Previewing the 2022-23 free-agent class: Second basemen

It is time to take a deeper take a look at the choices for groups in want of assist at second base.

Prime of the Class

The Phillies maintain a $17M membership possibility on Segura, so he might technically go within the “Membership Choices” part later on this preview. Nonetheless, regardless that Segura is an effective participant who’s had a stable season, it’s likelier that the Phils pay the choice’s $1M buyout than decide up that hefty wage. Segura has ample expertise at shortstop and has performed some third base as effectively, however he’s been a strict second baseman in Philly lately and different groups probably view him equally. The open market hasn’t been type to non-star, second-base-only gamers like Segura lately, even once they’re coming off respectable seasons.

That’s the case right here, as Segura has slashed .273/.335/.393 — good for a 106 wRC+ (suggesting he’s been seven p.c higher than the league-average hitter). Segura is a troublesome strikeout however doesn’t stroll a lot and has slowly seen his energy dwindle to below-average ranges. He usually has stable however unspectacular grades for his glovework at second base. He’ll be 33 subsequent spring.

At his greatest, Segura does somewhat little bit of every part — hitting for energy, hitting for common, swiping some bases, taking part in stable protection — however doesn’t essentially excel in anybody space. It’d be a shock if he obtained greater than two years in free company, and there are free-agent second basemen with greater ceilings however far much less current monitor document. In order for you the most secure wager to be a stable common on the place, Segura is the man.

As is usually the case, we’re taking a look at a fairly skinny crop of established second basemen available on the market this yr. That’s excellent news for Drury, who parlayed a minor league cope with the Reds right into a standout free-agent platform. Drury hit .274/.335/.520 and clubbed 21 house runs with the Reds earlier than a deadline commerce shipped him to San Diego. He hasn’t been almost nearly as good with the Friars (.227/.270/.454) however continues to be hitting for energy. On the entire, Drury has a .261/.317/.501 slash this season — about 23% higher than the common hitter by the measure of wRC+.

Defensively, Drury embodies the “jack of all trades, grasp of none” trope, however second base has traditionally been his greatest place. He’s drawn common marks there all through his profession and once more in 2022. The 30-year-old righty has feasted on left-handed pitching however principally simply held his personal towards right-handers. Drury hit effectively in a tiny pattern of 88 plate appearances with the 2021 Mets however was a non-factor with the Yankees and Blue Jays from 2018-20, batting a mixed .205/.254/.346 within the tough equal of a full season of taking part in time (167 video games, 582 plate appearances).

Drury will get a giant league deal this winter. The questions are whether or not his Cincinnati contributions are overshadowed by his San Diego struggles, whether or not he’ll get a glance as a utility possibility or as a participant at one major place, and whether or not there’s sufficient curiosity to generate a multi-year provide.

Veterans Coming Off Down Years

Cano sat out the whole 2021 season serving a 162-game suspension for his second failed PED take a look at and was launched by three completely different groups in 2022 — the ultimate season of the 10-year, $240M contract he initially signed with Seattle. Cano hit simply .150/.183/.190 in 104 Main League plate appearances this season and may not get one other MLB probability at this level.

One of many Padres’ marquee acquisitions on the 2021 commerce deadline, Frazier fell right into a deep stoop the second he was traded from Pittsburgh to San Diego. He was flipped to the Mariners in a cost-saving transfer final offseason and hasn’t rediscovered his Pittsburgh type with what’s now his third group. Frazier’s season in Seattle has been the worst full season of his massive league profession. He’s nonetheless been a stable defender between second base and the outfield corners, however he’s hitting simply .235/.299/.308 in 579 plate appearances. Since leaving the Pirates, Frazier has a .243/.307/.315 slash in 790 plate appearances; he batted .283/.346/.420 in elements of six seasons with Pittsburgh.

Lengthy a gentle common at second base, Hernandez has performed out his free-agent years on a sequence of one-year offers and might need reached the tip of his time as an on a regular basis participant in Washington. After swatting a career-high 21 homers final yr, the switch-hitter has only one lengthy ball in 2022.  He’s nonetheless collected 27 doubles and 4 triples, however the swift disappearance of his energy has left him with a .245/.308/.315 batting line — about 23% worse than league common by the measure of wRC+. Hernandez’s defensive marks at second base have taken a nosedive in current seasons, too, and Washington has begun taking part in him at different positions (third base, left area) to make room for the youthful Luis Garcia.

Simmons is, after all, primarily a shortstop. He noticed extra time at second base (106 innings) than at quick (104) in a quick and disastrous tenure as a  Cub, although. Simmons had two prolonged IL stints in 2022 on account of shoulder issues, hit simply .173/.244/.187 in 85 plate appearances, and was launched final month. Since a pair of above-average seasons on the plate in 2017-18, he’s mixed for 1087 plate appearances with three groups (Angels, Twins, Cubs) and posted a mixed .244/.298/.311 slash — only a 68 wRC+.

One other veteran infielder who signed a one-year cope with the Cubs and was launched this summer time, the switch-hitting Villar mustered solely a .208/.260/.302 output in 220 plate appearances between Chicago and Anaheim this season. He posted stable numbers with the 2021 Mets and, from 2018-21, batted .259/.327/.408 (99 wRC+) with 58 homers and a hefty 105 steals in simply shy of 2000 massive league plate appearances. Villar can play any second, third, and shortstop however doesn’t grade out effectively at any of the three.

Utility Gamers

Diaz has performed a minimum of 45 innings at 5 completely different positions this season: all 4 infield spots and left area. He was primarily a shortstop early in his profession and nonetheless has extra whole innings there than at any place. He by no means graded effectively there, and as he enters his mid-30s, he’ll be seen as extra of a utility participant. Diaz’s .255/.302/.427 line in 2022 is kind of much like the .259/.318/.433 slash he’s posted over 4 whole seasons with the ’Stros. He’s a right-handed bat who’s proven a fairly noticeable platoon break up over the previous couple of seasons, although early in his profession he hit fellow righties higher than lefties.

