2023 Free Agent Hitters - Rankings and Predictions
Dec 10, 2022 23:12:38 GMT -5
Mariners GM (David), Twins GM (Pat), and 1 more like this
Post by Royals GM (Adam) on Dec 10, 2022 23:12:38 GMT -5
Christmas will be coming early to a few teams in the ODC League this year. With free agency beginning at noon on December 10, this year’s hitting class is full of some power swinging, contact-leading hackers, headlined by 3B Manny Machado. A 30-year-old perennial all-star, Machado is sure to make his team happy this winter. Here is a look through this year’s top 10 free agent hitters with team and guaranteed money predictions.
3B Manny Machado
Machado would make any team happy. A 30-home run hitter that can hit .290 and steal some bags? Sign me up. There are a few teams that have the money to throw at a guy like Machado and none better than the home-town discount Minnesota Twins. With $40 million to spare and a 25% discount, the Twins have a path to contention and no clear alternative at 3B, making it a good prediction that he winds up back in Minnesota.
Team: Minnesota Twins. Money: $31 million
SS Dansby Swanson
Swanson is really hitting the prime of his career. As a 28-year-old shortstop, Swanson hit .277/.329/.447 last year with 25 homers and 96 RBIs. Swanson really came into his own the last two seasons and any team that wants to sign him will have to bank on that. Now that isn’t to say it was a fluke, but it does mean a team will have to pay up. Sources say the Dodgers want to compete. With some fat stacks waiting to be spent, Swanson would fit in well at SS in Los Angeles.
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers. Money: $30 million
LF Teoscar Hernandez
Hernandez is the first ranked outfielder in a class that has a few good options at the position. At 30-years-old, Hernandez has consistently provided some power throughout his career, averaging 33 home runs in a 162 game span. Hernandez feels like a good option for a team looking to inject power directly into their lineup. And a guy like Hernandez feels like he has to go to a team looking to contend now, which makes him a somewhat hard to place commodity.
Team: New York Mets. Money: $20 million
1B Rhys Hoskins
Hoskins or Jim Thome? You could have fooled me with a 30-home run guy in Philadelphia. Hoskins is another power hitting injection into any lineup, but provides a positional alternative as he fits in at 1B. Because of that, Hoskins makes a perfect fit in Seattle. Knowing that Seattle went after a couple power-hitting options at the position last season, and still trying to compete, Hoskins would provide an injection into the west coast.
Team: Seattle Mariners. Money: $18 million
1B CJ Cron
Thirty-two and ready to bloom? Cron is another power hitting first baseman that would provide an immediate injection into a lineup. But like Hernandez, Cron feels like he will need to attract a contender looking to make a jump.
Team: New York Mets. Money: $16 million
CF Brandon Nimmo
Nimmo does a little bit of everything well. He hits for a little bit of average, a little bit of power, but he knows how to get on-base and score. Any team looking to acquire Nimmo will slide in nicely at the top of a team’s lineup, both in real life and in ODC. He’s just a solid asset to have on a fantasy roster.
Team: St. Louis Cardinals. Money: $15 million
LF Cody Bellinger
Bellinger needs to prove himself. He’s lost a ton of value since his MVP season. Maybe when the shift is banned, Bellinger gains some of that back. Or maybe he just stinks. Regardless, pencil him in for 10 home runs into your lineup. A team acquiring Bellinger would probably look to flip him in a year or two in hopes of getting more in a trade than what they initially invested. There are a couple teams that that makes sense for. Cleveland could be one of them. Probably not, but could be.
Team: Cleveland Indians. Money: $11 million
C Travis D’Arnaud
D’Arnaud had a good season for the Atlanta Braves. He feels like a better fantasy catcher than real life catcher too. It would be hard to find 18 home runs from the position elsewhere. And it feels like D’Arnaud would be a good catcher for a team that just lost one to free agency.
Team: Washington Nationals. Money: $5 million
RF Andrew Benintendi
Benintendi might not have the power numbers he once had. But the guy can still hit for average. He feels like a solid piece for any team looking to bolster their average and on-base categories. His value might be a little suppressed because of that profile, so the money is a little hard to gauge. He might be a piece that helps a team squeak into the playoffs though.
