Miami Marlins: Could Veteran Paul DeJong be a Serviceable Fill-In at Shortstop?

The Miami Marlins would be wise to add a starting-caliber shortstop before the 2025 MLB season begins. Unfortunately for the club, Miami finds itself in a position where they have a surplus of second basemen, Xavier Edwards, Connor Norby, and Otto Lopez, without possessing a shortstop counterpart. This has led to players playing out of position.

I've recently written about why players like Amed Rosario, Jose Iglesias, and Hyeseong Kim would all be ideal fits. While he is admittedly on the back end of that spectrum, another affordable veteran sits in the free agency pool: journeyman Paul DeJong.

Like all of the aforementioned players, DeJong is limited in his skill set. He has obvious positive traits, while simultaneously carrying clear weaknesses.

The Upside

On the bright side, DeJong is an established power hitter. The 31-year-old has 140 homers across his eight MLB seasons. His 24 blasts last season were also the third-highest output of his career.

Miami is building a solid core of power hitters in Jake Burger, Deyvison De Los Santos, Agustin Ramirez, Connor Norby, and Jesus Sanchez. Adding a veteran like DeJong would fit well alongside the club's offensive identity.

Additionally, DeJong remains a solid defensive shortstop. Baseball Savant marked the veteran's 2024 defensive range (a stat key for shortstops) in the 84th percentile among all major leaguers. For context, incumbent starter Xavier Edwards ranked at the very bottom of baseball in the 1st percentile. Edwards cannot remain a starting shortstop. And adding a player like DeJong would allow him to shift to a more natural position.

Lastly, DeJong's projected market value sits at only $4.7 million per season. No one expects the rebuilding Marlins to shell out major money in free agency. Targeting a veteran like DeJong would allow the club to assess their young players in their natural positions. He feels like an option that Peter Benix and Miami may seriously discuss.

However...

The Downside

The former All-Star (2019) is a good source of power and defense. However, the rest of his game is questionable. DeJong is a poor contact hitter, posting a career .229 batting average. While this metric seemed to stabilize in 2024 (he hit .227), he is a major risk of hitting below .200 over large stretches.

While his range metrics remain strong, DeJong's arm strength and spring speed are both below average. At 31 years old, it stands to reason that the veteran is much more likely to regress rather than improve.

DeJong's profile is also reminiscent of last offseason's Tim Anderson disaster. DeJong's volatility isn't tied to injury like Anderson's was. And he has posted more recent success. However, it would not be surprising for the potential signing to crash and burn quickly.

The Verdict

Rosario, Iglesias, and Kim would each be much stronger targets for the Marlins. Bendix and company could also consider a solution in the trade market.

Ultimately, I would advise the club against adding DeJong as a primary starter. While Otto Lopez's numbers were not amazing at shortstop, his overall upside would make him a better fit as the full-time starter.

The only context in which DeJong truly moves the needle in a positive direction would be to sign him to a one-year deal as a platoon player and utility infielder. Even the small-market Marlins are capable of doing more to improve their roster. But, if the club elects to exaggerate their penny-pinching as they attempt to rebuild from within, DeJong could serve as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option at shortstop.

Overall, this is a pass...