15. Melky Cabrera, OF
Age on 2018 opening day: 33
2017 stats: .285/.324/.423, 666 PA, 17 HR, 1 SB, 36/74 BB/K
Career stats: .286/.335/.418, 473/812 BB/K, 6,852 PA
Interested teams: Athletics, Blue Jays, Giants, Mariners, Mets, Rangers, Royals, Tigers
CTTP prediction: Tigers, 2 years, $15.5 million
Info: Since being traded away from the Yankees after being a highly hyped prospect in the Yankee organization, Melky has been a journeyman, playing with 5 organizations in 8 seasons. Cabrera has excellent contact skills, but he doesn’t bring a ton of power to the plate, offering gap power and the ability to hit consistently as his primary positives as he’s not strong in the outfield defensively either. He’s likely looking for a spot he can get some time as a DH and in the outfield to get a full-time load.
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14. Todd Frazier, 3B
Age on 2018 opening day: 32
2017 stats: .213/.344/.428, 576 PA, 27 HR, 4 SB, 83/125 BB/K
Career stats: .245/.321/.459, 336/819 BB/K, 3,766 PA
Interested teams: Braves, Mets, Padres, Royals, White Sox
CTTP prediction: Royals, 2 years, $21 million
Info: After a half-decade in Cincinnati, Frazier was part of a big blockbuster trade before the 2016 season that sent him to the White Sox. He hit 40 home runs in his first season with the White Sox in 2016 but managed a .225 batting average. His 2017 wasn’t any better, hitting 27 home runs between the White Sox and Yankees with a .213 average. Frazier came up late (25 at his debut), so he’s hitting free agency for the first time already with his skills in decline, and that could cost him some significant money, but he is well-regarded in the clubhouse and would be a good fit for a team looking for someone in that role.
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13. Eduardo Nunez, Util
Age on 2018 opening day: 30
2017 stats: .313/.341/.460, 491 PA, 12 HR, 24 SB, 18/54 BB/K
Career stats: .282/.320/.415, 115/304 BB/K, 2,330 PA
Interested teams: Indians, Angels, Mets, Royals, Cardinals
CTTP prediction: Indians, 2 years, $16.5 million
Info: Nunez struggled to break through in New York, but in Minnesota, he found a role as a utility man, starting at short, third, second, the outfield, and a number of positions. Along the way he’s developed into a solid contact hitter that can combine some power along with above-average speed, leading to 16 HR and 40 SB in 2016 between the Twins and Giants. He has value in that role for a number of teams in that he could start 5 days a week around the field giving days off and working in platoon/partnership with another player at one position.
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12. Mitch Moreland, 1B
Age on 2018 opening day: 32
2017 stats: .246/.326/.443, 576 PA, 22 HR, 57/120 BB/K
Career stats: .252/.317/.439, 268/709 BB/K, 3,338 PA
Interested teams: Angels, Indians, Mariners, Red Sox, Royals, Rays
CTTP prediction: Angels, 3 years, $17 million
Info: Moreland is a borderline-elite defensive first baseman that offers above-average power, making his presence fairly valuable wherever he lands, but also a commodity that seems fairly replaceable for the team he’s part of each season. He would fit best with a team with a fairly established power lineup around him that would allow him to simply do his work at first while letting whatever he gave with the bat be gravy.
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11. Zack Cozart, SS
Age on 2018 opening day: 32
2017 stats: .297/.385/.548, 507 PA, 24 HR, 3 SB, 62/78 BB/K
Career stats: .254/.305/.411, 195/491 BB/K, 3,028 PA
Interested teams: Cardinals, Marlins, Orioles, Padres, Royals
CTTP prediction: Orioles, 3 years, $44 million
Info: Cozart is a near-impossible player to rank. His 2017 was incredibly outside of his career performance thus far. His defensive skills at short are off the chart, but after a devastating knee injury in 2015, how much time he’s got left at that level is anyone’s guess as he already saw some significant steps back defensively this year. He would work well as a utility player or at short with a strong third baseman defensively to ensure any steps back defensively don’t hurt the team.
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