Atlanta Braves Trade Craig Kimbrel

Former Padres center fielder

(24) traded to the Braves today as part of the deal fro

Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Maybin

Maybin was a first round pick of the Tigers in the 2005 draft. He was traded to the Marlins in the Miguel Cabrera deal in 2007 and was a ranked prospect every year until 2009.   He was rated best defensive outfielder in the Tigers organization while there and held that spot with the Marlins. He always seemed on the verge of a breakout season but the Marlins got tired of waiting and sent him to the the Padres in 2010.

San Diego seemed to rejuvenate him and he hit .264/.323/.393 with 40 steals in 2011 and followed that by stealing 26 and posting .242/.306/.349 line in 2012. The Padres believe in him and extended him through 2016 with an option year. Injury restricted his 2013 to 14 games and 2014 saw him struggle to regain form. His bat seemed to have vanished as he hit .235/.290/.331 and managed only 4 thefts in 2014.

After the Padres trade for Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Will Myers, Maybin was out of a job. The Padres tried to trade him but no one wanted him with the long contract.  Maybin earns $7M this year, $8M next year and has a $9M option with a $1M buyout for 2017; essentially this year’s pay for Upton.

Maybin is an above average center fielder who posted DRS numbers of +6, +15, +9 and +4  in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014.  UZR seems to average about a +4 you can value that stat any way you like. He’ll hit in the neighborhood of .250/.300/.350 but now that he’s healthy, he could find his base stealing knack once more. He’s a local guy – well, Asheville, North Carolina is relatively local – and coming home with a clean slate and a chance to start over might be well be the thing that restarts his career.