Last week our free agents to avoid were headlined by Dallas Keuchel, Andrew McCutchen and a handful of shaky veteran pitchers. This week we'll take a look at the other side of the coin -- the top sleepers on the market.
(Editor's note: This piece was written on Monday, December 3, and player free agent status is subject to change.)
Lance Lynn, Starting Pitcher
Lynn sat on the market until the bitter end last year, and he could be headed for a similar situation this time around. At the eleventh hour he was signed by the Twins for one year, $12 million, and was eventually traded to the Yankees with the Twins going nowhere fast. He missed all of 2016 after Tommy John surgery, and that was likely what scared potential suitors away.
Now, though, I like Lynn for a National League team. In six seasons in the NL, he never had an ERA over 4.00. He also had three superb seasons of 3.12 or less. And, most importantly, according to FanGraphs, his velocity increased in 2018. Some guys do come back stronger from Tommy John. Lynn should be a strong No. 4 starter for an NL team, or perhaps a middle-of-the-pack No. 3.
Gerardo Parra, Outfielder
In today's MLB, full of platoons and matchup-based lineup decisions, Parra can be extremely valuable against right-handed pitching. In his 10-year career he's never really been treated as an everyday player, and that will likely continue with his next club. He rakes against righties, and is coming off back-to-back seasons with BAs over .280 and OBPs above .340. Aging like fine wine.
Devin Mesoraco, Catcher
The stat sheet doesn't give you all the details -- Mesoraco knows how to call a game, and he's wonderful with young pitchers. He still has pop in his bat and is particularly good late in games, when the score is close. He is an elite backup catcher.
Adeiny Hechavarria, Shortstop
This is strictly for defensive purposes. For a club that is already strong offensively, Hechavarria can provide a defensive boost at shortstop or third base. He clearly isn't recommended as a full-time player, but he can be a quality, reliable reserve at a very reasonable pricepoint. At 30 years old he's been around, but isn't as old I initially thought. There are good years left with his glove.
Joe Kelly, Relief Pitcher
His 4.39 ERA will scare you. His 1.35 WHIP will also scare you; but Joe Kelly throws freakin' flames. FanGraphs had him averaging 98.1 with his fastball last season.
Here's another guy who should transition back to the NL. He's the type of pitcher you cultivate by repeating just pound the strikezone with your fastball. Don't nibble so much. Attack the zone and trust your stuff. As a matter of fact, Mickey Callaway and Dave Eiland brought Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz along that way. Maybe rookie GM Brodie Van Wagenen should take a look at Kelly.
Yangervis Solarte, Utility
You'd be catching him at the right time, here. Solarte's a guy who had been averaging around .265-.275 with 15-18 homers and 65-70 RBI, before plummeting to .226 (with a frightening .277 OBP) in '18. He should bounce back at age 31, with the valuable ability to play 2B, 3B and short. Remember, Solarte put up solid power numbers while playing just 109-122 games, on average.
Brandon Maurer, Relief Pitcher
What the hell happened to this fireballer? Maurer was once a decent closer for the Padres, standing tall at 6'5", 225, and pumping in the mid-to-upper 90s. He's saved 36 games in his enigmatic career, and I think he could potentially be a useful setup man. The issue, of late, has been walks. Like Kelly, Maurer could benefit from reckless abandon. Just split the plate, big fella.
Derek Dietrich, Utility
Not all that dissimilar from Solarte. Dietrich is a high-energy utilityman who pads his OBP with HBPs. He can adequately play both infield and outfield, and his power production is trending upward in the past two seasons. Good, solid bench player.
Jake Diekman, Relief Pitcher
An electric left-handed reliever who easily strikes out more than a batter per inning. Diekman has a live arm and put-away stuff, so he's probably the most coveted player on this list. Still, I wouldn't call him a household name. He's a relative sleeper who can help virtually any team in the bigs.
Daniel Descalso, Utility
I know I'm getting carried away with the utilitymen, here, but I LOVE Descalso. He has an incredible eye at the plate and can always be counted on in big spots. He's abnormally good with RISP, and of course, defensively, he can play anywhere in the field.
Simply put: Daniel Descalso is a winning player. Any team would be lucky to have him.
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