Team: Miami Marlins. Money: $7 million
RF Hunter Renfroe
There are a lot of guys that one could argue fit in as the 10th best free agent in the hitters class. It’s hard to ignore another home run mashing beast though. Renfroe has hit at least 26 home runs in each of the full seasons he has played. He doesn’t walk much, nor does he hit for average. He doesn’t really knock in runs either. Or score them. But man does this guy mash.
Team: New York Mets. Money: $7 million
3B Manny Machado
Machado would make any team happy. A 30-home run hitter that can hit .290 and steal some bags? Sign me up. There are a few teams that have the money to throw at a guy like Machado and none better than the home-town discount Minnesota Twins. With $40 million to spare and a 25% discount, the Twins have a path to contention and no clear alternative at 3B, making it a good prediction that he winds up back in Minnesota.
Team: Minnesota Twins. Money: $31 million
SS Dansby Swanson
Swanson is really hitting the prime of his career. As a 28-year-old shortstop, Swanson hit .277/.329/.447 last year with 25 homers and 96 RBIs. Swanson really came into his own the last two seasons and any team that wants to sign him will have to bank on that. Now that isn’t to say it was a fluke, but it does mean a team will have to pay up. Sources say the Dodgers want to compete. With some fat stacks waiting to be spent, Swanson would fit in well at SS in Los Angeles.
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers. Money: $30 million
LF Teoscar Hernandez
Hernandez is the first ranked outfielder in a class that has a few good options at the position. At 30-years-old, Hernandez has consistently provided some power throughout his career, averaging 33 home runs in a 162 game span. Hernandez feels like a good option for a team looking to inject power directly into their lineup. And a guy like Hernandez feels like he has to go to a team looking to contend now, which makes him a somewhat hard to place commodity.
Team: New York Mets. Money: $20 million
1B Rhys Hoskins
Hoskins or Jim Thome? You could have fooled me with a 30-home run guy in Philadelphia. Hoskins is another power hitting injection into any lineup, but provides a positional alternative as he fits in at 1B. Because of that, Hoskins makes a perfect fit in Seattle. Knowing that Seattle went after a couple power-hitting options at the position last season, and still trying to compete, Hoskins would provide an injection into the west coast.
Team: Seattle Mariners. Money: $18 million
1B CJ Cron
Thirty-two and ready to bloom? Cron is another power hitting first baseman that would provide an immediate injection into a lineup. But like Hernandez, Cron feels like he will need to attract a contender looking to make a jump.
Team: New York Mets. Money: $16 million
CF Brandon Nimmo
Nimmo does a little bit of everything well. He hits for a little bit of average, a little bit of power, but he knows how to get on-base and score. Any team looking to acquire Nimmo will slide in nicely at the top of a team’s lineup, both in real life and in ODC. He’s just a solid asset to have on a fantasy roster.
Team: St. Louis Cardinals. Money: $15 million
LF Cody Bellinger
Bellinger needs to prove himself. He’s lost a ton of value since his MVP season. Maybe when the shift is banned, Bellinger gains some of that back. Or maybe he just stinks. Regardless, pencil him in for 10 home runs into your lineup. A team acquiring Bellinger would probably look to flip him in a year or two in hopes of getting more in a trade than what they initially invested. There are a couple teams that that makes sense for. Cleveland could be one of them. Probably not, but could be.
Team: Cleveland Indians. Money: $11 million
C Travis D’Arnaud
D’Arnaud had a good season for the Atlanta Braves. He feels like a better fantasy catcher than real life catcher too. It would be hard to find 18 home runs from the position elsewhere. And it feels like D’Arnaud would be a good catcher for a team that just lost one to free agency.
Team: Washington Nationals. Money: $5 million
RF Andrew Benintendi
Benintendi might not have the power numbers he once had. But the guy can still hit for average. He feels like a solid piece for any team looking to bolster their average and on-base categories. His value might be a little suppressed because of that profile, so the money is a little hard to gauge. He might be a piece that helps a team squeak into the playoffs though.
Team: Miami Marlins. Money: $7 million
RF Hunter Renfroe
There are a lot of guys that one could argue fit in as the 10th best free agent in the hitters class. It’s hard to ignore another home run mashing beast though. Renfroe has hit at least 26 home runs in each of the full seasons he has played. He doesn’t walk much, nor does he hit for average. He doesn’t really knock in runs either. Or score them. But man does this guy mash.
Team: New York Mets. Money: $7 million
