Who takes over in left field for the Arizona Diamondbacks?
With Lourdes Gurriel Jr. likely departing in free agency, who takes over in left field for the Arizona Diamondbacks next season?
It looks like Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s tenure with the Arizona Diamondbacks will come to a close after just one season. The D-backs had acquired him, alongside catcher Gabriel Moreno, in the last off-season, and while Gurriel Jr. was good, his recent social media posts suggest that the two sides will part ways.
It's also unlikely that the Diamondbacks pursue another contract with veteran Tommy Pham, a player Katrina recently mentioned as someone who will likely not be back in Arizona in 2024.
But that leaves a hole in the Diamondbacks' outfield. Corbin Carroll has one of the three spots on lockdown, and Alek Thomas has center field to himself. So, who will be the third snake in the grass for Arizona? What are the Diamondbacks' options in their own organization, on the free agnet market, and the trade market?
Internal Options
Dominic Fletcher may have made more of an impact in 2023 had it not been for a fractured finger. Either way, he has a foot in the door for the last outfield spot. In Fletcher's brief time in the big leagues, he hit .301/.351/.441 through 102 plate appearances. Fletcher did not hit for much power, having an ISO of just .140, and he also had a sub-par 6.9% walk rate. However, he at least had an above-average 21.6% strikeout rate.
He also hit exceptionally well at Triple-A, batting .291/.399/.500 with a .400 wOBA and 120 wRC+. It was in the uber-hitter-friendly PCL, where the average OPS was .822, so take his offensive numbers for what you will. But he still K'd at a rate below 20% at 18.6% while carrying a 12.6% walk rate.
Fletcher is a good defensive outfielder and had +4 defensive runs saved and +2 outs above average in less than 220 innings played between left and center field. Had Fletcher played just 800 innings, he would have been on pace for about +16 DRS and +7 OAA. Fletcher may even have the inside track for the third outfield spot as of right now.
While Fletcher may already have his foot in the door, don't forget about Jorge Barrosa. Barrosa batted .274/.394/.456, leading to a .385 wOBA, and 110 wRC+. Barrosa walked nearly as often as he struck out with a 15.9% BB% and 16.3% K%. But Barrosa was only able to manage a .182 isolated slugging percentage in the PCL.
Barrosa deserves a look in the bigs based on his fielding alone. Only Druw Jones may be the better defensive outfielder currently in the system. Barrosa is also a great runner who can cover a ton of ground. Barrosa has poor power but could hit .280 with a well-above-average strikeout rate and solid walk rate. He projects as a speedy spray hitter but with Gold Glove potential.
Free Agents
The Diamondbacks could lean into their outfield's defensive ability by looking into the free-agent market. Adam Duvall is looking to continue being both a productive hitter and a great corner outfielder in 2024. Duvall bated .247/.303/.531. The slugger has always been one to hit a ton of home runs but never hit for a great average or walked enough for a strong OBP. Last year, he had just a 6.2% walk rate and 31.2% strikeout rate but went yard 21 times with a .284 isolated slugging percentage. Duvall finished the year with a 116 wRC+.
Duvall mostly played center field for Boston, but his work in left field is where he plays best. He has +56 defensive runs saved and +22 outs above average in left throughout his career. Duvall can still cover ground and is an above-average runner with a 27.6 feet/second sprint speed. His arm is also strong and was in the 76th percentile of average outfield throw velocity.
Jason Heyward would be a potential platoon option to go after. After years of struggling with the Chicago Cubs, Heyward signed a one-year deal with the LA Dodgers and had his best season since 2015. In 377 plate appearances, Heyward batted .269/.340/.473 with a .348 wOBA and 121 wRC+. Heyward's .204 isolated slugging percentage was his best rate since 2012. He also only had a 17% strikeout rate and a 9% walk rate. The only thing is he may need a platoon partner. Of Heyward's 377 trips to the plate, just 28 were against lefties.
Heyward would definitely add another Gold Glove-caliber outfielder to the mix. One thing that has stayed constant throughout the years is his right field defense. Heyward had +5 DRS and +5 OAA in just 624 innings out in right. Heyward still has one of the strongest arms in baseball and was in the 87th percentile of outfield throw velocity. Plus, he had about an average 27.1 feet/second sprint speed.
