Giants: Three imperfect outfield targets that would add power

After Kevin Pillar and Joey Rickard were non-tendered, the San Francisco Giants now have some holes to fill in the outfield. The need for more power also remains.

The San Francisco Giants currently have Mike Yastrzemski penciled in as one of the starting outfield spots. Alex Dickerson could potentially hold down one of the corner outfield spots, but the Giants will likely be looking to add at least one more corner outfielder after Kevin Pillar and Joey Rickard were both non-tendered.

Without Pillar, Yastrzemski could spend considerable time in center field along with some of the team’s other younger outfield options, including Steven Duggar.

To that point, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com offered up the following:

If the Giants decide to scour free agency for corner outfield help, then Marcell Ozuna, Yasiel Puig, and Avisail Garcia seem like good fits due to their right-handed bats and outfield experience.

However, the Giants could look at some imperfect fits as well.

Team president Farhan Zaidi has stated that he wants to add more power to the lineup, and there are ways to do that without adding a player who is a perfect piece to the puzzle.

With Yastrzemski and Dickerson in the outfield, the Giants already have two players who hit from the left side of the plate. As a result, adding another left-handed bat does not seem like the best option, but it could still be one avenue for adding more power.

In addition to the offensive side of things, Oracle Park’s expansive outfield territory requires players with good instincts and range who can cover significant ground. However, the Giants may be able to hide a power hitter in left field, if they pair that player with strong gloves in both center field and right field.

There are several free agents who fit the description of this potentially imperfect power-hitting addition.

Ahead we’ll take a closer look at Nicholas Castellanos, Corey Dickerson, and Kole Calhoun, and how they would fit on the San Francisco Giants roster.

Nicholas Castellanos is a free agent for the first time in his career after finishing the 2019 season with the Chicago Cubs. He had spent his career with the Detroit Tigers before he was shipped to the Cubs at the deadline where he aided in their playoff push by posting a 1.002 OPS in 51 games following the trade.

The 27-year-old began his major league career at the hot corner, but the defensive metrics were not a fan of his work. Castellanos recorded -64 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and a -7.4 Ultimate Zone Rating in four seasons at third base, so he was considered far below average.

These struggles prompted a move to the outfield, where he has not graded out much better defensively. In the last three seasons spent primarily in right field, he has generated -36 DRS and a -11.6 UZR. Similar to third base, the defensive metrics are not a fan of his glove in the outfield.

However, given his age and relative inexperience in the outfield, it stands to reason that he can improve upon those figures.

His rough defensive ability is what makes him an imperfect fit for the Giants, but they seem to be flirting with the idea of signing him nonetheless:

Even with his below-average defense, Castellanos’ bat would be a solid addition to the lineup. The right-handed slugger posted a .289/.337/.525 line in 2019 to go along with 27 home runs and 73 RBI. The last Giants hitter to match those 27 home runs was Hunter Pence back in 2013.

Last season was not a fluke, either. Over the past three seasons, Castellanos has averaged 25 long balls per season. Additionally, he has posted an OPS north of the .800 mark in each of the last four seasons.

There are some offensive red flags, namely a middling 6.4 percent career walk rate, which dipped to 6.2 percent this past season.

Still, he would immediately be a middle-of-the-order threat for a Giants offense that has been short on threatening bats. Since Mike Yastrzemski and Alex Dickerson are likely to receive considerable playing time as left-handed hitting outfielders, adding Castellanos’ right-handed bat would create a little more balance in the outfield.

Kole Calhoun became a free agent after the Los Angeles Angels declined his $14 million option for 2020.

The long-time Angels outfielder swatted a career-high 33 home runs in 2019, so the team’s decision to part ways with him was a mild surprise.

Unlike Castellanos and Dickerson, Calhoun has a long track record of strong glove work. Over the course of his career, the 32-year-old has generated 13 DRS and a 4.8 UZR in the outfield. He is adept with the glove, but he still fits best at a corner spot.

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Similar to Castellanos, Calhoun possesses a powerful bat, as he has averaged 23 home per season over the past five years.

Unlike Dickerson, Calhoun does not hit for a high average. The Arizona State University product has produced a .249/.322/.424 line across 3,980 plate appearances.

Below the surface, Calhoun offers stronger career peripheral numbers in comparison to either Castellanos and Dickerson. He has posted a 9.2 percent walk rate against a 21.7 percent strikeout rate.

The Giants will look to add power, but will also look to improve upon the .302 on-base percentage they recorded as a team in 2019.

One of the reasons that Pillar was non-tendered was the fact that he posted a .293 on-base percentage. The blame for the team’s low on-base percentage lies more on the overall roster than on any one player. Adding a player such as Calhoun would help in improving that .302 mark in 2020.

Similar to Dickerson, Calhoun hits from the left side, so adding him would create an imbalance in the outfield. This is part of the reason why Calhoun would not be an ideal fit.

In addition to this, Calhoun is the oldest of the bunch. If the Giants want to add more youth to the roster, then Calhoun would not be the ideal target. The good news with his age is that he will likely not be seeking a long-term deal.

This offseason, the Giants should toe the line between improving the roster in the short-term as well as the long-term. Calhoun may not be a long-term fit, but they can still aim to improve the roster in 2020 without sacrificing long-term player development or financial capital.

There are better fits in free agency, but with a clearly set goal of adding power, signing one of Calhoun, Dickerson, or Castellanos would help in achieving that end. It would create some complexities due to each payer’s unique circumstances, but any of the three would immediately be a middle-of-the-order threat in the 2020 lineup.