NEW YORK — Following Major League Baseball wrapping a bow on the 2023 season last week with the Texas Rangers capturing their first World Series championship in franchise history, the offseason has officially arrived — opening the floodgates to free agency, or in other words, the Hot Stove season — a time where each and every baseball mind attempts to brainstorm as if they’re a general manager.
Despite Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamto, Cody Bellinger, and other well-known names headlining this year’s free agency class, there are a plethora of Latinos featured as well, deserving of a massive pay-day.
Shohei Ohtani will be the most expensive free agent on the market. Who are the top Latino free agents? Where will they sign and for how much? – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
So, to go into more details, provided below are the ‘Top Five Latinos in the 2023-2024 Free Agency Class’ — in no specific order with predictions and additional information.
Teoscar Hernández: 31-year-old of Cotui, Dominican Republic 🇩🇴
Since the start of 2021, the right-handed slugger Hernández has gone for 25 or more home runs with at least 77 RBI in each given season. A tremendous offensive addition to any potential contender out there, especially for organizations across the American League, where the corner outfielder has spent the entirety of his career — Houston in 2016-2017, Toronto in 2017-2022, and Seattle in 2023.
Teoscar Hernández gives this ball a ride for an early @Mariners lead. 💪 pic.twitter.com/x2IjCopa61
— MLB (@MLB) September 5, 2023
Although his defensive metrics are below average overall, Hernández fits a similar mold to Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, and Marcell Ozuna — players that deliver on their offensive firepower despite their fielding issues potentially coming into play.
2023 Statistics with Mariners: .258 batting average, .740 OPS, 26 HR, 93 RBI, 161 hits and 211 strikeouts in 160 games
Prediction and Best Fits: 4-years/$75 million – LA Angels, Seattle Mariners, NY Yankees, NY Mets
Jorge Soler: 31-year-old of Havana, Cuba 🇨🇺
Jorge Soler clobbers a ball to deep left field in Marlins-Dodgers during 2023 regular season – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
Coming off a year in which he appeared in his first career All-Star Game, Soler was one-of-nine National League players to compile 36 or more home runs in 2023 — Matt Olson, Schwarber, Pete Alonso, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozuna, Mookie Betts, Austin Riley, Max Muncy and Soler. The major question for interested seekers is Soler’s durability in remaining in the lineup on a consistent day-to-day basis — in the last two seasons, he has missed 115/324 games (35.4%) due to injuries.
With that said, the right-handed designated hitter/right fielder will most definitely add spice to a lineup as we witnessed this past season in Miami, who reached the postseason and in 2021 with Atlanta, who won the World Series championship over Houston as well as in 2016 with the Cubs over Cleveland. Additionally, Soler is just the second Cuban-born player in MLB history to win a World Series MVP — Liván Hernández in 1997 with the Marlins, & Soler in 2021 with the Braves).
Jorge Soler receives the 2021 Willie Mays World Series MVP trophy as the Braves defeat the Houston Astros in the 2021 World Series. He signed with the Marlins on a multi-year deal in free agency months later – Image Credit: MLB/Getty
2023 Statistics with Marlins: .250 batting average, .853 OPS, 36 HR, 75 RBI, 126 hits and 141 strikeouts in 137 games
Prediction and Best Fits: 3-years/$52 million – Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Cleveland Guardians, San Francisco Giants
Eduardo Rodríguez: 30-year-old of Valencia, Venezuela 🇻🇪
Dependable left-handed starters are difficult to find across the game nowadays, which makes Rodríguez, nicknamed ‘E-Rod,’ a well sought-after free agent available. And to rank the starting southpaws entering free agency, most in the baseball industry would agree on their top five including Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Rodríguez.
Eduardo Rodríguez's 2Ks in the 6th. pic.twitter.com/Cpa7hFIXoy
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 8, 2023
In 2023 for an underperforming team in the Tigers, he held opponents down to a batting average of .227, and recorded a 3.30 ERA, marking a career-low in a season for both statistical categories. Ultimately, several contenders would experience the benefit of adding E-Rod, who won the 2018 World Series with Boston, in a rotation as their No. 3 starter, or perhaps co-ace.
2023 Statistics with Tigers: 26 outings, 13-9 record, 3.30 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 143 strikeouts in 152.2 innings
Prediction and Best Fits: 5-years/$95 million – Cincinnati Reds, NY Mets, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: 30-year-old of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba 🇨🇺
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. crosses home plate after his solo home run in Game 6 of the NLCS – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
To get right into it, the well-versed Gurriel Jr. played a major role in contributing to Arizona’s 2023 National League pennant — on both sides of the diamond — compiling three home runs, 11 RBI with 18 hits in the Diamondbacks’ 17 postseason games while locking down the left field corner.
On top of that, Gurriel Jr. achieved a career-best in an abundance of statistics at-the-plate throughout the 2023 regular season — home runs, hits, games played, at bats (551), walks (33).
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. came up big for Arizona in the regular season and postseason – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
2023 Statistics with Diamondbacks: .261 batting average, .772 OPS, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 144 hits and 103 strikeouts in 145 games
Prediction and Best Fits: 4-years/$60 million – Seattle Mariners, NY Mets, NY Yankees, Atlanta Braves
Jeimer Candelario: 29-year-old, who was born in New York City, and moved to San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic at the age of 5 🇩🇴
Candelario stands out on the market as a dynamic switch-hitting infielder, who contains all the intangibles in playing the hot corners at third and first base — 115 games played at 3B in 2023, 21 games played at 1B, and eight games as a DH.
22nd home run this season for Candelario! pic.twitter.com/oPXPCH2FtR
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 30, 2023
He turns 30-years-old on November 24th, and similar to the Trade Deadline this past August 1, will for sure be a trending-topic among many front offices and fanbases heading into the Winter Meetings (December 4th-7th in Nashville, Tennessee).
2023 Statistics with Nationals and Cubs: .251 batting average, .807 OPS, 22 HR, 70 RBI, 127 hits and 127 strikeouts in 140 games
Prediction and Best Fits: 4-years/$76 million – Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs
Two Honorable Mentions
Marcus Stroman: 32-year-old, of Medford, New York (Puerto Rican-descent through his mother) 🇵🇷
Marcus Stroman's 2 1st Inning Ks. pic.twitter.com/XzdbTicdXd
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 23, 2023
2023 Statistics with Cubs: 25 outings, 10-9 record, 3.95 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 119 strikeouts in 136.2 innings
Prediction and Best Fits: 3-years/$57 million – LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, LA Angels
J.D. Martinez: 36-year-old, of Miami, Florida (Cuban-descent through his mother and father) 🇨🇺
J.D. Martinez, 2018 American League LatinoMVP winner – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
2023 Statistics with LA Dodgers: .271 batting average, .893 OPS, 33 HR, 103 RBI, 117 hits and 149 strikeouts in 113 games
Prediction and Best Fits: 2-years/$42 million – LA Angels, Seattle Mariners, NY Mets, Miami Marlins
Robert Rizzo is a journalist and editor of Latino Sports – Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com
Follow us on Social Media for updates and exclusive content
Instagram: @latinosportsoficial
Facebook: Latino Sports
Twitter: @latinosports
