Cincinnati Reds: 4 free agents worth overpaying this offseason

1. Didi Gregorius, Shortstop

It’s time for the Reds to bring Didi Gregorius back home. Gregorius made his MLB debut with Cincinnati back in 2012. He played just eight games for the Reds before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a three-team deal that brought Shin-Soo Choo to the Queen City. Gregorius is the top shortstop available this winter.

Gregorius is not an elite defender, but has enough skills to hold down the fort at shortstop. According to FanGraphs, Gregorius has accounted for -7 defensive runs saved during his big league career. But, if the Reds sign Gregorius, they’re doing so for his bat, not his glove. Gregorius returned to form last season after missing half the 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Cincinnati went into the 2020 season with Freddy Galvis as the team’s starting shortstop. Multiple defensive gaffes and a poor batting average led to Galvis losing his starting spot as the team’s shortstop with David Bell instead turning to José García. The Reds top shortstop prospect showed he had the chops to play the position defensively, but the rookie needs more seasoning in order to reach his potential.

The Reds top internal option to fill the role at shortstop next season is Kyle Farmer. I love Farmer as much as the next guy, but to consider him as the team’s starting shortstop is a bit of a stretch. MLB Trade Rumors actually predicts Gregorius will sign a three-year deal with Cincinnati for $39M. With an average annual value (AAV) of $13M, that feels about right, though the Reds may have to offer a bit more.