The Non-Tenders to Pay Attention To
Jordan Romano of the Toronto Blue Jays (SB Nation)
Teams made their decisions this week to tender or non-tender contracts to eligible players. Those that are non-tendered are now available to the other 29 teams via negotiation. Generally, if a player is not tendered for a $9M estimated salary, the player will have to settle for less than that, either with their current club or a new one. Before we get started, there are a few honorable mentions that didn’t make the top five on this list. Brendan Rogers won a Gold Glove at 2B a few years ago, but he can’t play other positions and his offense is too light. Jacob Webb of the Orioles was an option, but there is speculation that the Orioles saw red flags in his medicals. Connor Joe can play the corner outfield, as well as 1B, and he has a career .766 OPS against LHP. He could be an affordable platoon option, but his upside is quite limited.
5. Ramón Laureano 30 yo | OF
Laureano has long been known for highlight catches back in the Oakland days, and a very strong arm that resulted in many outfield assists. When Ramón led the league in assists despite only playing 48 games back in 2018, he was an ascending young prospect. Injuries, along with his PED suspension, stymied his potential as an everyday outfielder. Even still, he showed he has some left in the tank while with Atlanta; he hit .296 with an .832 OPS for the Braves last season in 67 games. Going forward, Laureano is more of a fourth outfielder who can play all three spots. From 2022-24, he’s hit .230/.300/.392, which is not good enough for an everyday player. With the defense though, I’d be interested if I needed an affordable outfield glove off the bench.
4. Austin Hays 29 yo | LF
Hays was terrible last year, but he made the All Star team as recently as 2023. He really only plays left, so he is limited defensively. Hays is only 29, and has had solid offensive campaigns recently. I get why the Phillies didn’t want to pay $6.4M with where their payroll is, but teams will be interested in a guy like Hays who had a 109 OPS+ from 2021-23. There are a few teams that could use a left fielder with a well rounded bat, perhaps Kansas City?
Austin Hays 2021-2023 Hitting Performance (bRef)
3. Jordan Romano 32 yo | CL
Romano is coming off elbow surgery, and no one really knows what the state of his elbow is except for the Jays and Jordan’s camp. The 2X All Star only throws a slider and four seam, so return of high velocity will be paramount. Romano is a local kid who had 95 saves and a 2.37 ERA for the Jays 2021-23. It seems harsh to cut bait, but $8M is a lot for a reliever post-surgery. I’d offer an incentive-laden contract with vests for saves and innings pitched. If Romano has a good year, the front office wins and he does too.
2. Josh Rojas 30 yo | UTL
Rojas has a lower upside than Austin Hays or Jordan Romano. However, he can play third or second base pretty well, and he has played a bit of outfield as well. He’s also under team control for two more seasons, while the other four guys on this list are free agents next winter. Josh only hit .208/.285/.301 from May 1st on last season, after hitting .318 in April. Rojas doesn’t chase much at all at the plate, and he’s a very good defender at third. His bat speed is 4th percentile which definitely gives him a ceiling as an offensive contributor. Clubs looking for an infield glove could be interested, but a contender likely won’t want him playing everyday.
1. Kyle Finnegan 33 yo | CL
Finnegan is the only player on this list who made an All Star team and proceeded to get cut within the calendar year. No big injury here, just declining K-BB rates. Finnegan has 66 saves in two years for the Nationals, but the 13.3 K-BB% is mediocre at best for a closer. Kyle throws 97 MPH, but his average exit velocity is 1st percentile. He gets hit harder than almost anyone else in the league, and a 23.1% whiff rate isn’t good enough to justify a $8.6M salary. Still, he’ll generate plenty of interest from MLB teams for around $5-6M given his closer experience and gas. His splitter rates are pretty effective, so perhaps we’ll see more split and less four seam in 2025.
Kyle Finnegan 2024 Metrics (Baseball Savant)
*Stats are as of 11/23/24