Surprisingly, it has taken this long for Alex Bregman to be signed off the free agency market. He tried withholding for a seven-year contract, but ultimately chose a three-year deal worth $120 million with the Boston Red Sox.
Now that Bregman is off the table, third-basemen-needy teams must turn to what scraps are left. These teams are the Marlins (Connor Norby), Brewers (Oliver Dunn or Caleb Durbin), Athletics (Gio Urshela), Nationals (José Tena), and any team with a significant injury; all have less-than-ideal options at the hot corner.
What free agents remain on the market?
Let us be honest; no substantial options are available on the free agency market anymore. Jace Peterson (.045 average in 22 at-bats), Brian Anderson (.000 in five at-bats), and Matt Duffy (.286 in seven at-bats) combined to play in 22 games last season. Luís Urías played in 41 innings, hitting .191 in 94 at-bats. With only these primary third basemen available, teams would be better off trying to add an infielder and convincing him to change positions.
What free agents could change positions?
Paul DeJong
DeJong has been primarily a shortstop throughout his 11-year career, but last season, he played 41 games at the hot corner for the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals. He has never been known to hit for batting average, as in his career, he has never hit above .251. DeJong does offer a little bit of power to a team. He hit 24 home runs and drove in 56 runs in the 2024 season.
Paul DeJong and the @Royals grab the early lead in the AL Central battle in Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/q2EtgDuRDo
— MLB (@MLB) August 27, 2024
Whit Merrifield
Merrifield has only played 19 games at third base, but he has played all positions except shortstop or catcher in the field over his nine-year career. His batting average dropped from .272 in 2023 to .222 in 2024, when he only hit four home runs and 15 RBIs. The 36-year-old does not possess much power but can get on base and has speed. He was successful on 17 of 20 base attempts between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves last season.
Justin Turner
Turner has been a primary third baseman for most of his 16-year career. In 2023, he started primarily at first base or designated hitter. Although Turner is 40, he still possesses a little power that teams are always seeking. Last season with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners he hit 11 home runs and 55 RBIs while playing in 139 games. He has been a durable player for teams, playing in at least 109 games since the 2014 season (not including the pandemic-shortened season).
What trade options are available?
Nolan Arenado
Arenado's name has been mentioned in rumors all offseason. The St. Louis Cardinals had a trade with the Houston Astros in place, but Arenado used his no-trade clause to nix the deal.
The Cardinals want to get younger and have the 24-year-old Gorman, whom the team is trying to get more at-bats. Gorman has not hit for average in his three-year career, but he does offer power production. Last season, he hit .203/.301/.435 with 19 home runs and 50 runs batted in over 365 at-bats.
What does Alex Bregman's reported deal with the Red Sox mean for Nolan Arenado's trade market? #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/cxtVnVhPDm
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 13, 2025
Reports are that Arenado will start the season with the Cardinals, but for how long is the question. The team is in full rebuild mode, so the catalyst to spark a trade may be an injury for a team with a postseason berth on its agenda.
Brett Baty
Baty was the 12th overall pick in 2019 for the New York Mets. He has been one of the team's top prospects over his five seasons in the minors, hitting for a career batting average of .283 with 64 home runs and 225 runs batted in, but that has not transitioned to the major leagues. He has played in 169 games over the last three seasons for the Mets, but he has hit only .215 with 15 home runs and 55 runs batted in during that span.
Baty is now blocked positionally by 25-year-old Mark Vientos, who had a breakout 2024 season. He hit .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs and 71 runs batted in. Vientos is the future with five more years of team control for the Mets, leaving Baty with no clear path back to the big leagues.
He has played one game in left field, and four games as the Mets' designated hitter, but with his offensive struggles and better options at those positions, Baty will be stuck on the bench or in the minors. This situation makes the 25-year-old a perfect trade candidate for a team willing to take a chance on a player who has shown promise in the minors but has been unable to translate that to the highest level.
Casey Schmitt
Schmitt was a second-round pick in 2020 for the San Francisco Giants. In four seasons in the minor leagues, he has hit .280/.347/.458 with 46 home runs and 198 runs batted in, but like Baty, Schmitt has struggled in the major leagues. Over the last two seasons, he has accrued 360 at-bats, only hitting .219/.264/.369 with just 11 home runs and 46 runs batted in.
Schmitt is blocked at third by Matt Chapman, who just signed a six-year extension this offseason. With Schmitt's success in the minor leagues and showing flashes last season for the Giants, posting a .760 OPS, he could help a third basemen-needy team looking towards the future.