This past season Yoenis Cespedes played in a few games before opting out of the season for the Mets. In 31 at-bats Cespedes hit .161 with two home runs and four RBIs. The last season that he played was in 2016 but played in parts of 2017 and in 2018. In 2018 and 38 games, he hit nine home runs, drove in 29 runs, stole three bases, and had a .325 OBP.
Details
Cespedes was once the MLBs premier five-tool player. With enormous power, blazing speed, and superb defensive metrics, Cespedes was all that a team could ask for. Now he has been limited due to many injuries. The Oakland Athletics signed Cespedes in the winter of 2012. He just defected from Cuba in the summer of 2011 and established United States residency in the winter of 2012 in order to become a free agent. Per many scouts, he was arguably the best player all around to come out of Cuba in the generation.
Cespedes hit 23 home runs and drove in 82 runs along with stealing 16 bases in his first season in the majors at age 26. That was a glimpse of what was to come for the future superstar. In the summer of the 2015 season, the New York Mets traded for Cespedes. At that point, he was on the Detroit Tigers after two trades at the end of the 2014 season. Cespedes proved to be dominant. After arriving in New York, he blasted 14 home runs in 57 games leading New York to a World Series appearance. His total stats for the 2015 season in 159 games were 35 home runs, 105 runs batted in, and a .291 batting average. That was the height of Cespedes’ incline in the major leagues.
The Decline
After the 2015 season, Cespedes re-signed with the Mets on a three-year deal worth $75 million with an opt-out after his first season. Cespedes made the All-Star team in 2016 but had several injuries. After the 2016 season, he opted out of his contract and ultimately re-signed with the team on a four-year deal worth $110 million including a no-trade clause. Cespedes barely played in the 2018 season. It ended very early after a season-ending injury that caused him to need surgery on both of his heels. He also missed the 2019 season with a right ankle fracture which occurred while on his ranch. The Cuban star is a two-time home run derby champion in 2013 and 2014 as well as a two-time All-Star in 2014 and 2016, won the silver slugger award in 2016, and a gold glove award in 2015.
Ideal Contract
At 35 years old, Cespedes will be looking at a deal for no more than two years. He is limited to a designated hitter at this point due to all of his injuries unless he can show that he is able to stay healthy. Expect him to make no more than $10 million a season. A couple of teams that may want to take a gamble on Cespedes are the Seattle Mariners or the Tampa Bay Rays.
Top Landing Spots
Seattle Mariners:
The Mariners are nearing the end of a rebuild and would benefit from a veteran power back like Cespedes to hold down the designated hitter spot. Ever since losing Nelson Cruz a few years ago, they’ve had trouble producing that kind of power at that spot. Cespedes would bring that back.
Tampa Bay Rays:
The Rays are always known for adding interesting players. Cespedes would certainly fill the category of an interesting player and will help add another power dynamic to the lineup which features many young players. It also gives him a chance to compete for a World Series ring for the first time since 2015. Tampa is coming off a run to Game 6 of the World Series and is only getting better and stronger.
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Main Credit Image: Embed from Getty Images
