Cincinnati Reds: Five free agent outfielders to pursue this offseason

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CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 22: Yasiel Puig #66 of the Cleveland Indians looks out from the dugout against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Progressive Field on September 22, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians defeated the Phillies 10-1. (Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images) /

The Cincinnati Reds could conceivably use at upgrade at any of the three outfield positions. Which five free agents should the Reds pursue this offseason?

When a relief pitcher as gathering a handful of starts in the outfield, you know it’s time to reevaluate the position. While I love Michael Lorenzen‘s versatility, let’s be honest – the Cincinnati Reds need to upgrade the outfield. No one, currently on the Reds roster, should be guaranteed a starting spot in 2020. With that in mind, let’s look at who’s available in free agency.

Nick Senzel made the transition from third base to center field last season. It was no easy task, especially for a rookie, and some might even say the experiment was not a success. There’s a chance that Senzel could remain in center field next season, or he could move back to his natural position on the infield dirt.

Yasiel Puig manned right field for more than half of the 2019 season before being dealt to Cleveland in a trade that netted Trevor Bauer. Puig brought energy and excitement to Great American Ball Park on s nightly basis, but the immediate impact of Aristides Aquino made Reds Country quickly forget about the Wild Horse.

Jesse Winker and Phillip Ervin split time in left field for the Reds in 2019. Josh VanMeter, Derek Dietrich and José Peraza were also given chances to try their hand at locking down that spot. None of those players really took the bull by the horns, leaving many fans what to make of situation in left field when the 2020 season begins.

Fear not Reds fans, for there are several free agent outfielders available this offseason. While it’s hard to find a centerfielder among the group that may supplant Senzel, the plethora of talented corner outfielders available may give the Reds a chance to upgrade left or right field through free agency. Here are five outfielders the Reds could pursue this offseason.

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – OCTOBER 07: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium on October 07, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images) /

1. Marcell Ozuna

Topping the list among free agent outfielders should be Marcell Ozuna. The St. Louis Cardinals left fielder was previously a member of the Miami Marlins, but has spent the past two seasons locking down an outfield spot in the shadow of the St. Louis Arch. Ozuna is likely to cash in this offseason, as he and Nicholas Castellanos may be the best outfielders on the market.

Ozuna’s batting average dipped to career-low in 2019, but his power was ever-present. The 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic slashed .241/.328/.427 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs. Though his batting average dipped last season, his slugging percentage and OPS were marked the best numbers he’d seen since his All-Star season in 2017 with Miami.

Ozuna is not a terrific defender, but neither is Jesse Winker or Phillip Ervin. Ozuna was, however, responsible for 2 defensive runs saved in 2019. Winker had a negative number in that area, while Ervin earned 3 DRS in right field and 6 DFS overall in 2019.

A two-time All-Star and owner of four consecutive seasons of 20-plus homers, Ozuna would definitely bring a strong presence to middle of the Reds batting order. With Eugenio Suárez, and perhaps Aristides Aquino, as the only current sources of power in the Reds lineup, adding Ozuna’s bat would add some protection for the middle of the lineup.

Ozuna will be looking for a multi-year deal, and if the Cardinals decide to extend a qualifying offer to him, a draft pick would be required as well. I’d be hesitant to sign Ozuna based on the past two seasons that saw a decrease in production from 2017. That said, Ozuna could easily pulverize 30-plus homers a season in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 10: Corey Dickerson #31 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on September 10, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Braves 6-5. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

2. Corey Dickerson

Dick Williams and Nick Krall should take a good, long look at Corey Dickerson. The former Pittsburgh Pirate brings a Gold Glove caliber defense and power from the left side of the dish. Did I mention that Dickerson loves hitting at Great American Ball Park? For his career, Dickerson is a .373 hitter at GABP with a 1.226 OPS and 9 home runs in 19 games.

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Last season, Dickerson split time between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Regardless of which team he was on, he did damage when facing the Reds. In 7 starts, Dickerson put up an OPS of .899 while slugging 3 home runs and 8 RBIs.

Compared to some of the other free agent outfielders available this winter, Dickerson may come fairly cheap. He’s unlikely to garner the same type fo attention as Marcell Ozuna, Nicholas Castellanos or even Yasiel Puig. However, Dickerson has the capability to put up similar offensive numbers to those aforementioned free agent outfielders.

Dickerson’s defense in 2018 was not what it was in 2018 when he took home his first Gold Glove. In fact, after putting up 16 defensive runs saved in 2018, last season, that number dropped to -6. That’s a huge drop in defensive production. Dickerson has great defensive ability, but it didn’t show last year.

Dickerson does have a penchant to swing a lot. Last season, Dickerson’s walk-rate was just 5.7%, however, that was up from 3.9% the year before. By comparison, Ervin’s walk-rate in 2019 was 6.9% and Winker led the trio at 9.9% after putting up a walk-rate of 14.7% in 2018. If you’re looking for patience at the plate, Dickerson is not that guy.