Peterson has performed principally third base in Milwaukee this season and posted sensational defensive marks there, together with 10 Defensive Runs Saved and 5 Outs Above Common in simply 583 innings. He’s spent extra time at second base than another place in his profession on the entire, nonetheless. The lefty-swinging Peterson has revived his profession with a stable three-year run in Milwaukee, hitting .241/.339/.379 (100 wRC+) with a hefty 12.4% stroll fee, 16 homers and 22 steals in 677 plate appearances. He’s even dealt with lefties effectively in a small pattern over the previous two seasons, though a profession .217/.289/.282 output towards them nonetheless suggests he’s greatest deployed towards righties solely.

A hamstring pressure value Solano greater than two months, however since being activated, he’s batted .292/.343/.397 with 4 homers and 15 doubles in 280 journeys to the plate. Solano has been fairly good at house, in Cincinnati’s Nice American Ball Park, and below-average on the highway, however that is the fourth consecutive season he’s headed for a minimum of league-average offense. Relationship again to his 2019 resurgence with the Giants, “Donnie Barrels” is hitting .303/.351/425 in 1055 plate appearances. He’ll flip 35 in December, although, and his defensive grades at second, third, and shortstop lately are all missing. He’s posted glorious numbers in 166 innings as a primary baseman this yr, nonetheless (5 DRS, 2 OAA).

Depth Items

• Ehire Adrianza (33): A switch-hitter with expertise all around the infield and within the outfield corners, Adrianza has hit simply .215/.302/.320 in 415 plate appearances courting again to 2020.
• Charlie Culberson (34): Since hitting a career-high 12 homers with the 2018 Braves, Culberson carries a .248/.291/.384 slash in 542 plate appearances. He nonetheless hits lefties effectively however has by no means had a lot success towards righties.
• Matt Duffy (32): Duffy opened the season because the Angels’ second baseman however spent important time on the injured listing this season, primarily on account of again hassle. He’s hit .255/.311/.317 in 225 plate appearances. Duffy can play any of second, third, or shortstop, however accidents have restricted him to 716 plate appearances over the previous 4 seasons.
• Alcides Escobar (36): Escobar had a quick resurgence with the 2021 Nats, however that was the one time since 2014 his bat has been near common. He hit .218/.262/.282 in 131 plate appearances with Washington this yr.
• Phil Gosselin (34): The journeyman utility participant has expertise at each infield spot and within the outfield corners. He hit .149/.182/.176 in 77 plate appearances this yr however did document a good .259/.316/.371 slash in 475 plate appearances from 2020-21.
• Rougned Odor (29): The O’s have considerably bizarrely given Odor 457 plate appearances regardless of poor defensive scores (-9 DRS, -3 OAA) and a .211/.278/.366 slash that usually mirrors the .200/.270/.378 line he’s posted in 966 plate appearances since 2020.
• Chris Owings (31): The large numbers Owings posted in a tiny pattern with the 2021 Rockies look even flukier after he hit .107/.254/.143 in 68 plate appearances with Baltimore in 2022. He’s hit .190/.266/.300 over his previous 667 MLB plate appearances.

Membership Choices

• Hanser Alberto (30): Alberto’s one-year cope with the Dodgers contained a $2M membership possibility and a $250K buyout. Los Angeles will all probably go for the buyout after Alberto has batted .225/.235/.344 in 153 journeys to the plate. Alberto has stable defensive scores across the infield and hits lefties effectively — profession .320/.337/.445 hitter in 577 plate appearances — giving him some bench enchantment. His current poor showings shall be laborious to miss, although.
• Josh Harrison (35): Harrison’s subsequent plate look shall be his four-hundredth, boosting his 2023 membership possibility worth from $5.5M to $5.625M. There’s a $1.5M buyout, making it a internet $4.125M possibility for the ChiSox. Primarily based strictly on his manufacturing — almost league-average offense and high quality protection at a number of positions — Harrison’s been price that quantity. The Sox have already got a crowded payroll and shall be searching for extra manufacturing from a number of spots of their lineup, nonetheless. They may additionally really feel they’ll discover comparable manufacturing/worth both in-house or at a decrease internet worth elsewhere available on the market.
• Whit Merrifield (34): Probably the greatest all-around gamers in MLB from 2017-21, Merrifield’s bat has fallen off a cliff in 2022, as he’s hitting simply .235/.286/.356 in 521 plate appearances. Nonetheless, his membership possibility is valued at an affordable $6.5M and comes with a $750K buyout. It’s a internet $5.75M resolution for the Blue Jays, and given Merrifield’s monitor document, that’s a fairly straightforward name to make. Throughout that ’17-’21 peak, Merrifield hit .292/.338/.438, twice main the Majors in hits and in addition main the American League in steals three completely different instances.
• Kolten Wong (32): Wong’s $10M membership possibility is a bit more durable to foretell, if solely as a result of the Brewers are likely to tread cautiously with membership choices and sometimes go for the buyout even of affordable offers. For Wong, that’d be a $2M buyout, rendering this an $8M internet resolution. Milwaukee’s payroll subsequent yr is already loaded, they usually could really feel they’ll substitute Wong’s worth in-house. With an $8M internet worth on the choice, it’s attainable he’d have some commerce worth to a group who’ll be searching for some upgrades at second base. Wong is hitting .252/.338/.435 and has tied a career-best with 15 homers. His defensive marks have fallen beneath common, nonetheless, as he’s missed time on account of a calf harm for a second straight season.