Aaron Hicks represents another potential corner outfield option. After getting released from the NY Yankees and signing with the Baltimore Orioles, Hicks rediscovered himself and batted .275/.381/.425. Hicks hit for below-average power with a .150 isolated slugging percentage, but he struck out at just a 20.8% rate and combated that with a strong 14.8% walk rate. All told Hicks had a 129 wRC+ in Baltimore.
The only thing is Hicks' defense is not what it once was. He had -8 DRS and -1 OAA in the outfield. -4 of those runs came in center field, and his left field defense was nothing special either, with -3 DRS and -2 OAA. He was slightly better in right field, with -1 DRS and zero OAA, albeit in just 123.1 innings. Hicks is still about an average runner with a 27.3 feet/second sprint speed and still has an absolute cannon, averaging 93 MPH on his outfield throws.
If the Diamondbacks really, and I mean really, wanted to lean into their outfield defense, they could always kick the tires on a center field option and move them to one of the corners or move Alek Thomas to a corner. Kevin Kiermaier, Harrison Bader, and Michael A. Taylor are fantastic defenders but are regulars based on their outfield defense, specifically in center field. Of course, the D-Backs could get crazy with it and go after Cody Bellinger, which would be a massive roster reinforcement.
Trade Market
If the Diamondbacks want to get really bold, they could go after Juan Soto. Soto is coming off another Soto-like season: a lot of walks, fewer strikeouts, a lot of home runs, and unimpressive defense. Soto appeared in all 162 games, batting .275/.410/.519 with a .395 wOBA and 155 wRC+. The left fielder's 35 home runs were a career-high, and he paired that with a .245 isolated slugging percentage. Soto struck out in just 18.2% of his plate appearances and drew a walk 18.6% of the time.
Soto probably had the worst defensive season of his career thus far. He had -6 DRS and -9 outs above average. Soto's 26.8 feet/second speed was right around average, and his 86 MPH arm strength was slightly better than average, but it still wasn't a great year for Juan with the leather. Soto would definitely be the all-in play, though. He's the best pure hitter in the sport and has more walks than Hall of Famers like Roberto Clemente, Andre Dawson, and Orlando Cepeda. Of course, this one might be a bit too bold.
The Minnesota Twins may listen to offers on right fielder Max Kepler. He is coming off arguably the best season of his career, as he hit .260/.332/.484 with a 124 wRC+. While his 9.2% walk rate is the lowest single-season rate since 2017, and his 21.6% strikeout rate was the worst of his career, both were still better than the league average. Kepler also hit for good pop, going yard 24 times with a .224 ISO. Kepler also had an OPS over .900 at .926 and wRC+ above 150 at 154 after the All-Star break.
Kepler is a great defensive outfielder and had +2 DRS and +4 OAA. He has both an above-average arm and sprint speed. Kepler's option for 2024 was recently picked up, and he is owed just $10 million for 2024. But it is the final year remaining on his contract.
Alex Verdugo has also recently been the center of some trade rumors. The Boston Red Sox outfielder is coming off a season where he batted .264/.324/.421 with a .322 wOBA and 98 wRC+. That makes his production around average. Both Verdugo's 7.5% walk rate and 15.4% strikeout rate are right around what you'd expect from him.
Verdugo had his best season with the glove since his 2019 rookie season. He racked up +9 defensive runs saved and +1 out above average out in right field. Verdugo is entering his age-28 season and the last year of his contract. However, he is a consistent average to above-average player.
The St. Louis Cardinals have also been open to trading one of their multiple outfielders. It's possible they move one of Dylan Carlson, Jordan Walker, Tyler O'Neill, Lars Nootbaar, Tommy Edman, or Brendan Donovan. Nootbaar would probably be the best option, given his quality bat and strong defense in the outfield corners. The highest ceiling belongs to Jordan Walker, a former first-round pick who went into 2023 as a consensus top-five prospect and showed off some hitting talent. Both O'Neill and Carlson would be on the cheaper end of things but are rebound candidates.