Seattle Mariners: 5 Free Agents That Fit the Rebuild

C A.J. ELLIS

This one is not from a value standpoint, but rather need and opportunity to help a young pitching staff grow. Among the many solid options in this year’s free agent catching market, A.J. Ellis is certainly not at the top, but the 37-year-old backstop is coming off a sneaky-good offensive season in which he also continued to be a dominant defensive force. With David Freitas as the lone catcher on Seattle’s 40-man roster, they need to address their catching position and Ellis makes a lot more sense than you may think.

After trading James Paxton last week, the Mariners are looking to get younger in their rotation with Marco Gonzales, Justus Sheffield, and Erik Swanson at the forefront of those plans. They no longer have Mike Zunino, who famously built a strong repertoire with a constantly fluctuating M’s rotation and made the most of what he had. In a rebuilding year, the Mariners don’t need an offensive upgrade at catcher; what they need is a veteran who can lead and mentor the budding starters making their way to the rotation this season.

Over the years, Ellis has worked with some of the best pitchers in baseball, including Clayton Kershaw, who apparently cried when Ellis was traded to the Phillies in August 2016. Though often overlooked, Ellis is far from a scrub. In his seven full MLB seasons, Ellis has never posted a neagtive defensive rating per FanGraphs, and has performed a Gold Glove level at times. He’s also had a bit of success at the plate as of late, slashing .272/.378/.344 in 183 plate appearances in 2018.