5 MLB Free Agents Who Could Surprise In 2015
Which MLB free agents could surprise in 2015?
Major League Baseball free agent signings energize fans, especially when you are talking about big name free agents. But which of the less publicized MLB free agents will put up numbers that will leave teams feeling they got much more than they expected?
When choosing our list of ¨surprise¨ free agents, a number of factors come into play. How did their 2014 performances compare to their career numbers? Did the pressure of their contract year cause a decrease in their performance? Did the incentive of a new contract raise their production far beyond a normal year?
And what about intangibles? Are they going from a small market to a big one, or vice versa? What effect will that likely have on their production? At what stage are they in their careers? Will their new ball parks suit them better than their old ones?
The variables could go on and on. But with all of these factors considered, here are five players who could turn out to be big bargains:
Chase Headley. It has been like a revolving door for the New York Yankees this off-season. When the dust settles, keeping Headley could prove as a stroke of genius. Headley gave the Yankees some clutch hits in 2014. He also gave them the consistency they have looked for at third base since Alex Rodriguez injured his hip.
Should Headley return to his all star and gold glove form, a big Yankee question mark is eliminated. And there is plenty of room for improvement, when you consider he hit .243 in 2014 with 13 home runs. The Yankees willingness to keep him says volumes about their evaluation of his health.
Mark Reynolds
You may wonder how a player who hit 22 home runs in 2014 could be labeled as a potential surprise. His steady glove work and the ability to play more than one position should already make him a hot commodity. But the truth is that his offensive production has a tremendous upside.
Reynolds batted only .196 in 2014. With a new contract under his belt, this could be the season his overall production jumps. That dismal average left Reynolds with only 45 RBI. Look for his average to improve significantly and his RBI improvement to follow.
Alex Rios
The Kansas City Royals made the run in 2014 that they have waited for since the days of George Brett. Rios comes in with the chance to be one of the final pieces in the Royals´ quest for a championship. Interestingly, the Royals gave him only a one-year deal.
That means he has two things to play for. Besides a world series ring, he can earn another year. And if his impact is big enough, maybe he can even get a multi-year deal. So perhaps more than any of the signed free agents this year, Rios has a lot to gain. And he knows, at age 33, that he may not get too many more chances to get either of those.
Michael Cuddyer
Cuddyer is another player who knows he may be running out of chances. The Mets gave him two years and 21 million. ESPN ranks him as only the 45th best available free agent, so that puts him high on the list of potential surprises.
He merits selection due to his 2009 production. That season he blasted 32 home runs and added 94 RBI. Admittedly, that was five years ago. But consider that he also hit 20 homers in 2013. If he gets enough at bats for the Mets in 2015, there is no doubt that he has the ability to produce. With only a two-year deal, he needs to contribute right away.
Torii Hunter
Hunter returns to the Minnesota Twins with an opportunity to finish his career in the city that he made his name. But does he have enough left to make it a story book ending? You bet he does. In 2014, he batted .286 with 17 home runs and 83 RBI. When you consider that offensive numbers were down all over baseball, that performance was more than adequate.
Twins fans should welcome him home with open arms. A big season would show that small market teams can still compete for free agents. And in an era when player loyalty has seemed to vanish, Hunter could start a trend of going back home to finish out.
So there are five MLB free agents who could surprise this season. They all have shown the ability to put up the stats. And they all are motivated to have a big year. So look for all of them to prove themselves as bargains in November.