Danny Valencia
Unlike most first baseman on the market, Valencia can ultimately play both corner positions and some outfield. New York’s outfield is set, but young guys like Austin and Andujar may be inconsistent in their roles.
Valencia offers a veteran presence and a solid combination of decent power and contact ability. He didn’t post glossy numbers in 2017, but he demonstrated his potential in each of the two seasons before that.
More importantly, he showcased this respectable power, swatting double-digit bombs in each of the last three years. His OPS dropped mightily between 2016 and 2017, but being in Yankee Stadium can help most hitters succeed.
Despite Valencia’s ability to hit for contact in recent years, he still has issues with striking out. Opposing pitchers racked up more than 100 whiffs against him in each of the past two seasons. That could deter New York from looking into him.
Compared to Frazier, the former Seattle player might not be as appealing. Frazier’s power overshadows the glaring issues in his game sometimes. Valencia’s characteristics aren’t shiny enough to distract people from his weaknesses.
Overall, Valencia is a hard-nosed veteran that can log plenty of innings even while not being an everyday starter. For a team that has some lingering questions in the infield, Valencia could help in this transition year.
And he wouldn’t cost much money, especially in a one-year deal.