Today we will start our look at the 2014-2015 free agents by looking at the catchers and infielders on the market this offseason. Disclaimer: this preview is being done before the end of the season, so many of these players have options that may be picked up.
Catchers
John Buck, 34: .225/.289/.281, 97 PA
Ryan Doumit, 34: .199/.238/.325, 160 PA
Nick Hundley, 31 – $5M club option: .240/.271/.361, 223 PA
Gerald Laird, 35: .207/.279/.260, 165 PA
Russell Martin, 32: .297/.408/.442, 364 PA
Jeff Mathis, 32 – $1.5M club option: .200/.261/.271, 189 PA
Wil Nieves, 36: .248/.258/.342, 122 PA
A.J. Pierzynski, 38: .252/.289/.338, 361 PA
David Ross, 38: .187/.263/.373, 169 PA
Geovany Soto, 32: .222/.290/.349, 69 PA
This all depends on what the Braves choose to do with the Evan Gattis/Christian Bethancourt combo at catcher this offseason. Do they hand over the reigns completely to Bethancourt? Do they trade Gattis to a team that can get his bat at DH and C to maximize his value? Do they bring in someone else completely? I’d personally like to see Bethancourt and Gattis both starting in 2015, with Gattis getting 2-4 starts a week at catcher and one start a week at LF/1B (someone recently on a forum suggested an offseason of 3B for Gattis, and if it was feasible, I’d be ALL over that idea if I were the Braves). The Braves have some minor league options to be the third guy if the Braves choose to go that way with Steven Lerud, Matt Kennelly, and Braeden Schlehuber as options. Schlehuber is the elite-level defender, while Lerud and Kennelly offer some contact and low-strikeout skills that are nice off the bench. With the age of Ross and Laird and likely high salary of Hundley, the three guys I like most off this list are really not great options. Martin’s going to get a very good contract coming off one of his best ever seasons. Soto might be a sneaky guy, but if he’s not hitting, he’s really a liability on the team as his defense is mediocre behind the plate outside of his arm.
Infielders
Mike Aviles, 34 – $3.5M club option: .245/.268/.342, 358 PA
Clint Barmes, 36: .253/.330/.303, 112 PA
Emilio Bonifacio, 30: .269/.311/.352, 401 PA
Billy Butler, 29 – $12.5M club option: .266/.318/.373, 575 PA
Asdrubal Cabrera, 29: .242/.308/.392, 598 PA
Alberto Callaspo, 32: .225/.293/.293, 447 PA
Michael Cuddyer, 36: .333/.378/.602, 185 PA
Yozzen Cuesta, 25: Cuban defector
Stephen Drew: 32: .163/.238/.295, 277 PA
Mark Ellis, 38: .182/.255/.216, 200 PA
Rafael Furcal, 37: .171/.216/.229, 37 PA
Jack Hannahan, 35 – $4M club option: .163/.200/.233, 45 PA
J.J. Hardy, 32: .273/.313/.378, 549 PA
Corey Hart, 33: .202/.271/.316, 228 PA
Chase Headley, 31: .236/.320/.356, 506 PA
Kelly Johnson, 33: .209/.290/.353, 279 PA
Adam LaRoche, 35 – $15M mutual option: .255/.359/.452, 568 PA
Adam Lind, 31 – $7.5M club option: .321/.384/.489, 302 PA
Jed Lowrie, 31: .245/.321/.354, 538 PA
John McDonald, 40: .162/.250/.176, 89 PA
Mike Morse, 33: .279/.336/.476, 482 PA
Donnie Murphy, 32: .196/.268/.330, 128 PA
Lyle Overbay, 38: .238/.336/.343, 286 PA
Carlos Pena, 37: .136/.190/.237, 63 PA
Nick Punto, 37 – $2.75 club option: .209/.302/.289, 213 PA
Aramis Ramirez, 37 – $14M mutual option: .288/.334/.434, 512 PA
Hanley Ramirez, 31: .284/.368/.452, 500 PA
Mark Reynolds, 32: .196/.287/.394, 433 PA
Brian Roberts, 37: .237/.300/.360, 348 PA
Pablo Sandoval, 28: .280/.326/.421, 613 PA
Ramon Santiago, 35: .247/.347/.310, 209 PA
Rickie Weeks, 32 – $11.75 vesting option: .264/.340/.435, 268 PA
Kevin Youkilis, 36: Did not play in 2014
Ben Zobrist, 34 – $7.5M club option: .269/.353/.393, 633 PA
The Braves infield currently is not just full, but even overloaded. Tommy La Stella has the 2B job, but Jose Peraza is charging hard behind him. Guys like Tyler Pastornicky can’t even break through with the major league job in a backup role. I would imagine the Braves look to shop Chris Johnson from 3B and test the waters on what else is out there. The biggest thing needed for the Braves is a utility guy who is trustworthy to a certain level with the bat, and the guy they have in-house in Emilio Bonifacio provides just that. Add in Philip Gosselin and Elmer Reyes as options off the bench as well, and it would be understandable if the Braves don’t sign anyone in the infield, though it wouldn’t make a ton of sense. If Johnson were gone, I’d love to see the Braves make a run at Sandoval for the high-contact, low-K bat or Hardy for the power and defense and move him to 3B.