4. Yasiel Puig
After breaking into the league with a flourish that pointed to future All-Star selections and potential MVP awards, outfielder Yasiel Puig has settled into a solid but unspectacular career arc. The 29-year-old has hit .277/.348/.475 with 132 home runs, 415 RBI and 79 stolen bases. There have been ups and downs in Puig’s career, especially related to his maturity, but he has toned down the antics and is a dependable big leaguer.
Puig lost most of 2015 and 2016 to various minor injuries, but has hit .265/.334/.478 over the last three years with an average of 25 doubles, 25 home runs, 74 RBI and 16 stolen bases per year. The player Puig is now cannot be compared to what the Dodgers thought they were getting after he hit .319/.391/.534 in 104 games as a rookie. He has still been worth 20 WAR in what amounts to five full seasons in the big leagues and has a career OPS+ of 122.
The media narrative that has painted Puig as an immature, reckless, terrible teammate does not apply much anymore, but he may have a hard time shaking it as a free agent. He might do things every once in a while that leave his manager scratching his head, but there won’t be any off-field issues. As far as discipline goes, Puig can point to the 21 walks he drew in 49 games after being traded to the Indians at the deadline.
Without a qualifying offer attached to his name, Puig might offer the best value of the remaining outfielders left on the market. He has settled into a consistent .270/.340/.450 groove as a hitter and is an above-average defender and baserunner. Puig’s ceiling isn’t what it once was, but his floor appears to be a 3-WAR player with an OPS+ around 120. He’s a safe bet to outperform his contract over the course of a four-year deal.