Nick Castellanos
Formerly a third-baseman, Nick Castellanos is now a solid corner outfielder with the Chicago Cubs.
While the acquisition of Castellanos would hardly cause the same splash as would the signing of Cole, it would represent a significant upgrade over current corner-outfield options. An OPS+ of 120 over the past four seasons at the plate, and a .990 career fielding percentage in the outfield show Castellanos’ long-term viability at either the seven or the nine spot.
Only 27-years-old, the Davie, Florida native makes geographical sense for the Miami Marlins, and for Castellanos. A career .277/.326/.471 slash line and 120 career home runs as well as 17.2 wins above replacement show that Castellanos isn’t just a flash in the pan type of talent. How much is he worth on the open market? We’re all going to find out eventually, but I believe it’s worth the Marlins time to explore options.