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 08: Avisail Garcia #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a single against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in game four of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 08, 2019 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

3. Avisaíl García

Avisaíl García is an interesting name to watch this offseason. Part of the Tampa Bay Rays club that went to the ALDS, García is coming a season that saw him rebound from a terrible outing in 2018. Following a season in which the right fielder hit just .236, García slashed .282/.332/.464 with 20 homers and 72 RBIs.

García profiles better for an American League team, as the 28-year-old saw 23 starts as the Rays designated hitter in 2019. However, García is a capable fielder with 2 defensive runs saved in 2019, the right-handed slugger also saw a couple starts in center field. By no means should García find a home in the middle of the outfield grass, but the Venezuelan does possess that type of versatility.

I would put the Reds chances of chasing García as very minimal. Compared to who the Reds would put on the filed in 2020, it’s hard to see García being an upgrade over Aristides Aquino. The Punisher took the baseball world by storm in August of last year, but cooled down once the season entered September.

Avisaíl García is two years removed from a career-year with the Chicago White Sox. In 2017, García represented the South Siders in the Midsummer Classic, slashing .330/.380/.506 with 18 home runs and 80 RBIs. While Aquino’s strikeout-rate may be slightly higher than García’s, so is his walk-rate. Not a very patient hitter, García’s walk-rate in 2019 was 5.8%.

To me, if the Cincinnati Reds are looking to upgrade right field, they’re going to have to do better than Avisaíl García. That spot should be Aquino’s to lose, and I’d be very hesitant to spend big money in right field with The Punisher making just league minimum and under team control for several more seasons.

DENVER, CO – AUGUST 13: Jarrod Dyson #1 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates after hitting a first inning leadoff homer against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 13, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

4. Jarrod Dyson

The cupboard is pretty bare when it comes to the center field market this offseason. If the Cincinnati Reds are looking to upgrade the middle of the outfield grass, their best bet may be look a potential trade. However, if the front office is looking for a defensive-minded centerfielder, adding a player like Jarrod Dyson could be the play.

At 34-years-old, Dyson may be a bit long in the tooth. He’s also not going to be confused for Mike Trout, as Dyson’s career batting average is just .247 and the left-handed hitter slashed just .230/.313/.320 with 7 home runs and 27 RBIs in 2019.

Dyson played all over the Arizona Diamondbacks outfield in 2019, but saw most of his opportunities in center field. With 61 starts in center field, Dyson was responsible for 5 defensive runs saved and had 13 DFS overall. Dyson would definitely upgrade the Reds outfield from a defensive standpoint.

However, with the Reds needing an offensive makeover this winter, one wonders if it’s wise to spend money in free agency on a defensive-minded outfielder. With the recent addition of Travis Jankowski and Jose Siri sitting down at Triple-A Louisville, the Reds already have two players with a similar profile to Dyson. Both Jankowski and Siri are also cheaper options.

If the Cincinnati Reds are bound and determined to have Senzel return to the infield and unable to swing a trade for centerfielder, then maybe the front office would go after Dyson. However, given the Reds need for offense, I think Dyson is likely off the Reds radar. Again, the center field market does not yield a lot of impact players this winter, but Dyson may be the best of the bunch.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 08: Yasiel Puig #66 of the Cleveland Indians looks on in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins during the game at Target Field on September 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 5-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /

5. Yasiel Puig

Oh, how Reds Country would love this! Might the Reds front office really entertain the idea of a reunion with Yasiel Puig? Could the Reds really pull one over on the entire league and bring the Wild Horse back to Cincinnati? There is a chance, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. While Puig may have enjoyed his time in the Queen City, he’ll command a large salary.

How much will Yasiel Puig get on the open market? With the trade to Cleveland, there’s no qualifying offer or draft pick tied to signing the 28-year-old. Puig finished the 2019 season slashing .267/.327/.458 with 24 home runs and 84 RBIs. Puig’s OPS+ of 100 puts him squarely in the middle of the pack.

I ask this question knowing that it’ll ruffle the feathers of a few Reds fans, but is Yasiel Puig more style than substance? Puig put up just a 1.3 WAR last season after a 2.7 WAR in 2018 and 3.8 WAR in 2017. To be honest, it appears that Puig’s production is going in the wrong direction. His power numbers were down this season despite playing 50 games at Great American Ball Park.

The same issue with Avisaíl García is true of Yasiel Puig – is he a better option than Aristides Aquino in right field? Unfortunately, Aquino’s sample size is too small to answer that question. I’m also curious if Puig would want to return to Cincinnati after being traded and Turner Ward being replaced as the Reds hitting coach.

Next. Way-to-early Reds roster predictions for 2020

I would not be upset to see Puig back in a Cincinnati Reds uniform, but it’d have to be at the right price. I’d expect Puig to sign a contract similar to what we saw A.J. Pollock or Michael Brantley ink last offseason. That’d put Puig’s 2020 salary between $12M-$16M per season. We’ll see how the outfield shakes out, but seeing Puig back in Cincinnati would definitely energize the fan base.

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