware of the very serious charges filed against Jung Ho Kang early Friday morning in Seoul, South Korea. We are extremely disappointed in Jung Ho and in his decision process during this matter. I know first hand how foolish and dangerous it is to drive under the influence and am most thankful that, as we understand it, no one was injured. We will have further comment once we have been able to gather all of the relevant facts and speak with the player.” (For those wondering about Coonelly’s quote, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets that Coonelly was charged with a DUI back in Dec. 2011 and was ordered by a judge to enter a first-time offender program.)
The news itself is troubling on its own, but concerns stemming from this incident are magnified by the fact that this isn’t the first instance of legal trouble for Kang this year. The 29-year-old was accused of sexual assault by a Chicago woman back in early July, and the investigation was still ongoing as of a September update from Andrew Goldstein of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. No charges have been brought forth against Kang in connection with that case, and Goldstein noted in his report that the alleged victim was not cooperating with police investigators. There’s been no resolution reported in that case.
Kang signed a four-year, $11MM contract to join the Pirates on the heels of a massive 2014 season in the Korea Baseball Organization. He’s owed $2.75MM in 2017 and $3MM in 2018, and the Pirates hold a $5.5MM club option with a $250K buyout over Kang for the 2019 campaign.
Angels Acquire Brooks Pounders From Royals
The Royals announced that they’ve traded right-hander Brooks Pounders to the Angels in exchange for minor league righty Jared Ruxer. The move opens a spot on the Royals’ 40-man roster to make a selection in next week’s Rule 5 Draft, as MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan points out (on Twitter).
Pounders, 26, made his Major League debut this season but allowed 13 runs on 19 hits and three walks in 12 2/3 innings of work. He did pick up 13 strikeouts and average 92.6 mph on his fastball, and Pounders delivered solid results in his time at the Triple-A level. In 80 1/3 innings with Kansas City’s top affiliate in Omaha (seven starts, 24 relief appearances), Pounders notched a 3.14 ERA with 10.1 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and a 38.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’ll give the Halos a depth piece that has minor league options remaining to help out in the ‘pen in the coming season.
Ruxer, meanwhile, was the Angels’ 12th-round pick in 2014. He split the 2016 season between the Class-A Midwest League and the Class-A Advanced California League, pitching to a combined 3.08 ERA with 8.0 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 45.7 percent ground-ball rate in 111 innings (19 starts, 10 relief appearances). Flanagan tweets that Ruxer had Tommy John surgery in his final season at Louisville in 2014 before being drafted, but Ruxer’s solid season certainly makes it seem as though he’s recovered nicely from the injury.
Free Agent Profile: Matt Wieters
Matt Wieters‘ last few seasons haven’t been exceptional, but on a thin free agent market, he stands out as an average catcher with, perhaps, the potential to be something more. Here’s a look at how the offseason could work for him.
Pros/Strengths
Wieters’ value stems mostly from the fact that he’s a competent defensive catcher with offensive ability. Though his defense behind the dish no longer rates as outstanding (as it did early in his career, when he won two Gold Gloves), DRS currently pegs him as roughly average, which itself gives his value a high baseline. Per Baseball Prospectus (subscription-only link), Wieters still throws well and is solid in the pitch-blocking department.
Wieters also no longer has the bat he did earlier in his career, when he hit either 22 or 23 homers in three straight seasons from 2011 through 2013. His power, however, remains respectable for a catcher. Last season, he hit 17 home runs, ranking ninth in the Majors among backstops.
Plus, he’s just thirty years of age and does have a solid, established offensive ceiling. Over the 2011-12 seasons, Wieters posted a composite .255/.329/.442 slash line across 1,144 plate appearances. While that may have been somewhat BABIP driven, he has posted career-best line-drive rates of late and has made hard contact at the same rates he did in his most productive seasons. Despite a down 2016, he was a league-average hitter as recently as the campaign prior, so it wouldn’t be terribly surprising if he could return to that level or perhaps even provide a bit more at the plate.
Wieters also showed in 2016 that he could stay healthy, picking up 464 plate appearances after two injury-shortened seasons. Perhaps there’s a speculative case to be made that, two years removed from an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, he might have more upside than a 30-year-old catcher typically does, in the same way a pitcher who’s had Tommy John might be expected to pitch better the further he gets from the surgery.
Cons/Weaknesses
Wieters’ framing numbers have been underwhelming, with StatCorner pegging his framing at 15.9 runs below average over the past two seasons. As ESPN’s Buster Olney recently pointed out, framing is increasingly a key metric by which teams evaluate catchers, which is why Jason Castro was able to land a three-year, $24.5MM guarantee despite modest offensive numbers. Wieters’ framing issues could put a serious dent in his market, unless teams see reason to believe he could return to posting the solid figures in that arena that he featured earlier in his career.
Beyond that, Wieters’ career overall has been modestly disappointing, and it doesn’t look likely to trend upwards now that he’s 30. Wieters entered the league as a mega-prospect — a catcher with the potential to play high-quality defense while hitting for average, power and patience. He never quite achieved that potential, and he has struggled offensively since returning from Tommy John.
