Why the Miami Marlins should consider free agent utility player Amed Rosario

Despite being in full rebuild mode, the Miami Marlins have several positions that must be addressed in order to fill a major league lineup. Voids at catcher, shortstop, and centerfield seem to be the most noteworthy.

Super utility player Amed Rosario would be a helpful addition at an affordable price. While the former top prospect's career path has not ascended to the star level that many thought possible, the veteran has carved out an eight-year MLB career as a flexible bench bat/spot starter.

Rosario has an odd profile. His Baseball Savant page shows that he is middling-to-below-average in most important advanced batting stats. However, the 29-year-old has managed to make the most of a spotty swing, posting a solid career batting average of .273.

In terms of positive skills, Rosario consistently ranks in the 90+ percentile in sprint speed. While he has never recorded stellar stolen base totals, he has been a solid contributor on the base paths averaging 19 swipes per 162 games.

Additionally, Rosario features super flexible defensive abilities. The majority of his career starts (735) have come at the shortstop. As things currently stand, he would be an ideal candidate to form a shortstop platoon with defensive wiz Otto Lopez. This would allow incumbent starter Xavier Edwards to shift into the club's full-time second baseman (or even centerfield).

Rosario also has 42 starts in the outfield. This would allow him to shift out of the infield if any of the Marlins' trio of young outfielders needed a breather. Additionally, he has ten career starts at third base (each of which came in 2024) and 39 starts at second. This unique combination of veteran leadership and positional flexibility could impact the young Marlins both on and off the field.

Lastly, the veteran should come at an affordable price. His current market value is projected at only $2.3 million per season. Veteran infielder Kevin Newman, who had a WAR advantage over Rosario in 2024 (1.4 or 0.7), recently set the market by signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Angels. If this baseline holds, a team like Miami, who could offer Rosario a significant role in 2024, may be able to swoop and sign him for even less.

I wrote about the fit between Rosario and the Marlins when he was available in 2023. Now, the Marlins once again find themselves in need of a player with shortstop experience. If President Peter Bendix and the Marlins front office elects to sign an infielder in free agency, Rosario remains an ideal option in 2025 and beyond.