After a wild 2021 campaign, MLB free agency is here, and just like every offseason, fans have some players in mind that they want their teams to sign.
This free-agent class features a handful of superstar hitters at a variety of positions, and naturally, those guys are getting the majority of the attention.
However, this class also features some underrated players, and that’s going to be our focus today.
The players we’re going to talk about in this piece aren’t likely to make major headlines when they’re signed, but they definitely have the ability to make an impact in 2022.
Let’s get started.
3. Jed Lowrie
It feels like Jed Lowrie has been in the league forever, but he’s still going strong.
The 37-year-old is coming off of a decent 2021 campaign in which he posted an OPS of .717 and OPS+ of 101.
He’s capable of adding a little bit of pop to a lineup, as he smacked 14 home runs and 28 doubles this past season.
Jed Lowrie, FTW! #Walkoff pic.twitter.com/lXoMG0OS8L
— MLB (@MLB) July 17, 2021
He finished the year with an offensive bWAR of 1.3.
Lowry still seems to have some gas left in the tank.
Since the start of the 2017 season, he has maintained a .263 batting average, .777 OPS, and 114 OPS+.
He has averaged 18 home runs per 162 games during that span.
He certainly wouldn’t be the flashiest free-agent signing of the current offseason, but he’s definitely a guy that’s capable of adding some value to a club.
2. Josh Harrison
Josh Harison has made it clear in recent years that he still has something to offer at the MLB level.
Since the start of the 2020 season, he has appeared in 171 games.
Over that span, he has registered a .279 batting average, .745 OPS, and 106 OPS+.
Keep in mind, the league average for OPS+ is always 100.
He also has a 2.4 WAR over that stretch 171-game stretch, which is a pretty solid mark for a guy that will likely come at a low price this offseason.
Harrison has two All-Star selections to his name, but he’s still searching for the first World Series title of his career.
For that reason, he probably wants to land with a contending team if at all possible.
We’ll have to wait and see how many teams express interest in the 34-year-old.
1. Matt Duffy
Matt Duffy, 30, is coming off of a solid 2021 campaign with the Chicago Cubs.
Over 97 games, he batted .287 with a .738 OPS and 100 OPS+.
When you consider what he adds defensively, you can definitely live with his average offensive production.
Duffy is a very versatile defender in the sense that you can pretty much stick him anywhere.
Throughout his career, he has seen action at every infield position except catcher (yes, he even pitched once).
He’s sure-handed with his glove, too, as he finished the 2021 season with solid marks in Defensive Runs Saved (2) and defensive bWAR (0.4).
This double play by Matt Duffy 👏 pic.twitter.com/FCtqb3WiLw
— Baseball Bros (@BaseballBros) September 1, 2021
Duffy has played for three teams so far during his six-year MLB career, and he won a title with the San Francisco Giants in 2014.
It’ll be interesting to see what the next chapter holds for him.
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