As the Valencia front office tries to decipher another round of youth to add to the 13 rookies from last year's squad, one place that seems to be crowded is in the outfield.
While the bats in the outfield seem to be holding their own, one thing that is missing is having a true centerfielder that can also contribute at the plate.
The current quintet of outfielders include:
Ed Bush 1.6 WAR
According to the WAR calculation, Ed was the most productive outfielder for Valencia last year. Ed hit for a .272 batting average. Ed is not known for being overly patient at the plate with an on-base average of only .307 but he did make up for it with some pop as he clubbed out 24 homers. Ed also knocked in 81 runs over the course of the season. Ed is above average in right field with a range of 7 and an 8-rated arm according to the scouts.
Santiago Dieguez 1.4 WAR
Lightly behind in WAR production but probably the most fun to watch Valencia outfielder, Santiago slashed out at .246/.303 this season. Santiago led the team with 32 home runs and knocked in 81 runs as well. Santiago also swiped 20 bases which was the only reason he was put in the leadoff position that and the fact nobody else on the team hit above .300. Santiago stands to benefit the most be bringing in a true centerfielder as his 7 range would be much better suited for left field. If Santiago played left field and hit third in the lineup, his production probably would have been significantly higher.
Bill Nesbitt 0.5 WAR
The third rookie outfielder of this group to hit double digit homers this past season, Bill cranked out 18 dingers in 2063. While his average was only .254 and his on-base percentage was .298, Bill did manage to drive in 75 runs. While not a demon on the basepaths, Bill did mange to swipe 11 bases.
Ismael Ramirez -1.1 WAR .
After showing promise in AAA during the 2062 season, Ismael had a disappointing rookie season hitting 238/.289. While he showed a little bit of pop with 11 homers, don't expect Ismael in the BBA next season.
Jagara Ranjani -1.2 WAR
The closest thing that Valencia had to a centerfielder this past season, Jagara started 35 games in centerfield. Claimed on Waivers from Austin, his anemic on-base percentage will most likely be the detriment of him returning next season.
To further add to the crowd are two outfielders with the AAA Mars squad whose time has to be now based on last season's production. Neither of these prospects have the range of the players on last year's Valencia squad so the quandary around having a centerfielder still exists.
Luis Vela 2.1 WAR
Luis spent his first season in AAA wher he hit for a .301 average and an on-base percentage of .382. Combining 20 home runs and 67 RBI with that in a season when he missed the last month due to an elbow sprain made Luis an important part of the Mars production.
Julio Sanchez 3.8 WAR
Julio finished his third season in AAA swatiing balls to the tune of a .331 batting average to go with his on-base percentage of .412. Julio also connected on 20 home runs while driving in 85 runs.
One wonders if the Stars' brass will go after a true centerfielder in free agency and if they do will they spend Blair Peyton sort of money or just settle for a slight upgrade to Ranjani. If they do, then will that make one of the five with legitimate bats get thrown into the trade whirlwinds amidst free agency?
Time will tell, but it if the Valencia locals are expecting the rest of the rebuild to finish during the 2064 season, they are probably not looking for the centerfield question to be answered within the next few months for the long term.
