Atlanta Braves: Where can they bolster the bench?
Do you Prefer Profar?
The first is Jurickson Profar, who after years of hype, lived up to it (somewhat) last season with the Rangers, as he hit 20 homers in first season with regular at-bats.
Profar played all but two games in the infield, but has dabbled in the outfield in the past.
This will be Profar’s first year in the arbitration process and mlbtraderumors.com projects his salary to be $3.4 million next year.
With three more years of control, career-best numbers (so far) and a reasonable contract, the asking price for Profar will be substantial.
VILLAR
Jonathan Villar was involved in a trade deadline deal that sent him from Milwaukee to Baltimore. The Orioles might be able to add more prospects to a still weak farm system by moving Villar.
He also will be first-year arbitration eligible and hit 14 homers for the season, but also played above average defense at second base, which equaled a WAR of nearly three.
Primarily a middle infielder, Villar played six games in center field in 2017 and seven games in the outfield in 2016.
His best season was in 2016, when he hit 19 homers and stole 62 (!) bases.
The rebuilding Orioles will ask for a lot if teams ask about Villar, considering he is 27 years old, with three years of control left.
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HARRISON
The last and most expensive trade possibility is Josh Harrison for the Pirates, who has team options in 2019 and 2020 for 10.5 million and 11.5 million… well, he “had” options. The Pirates have just cut him loose, so he actually belongs on the previous page now!
Harrison first asserted himself as a utility player in 2014, when he played 72 games at third base and 52 games in the outfield.
He again was a utility player in 2015 before becoming a regular at second base in 2016.
An all-star in 2017, Harrison played in only 97 games in 2018, with a poor line of .250/.293/.363.
It would be smart for Pittsburgh to pick up the options and explore trade options, but it would not be shocking for the Pirates to decline the options all together. Right.
More Options
Other trade candidates include Daniel Robertson from Tampa Bay, Logan Morrison from Minnesota, Martin Prado and Mel Rojas from Miami. But all three have substantial salaries that would need to be taken on.
dark. Next. 5 possible free agents for the Braves
If Anthopolous follows the Dodgers’ blueprint of depth throughout the 40-man roster, then I would expect significant additions to the bench this off-season.