The cliche that catcher performance falls off a cliff in a player’s early 30s appears to be overstated, but Wieters, due to his age, might have already entered the decline phase of his career. He has produced just 2.7 fWAR total over the past two years (the first of which was truncated by his return from Tommy John), and 2017 will be his age-31 season. Wieters has a big frame for a backstop and has already dealt with significant injuries (though that has primarily been to his elbow). Depending upon one’s perspective, there may not be much reason to be optimistic he’ll be much more than an average catcher going forward.
Background
Wieters was born and raised in South Carolina and played high school ball alongside another future Major Leaguer, Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak. Wieters then headed to Georgia Tech, where he earned All-America honors twice, batting .349/.477/.594 while serving as the Yellow Jackets’ catcher (and also their closer). The Orioles took him with the fifth overall pick in 2007, awarding him a $6MM bonus. He quickly emerged as a highly touted prospect — expectations for him were so high that fans created a humorous website, Matt Wieters Facts, to celebrate his skill set. (Sample skill: “Matt Wieters sometimes impatiently homers from the on-deck circle.”) Wieters and his wife Maria have two sons.
Market
Wieters’ agent, Scott Boras, likes to allow the market to unfold unless he gets a contract he loves, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Wieters lingered as a free agent for awhile. Unlike last season, he won’t have the burden of a qualifying offer, as the Orioles elected not to give him one this time around after he accepted a one-year, $15.8MM deal for 2016.
When Wieters finally does sign, the Braves seem like an obvious possibility, due to Wieters’ local roots, the Braves’ lack of an established catcher, and the opening of their new stadium. The Braves also recently hired former Orioles pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti. The Braves, however, are said to be “lukewarm” on Wieters, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, who writes that some in the Orioles organization while Wallace and Chiti were there questioned Wieters’ work behind the plate.
A return to the Orioles (who have a big hole at catcher, with Caleb Joseph and his .174/.216/.197 2016 batting line topping their depth chart) would also make sense, although with a variety of large commitments and key pending arbitration cases, the team’s budget could be a problem. It’s also unclear how willing the O’s would be to make a big commitment after declining to extend Wieters a qualifying offer. Near the end of the season, Wieters and the Orioles were reportedly very far apart in their estimations of what sort of extension he should receive. The Orioles also have a good catching prospect in Chance Sisco who could be ready in 2018, and they might be somewhat reluctant to block him by signing Wieters to a multi-year deal.
The Nationals, Angels and Rockies could also be fits. Two weeks ago, the Twins and Astros also might have been possibilities, but those teams have since filled their vacancies with Castro (to Minnesota) and Brian McCann (to Houston).
Still, there are plenty of potential suitors, and the lack of obvious starting catching available could help Wieters. The only other catchers left on the market from MLBTR’s list of the offseason top 50 are Wilson Ramos and Nick Hundley, and Ramos is dealing with an ACL and meniscus injury that figures to carry over into the season. Wieters, despite his faults, has a compelling case that he’s the best healthy catcher available on the free agent market.
Expected Contract
MLBTR predicts Wieters will seek a four-year deal, but will ultimately settle for a three-year, $39MM pact that covers his age-31 through age-33 seasons.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dodgers Avoid Arbitration With Van Slyke, Hatcher
6:14pm: FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Hatcher receives a $1.25MM salary next season (Twitter link).
4:25pm: SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets that Van Slyke and the Dodgers agreed to a $1.325MM salary for 2017.
4:14pm: The Dodgers announced today that they’ve signed outfielder Scott Van Slyke and right-hander Chris Hatcher to one-year deals, thus avoiding arbitration with both players. Van Slyke is represented by agent James Kuzmich, while Hatcher is a client of Turner Gary Sports.
Van Slyke, 30, was limited to 52 games this past season due to back and wrist injuries. When healthy, he batted a disappointing .225/.292/.314 in 113 plate appearances. Van Slyke, however, has a nice track record as a complementary outfielder, having slashed .261/.349/.455 with 24 homers in 651 plate appearances from 2013-15. Most of the damage he’s done in his career has come against left-handed pitching, as he holds a career .845 OPS against southpaws as compared to a .678 OPS against right-handed pitching. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected Van Slyke for a $1.3MM salary in 2017.
Hatcher, 32 in January, was limited to 40 2/3 innings by an oblique injury in 2016 but struggled to a 5.53 ERA even when healthy enough to take the field. Hatcher’s velocity remained strong, though, as his fastball averaged just under 96 mph. He also averaged 9.5 K/9 with a solid 44.3 percent ground-ball rate. His walk rate spiked from 3.0 BB/9 in 2015 to 4.6 BB/9 in 2016, however, and he was exceptionally homer-prone (1.8 HR/9, 18.2 percent HR/FB ratio). In 95 innings from 2014-15, Hatcher logged a 3.51 ERA and posted a 105-to-25 K/BB ratio. Swartz projected him at $1.4MM.