Fansided

Top 25 MLB free agents for 2019

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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The Chicago Cubs’ Nicholas Castellanos celebrates with teammate Victor Caratini (7) after scoring off a sacrifice fly by Kyle Schwarber during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Wednesday Sept. 18, 2019. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs’ Nicholas Castellanos celebrates with teammate Victor Caratini (7) after scoring off a sacrifice fly by Kyle Schwarber during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Wednesday Sept. 18, 2019. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /

14. Nicholas Castellanos

Few free agents on this list did more to make a case for themselves this season than right fielder Nicholas Castellanos. The 27-year-old outfielder had a career year and was one of the best players down the stretch for the Cubs, doing his best to propel a listless offense back into the playoffs. Castellanos did more than enough to make a case for a five-year deal.

Castellanos split the 2019 season between Detroit and Chicago, compiling a .289/.337/.525 line with an MLB-leading 58 doubles, 27 home runs and 73 RBI. After being dealt to the Cubs, he went on a tear, hitting .321/.356/.646 with 21 doubles, 16 home runs and 36 RBI in 51 games. Castellanos has hit .287/.337/.505 over the past three years with 140 doubles, 18 triples, 76 home runs and 263 RBI. He has been a doubles machine and is starting to see a few more of those extra-base hits clear the fence.

There will be detractors to Castellanos’ overall skill set, but he could not have done more to bump his stock in his 51 games with the Cubs. His offensive value is almost entirely dependent on his batting average on balls in play because he rarely walks. On the flip side, Castellanos consistently hits the ball hard and to all fields. His contact breakdown hasn’t varied much from year to year.

Clearly, there was a little bit of luck to Casteallanos hitting 58 doubles this year, but he did hit 46 the year prior. It’s up to his agent now to sell him as a productive hitter who could still have some upside as he enters his age-28 season. Four years and $60 million definitely isn’t out of the question for Castellanos when he signs his next contract.

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