Two Veteran Outfielders the Cincinnati Reds Should Target in Free Agency

Nick Krall is on the hunt for a starting pitcher, but the Reds need outfield help too.

Author:
Jeff Carr
Publish date:
Nov 28, 2023 8:59 AM EST

In this story:

Much has been made of the Cincinnati Reds need for pitching this offseason. The Reds also have another area of need: the outfield. To what degree the outfield is a need is up for debate.

First, let's take a look at what they have on their 40-man roster:

Current Roster

Sep 20, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds right fielder Will Benson (30) reacts after hitting a triple against the Minnesota Twins during the seventh inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports — David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

TJ Friedl, Jake Fraley, and Will Benson all showed talent at the plate and in the field in 2023.

Spencer Steer is expected to spend a lot of time in left field next year, which is great for getting his bat in the lineup, but he's a question mark defensively. The problem with being locked in on Friedl, Fraley, and Benson is they are all left handed.

Friedl hits lefties well, but the other two are abysmal in a small sample. The Reds have an organizational philosophy of not putting players in situations that are unfavorable to them, so they need to add at least one right-handed bat in the outfield.

There are a few options they could pursue this offseason, including a veteran that could play everyday.

Teoscar Hernandez, Right Fielder

Sep 29, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Teoscar Hernandez (35) scores a run against the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports — Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Career stats: 811 games, .261 BA, .316 OBP, .486 SLG, 159 HR

Hernandez is a great option for Great American Ballpark. Last season he saw an uptick in strikeout rate due to a higher chase and whiff rate than he is used to in his career. With a bit of a course correction, and GABP’s launching pad, Hernandez could be back to the Silver Slugger he was in 2021 for the Blue Jays.

That season he slashed .296/.346/.524 in 143 games with 32 homers and 116 RBI. While that stands as an outlier because it is the best year of his career, the strikeout total he saw last year were the worst of his career. We will likely see a resurgent Hernandez in 2023 and that would be awesome in the middle of the Reds lineup.

Spotrac has Hernandez’s possible average annual value at just over $16 million. Even if they make a splash move at starting pitcher, they could still make a deal like that work with what they have to spend this offseason.

The Reds lineup was a shell of itself down the stretch. While it provided ample run support during the summer, they scored just under five runs a game over the final two months of the season and collectively hit .244. Some of that could be the young Reds hitting a collective adjustment period, but it cannot be totally dismissed when Nick Krall looks for potential improvements this offseason.

Michael A. Taylor, Center Fielder

Oct 3, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Michael A. Taylor (2) hits a single in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the Wildcard series for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports — Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Career stats: 969 games, .239 BA, .294 OBP, .389 SLG, 95 HR

The Reds could also add a more affordable option. Taylor could platoon with their existing outfield. He's versatile and can play any outfield position. He's also much better against left-handed pitchers in his career, sporting a batting average almost 20 points higher than his typical clip and slugging .436.

Taylor will also elevate the outfield defense. He won a Gold Glove in 2021 and has amassed at least nine outs above average for each of the last three seasons, playing exclusively center field.

He wouldn't be an every day option and would still allow for Benson or Fraley to get playing time against right-handed pitching.

Spotrac has Taylor’s predicted annual contract value at just over $7 million. That’s a good value for someone who would elevate an area of need defensively, while also providing David Bell with a good platoon option against lefties.

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