Juan Lagares, OF
Player Data: Age: 26, B/T: R/R, Free Agency: 2020
2017 Primary Stats: .250/.296/.365, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 2 3B, 16 2B, 1.8 WAR
2018 Salary: $6.5 million
GRADE: C
2017 Review:
Juan Lagares showed this season yet again what he is capable of defensively. After missing almost half the season with injury, Lagares received ample playing time after the flurry of trades the Mets made. Manning central during the final stretch of the season, the outfielder showed off his gold glove defense and would have received one yet again if he qualified.
The main knock on Lagares is hit offensive ability. He only hit a modest .250 this year and got on base at an underwhelming clip of .296. His 77 wRC+ and .287 wOBA are also pretty much in line with his career numbers. He can play the field and he can do it really well, but if he wants to be an everyday outfielder, he needs to step up his game at the dish. Even if he can just bump his stats up a little bit, his defense can make up for the rest.
He had an outstanding 10.4 UZR and 15 DRS out there in center this year, while committing just three errors. Lagares is signed through the next two seasons and will hit free agency in 2020.
Did You Know:
Lagares had the best arm rating in the National league with 7.3, followed by Billy Hamilton at 7.0, Michael Taylor at 5.7 and Keon Broxton at 2.1. This was also the best rating in all MLB center fielders.
2018 Outlook:
How Lagares is utilized next season relies on what the Mets do this offseason. The Opening Day status of Michael Conforto is very much up in the air, so New York may choose to sign a free agent outfielder to help soften the blow. While I doubt the Mets go out and sign a Jay Bruce or a J.D. Martinez, maybe someone like Jarrod Dyson could be appealing to them to help round out the outfield. What I do think will happen is that Lagares and Brandon Nimmo will split duties in central with Yoenis Cespedes in left and Conforto in right once he’s healthy.
