2) Ramon Laureano
Why does he get ranked so highly? I’d guess if the San Diego Padres are trading him they’d do it without asking for a whole lot more. He’s a salary dump waiting to happen. At $6.5 million, he’s affordable. More experienced in center field than any place else, he has transitioned from those days into a less than perfect corner outfielder.
He only moves over Nootbaar on this list because he hits right-handed and is coming off of a satisfying season split between the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres. His 24 home runs, .281 batting average, and .855 OPS shouldn’t be overlooked even if they exceed past performances by a couple of miles.
Injuries and a 2021 suspension for PEDs have stolen some playing time away from Laureano. He has been a member of two different teams in each of the last three seasons. Once an unbelievable defender in center field, his arm is the last of his strengths.
Poor range has Laureano looking like a bad defender, but he had one of the best outfield arms in the game. Most would prefer a guy who can shag a fly ball. There’s still value to one who can gun down a runner at home.
