2019 hitters/fielders

Tuesday, June 26 2018 @ 12:03 PM EDT

Contributed by: John Northey

With this year not going well it is hard not to look to 2019.  Baring trades, who is lined up for each position?  Just offense here.  We can guess at most of their defense.

Who: Age in 2019, salary, details.

Catcher
Russell Martin: 36, $20 mil, last year of contract.  165/317/294 but 0.5 bWAR.
Luke Maile: 28, pre-arb.  241/331/397 0.9 bWAR
Danny Jansen:24, no ML experience, 299/413/474 in AAA
Reese McGuire : 24, no ML experience, 231/326/306 in AAA - might be a good backup someday.
Max Pentecost: 26, no ML experience, 216/264/330 in AA - ah well, looked good when drafted.
Doubt anyone believes Maile will keep those numbers up.  Still, could see all 3 up next year with Martin being a super-sub and Jansen getting a fair amount of DH time.

First Base/DH
Justin Smoak: 32, $6 mil option then free agent.  236/360/424 1.2 bWAR
Kendrys Morales: 36,$12 mil then free agent, 242/310/418 0.1 bWAR
Rowdy Tellez: 24, no ML experience, 252/336/385 - still not ready sigh...

Most players could move here if needed.  A shame Tellez hasn't shown the promise he had a couple years ago.

Second Base
Devon Travis: 28, 2nd year arbitration, 233/282/397 0.1 bWAR
Tim Lopes : 25, AAA no ML, 288/344/366
Cavan Biggio : 24, AA no ML, 278/399/561 also plays 3B/1B
Pretty thin unless Biggio is for real.  Guys at SS/3B and Martin could move here.

Third Base
Yangervis Solarte: 31 signed for 2019/2020 (both options, net value of $13.5 million) 252/308/456 0.8 bWAR
Gio Urshela: 27 pre arb, 233/283/326 -0.3 bWAR - designated for assignment so not really in the picture anymore.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.:20, AA 407/457/667

If Donaldson is gone Solarte will fill in until Vlad is called up.  Gio is no more than a backup.

Shortstop
Troy Tulowitzki : 34, $20 in 2019, $14 mil in 2020, $4 buyout of $14 mil option for 2021 no playing time in 2018 yet, 250/313/414 as a Jay over 3 years 987 PA.
Aledmys Diaz : 28, pre arb, 239/277/402 0.5 bWAR not a bad backup
Bo Bichette : 21, AA, 285/352/458 - not the 400 hitter we saw the last couple of years, but still damn good.

So Tulo is option A, Diaz B with Bichette called up as soon as possible.  Not bad.

Infield
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. : 25,signed through 2023 for roughly $20 mil total, mix of AA/AAA/ML 276/305/442. 2B/SS could probably handle 3B/LF/RF/1B too.


Outfield
LF: Teoscar Hernandez : 26, ML/AAA pre arb 264/307/543
CF: Kevin Pillar: 30, 2nd year arb, free agent post 2020, 242/276/410 1.6 bWAR
RF: Randal Grichuk: 27, 2nd year arb, free agent post 2020, 194/272/448 0.6 bWAR

OF: Dwight Smith: 26, pre-arb, 300/382/533 in 34 PA (so big grain of salt)
OF: Anthony Alford: 24, pre-arb, 143/250/143 in 16 PA
OF: Dalton Pompey: 26, pre-arb, 200/273/200 in 11 PA

I think I covered the usual suspects plus most likely to get a look in spring guys.  Of course, Donaldson being resigned or a free agent coming in or someone being traded changes everything.  Still, I like the depth all around at the moment for 2019. 

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