Miami Marlins: Why Veteran Harrison Bader is a Sensible Centerfield Target

The rebuilding Miami Marlins have several needs to address as the 2024 MLB offseason gets underway. Starting catcher is still a problem. The club has several middle-infielders but no true shortstop. And the franchise could use at least one veteran reliever.

However, acquiring a starting-caliber centerfielder is near the very top of the offseason wish list. Current outfielders Kyle Stowers, Griffin Conine, and Jesus Sanchez, all clearly profile as corner outfielders. Now that the Cristian Pache whirlwind has petered out, the Marlins have no natural centerfield on their major league radar.

In all fairness, Bader has a similar profile to the recently released Pache. Both are defense-first players with questionable bats. And both have bounced around the league in an effort to extend their MLB careers. However, Bader does have the edge over Pache in a few key areas.

1) His Offense

Bader is a career .242 hitter with minimal power. More recently, he hit .232 in 2023 and .236 in 2024. His days as a true impact bat seem to be well behind him. Yet, the veteran has hit well enough to remain major-league relevant for eight seasons.

The longtime St. Louis outfielder also managed to chip in a solid 12 homers and 19 doubles across 437 at-bats with the New York Mets. His power is pedestrian, but his bat still holds a charge.

2) This Practical Speed

Additionally, Bader's speed makes him dangerous as a defender and base runner. The 30-year-old still ranks in the 74th percentile in sprint speed, and stole 17 bases last season. He also produced 20 steals as recently as 2023.

While Pache's 80th percentile sprint speed ranked higher than Bader's, the former Marlins only managed to steal five bags in his five-year MLB career. While Bader isn't the fastest player in baseball, he has the experience, practical swiftness, and veteran savvy to make a true impact on the bases.

3) His Gold Glove Defense

The veteran centerfielder does not need Silver Slugger-level production to become an asset for a club like the Miami Marlins. If he can piece together a 10-homer, 20-steal campaign while hitting .230+, his defense is more than capable of carrying the day.

Bader was a Gold Glove winner in 2021 and has played exceptional defense throughout his entire career. His Baseball Savant's defensive metrics are still glowing in red across the board. His fielding range is in the 90th percentile and his arm strength is in the 86th.

Despite a non-assuming bat, Bader managed to carve out a significant role on a Mets team that made the NLCS. As Miami continues to build around core pitchers like Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Jesus Luzardo, Robby Snelling, Thomas White, Noble Meyers, etc, it would behoove them to have a solid defensive core around them.

What better way to support your young pitching staff as they grow into MLB players than by limiting the errors around them and providing them with stellar defense at the most important positions?

4) The Projected Cost

Spotrac has Bader's current market value at $7.1 million per season. While this is likely higher than Miami would pay for a veteran, the Fish could bring down this figure by offering the centerfielder a multi-year deal (perhaps with options).

In the right deal, Bader could be the everyday centerfielder in 2024. He could also man the position in 2025 (he would still only be 31 years old) or switch to a platoon role/pinch runner role as needed.

If he and Marlins' President Peter Bendix can agree on a mutually agreeable deal, Bader makes perfect sense as an offseason target for Miami.