Free agent infielder/forward Miguel Andujar is drawing widespread interest, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post, with the Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, Reds, Cubs and Athletics listed as other clubs in the mix.
Andujar, 31 in March, is coming off his best season in years. He missed a little more than a month with an oblique strain but got into 94 games, split between the A’s and Reds after a trade deadline. He usually puts the ball in play a lot, avoiding both hits and walks, and that continued last year. In his 341 plate appearances, his 5% walk rate was very low but he also struck out at a 14.4% clip.
He produced a .318/.352/.470 batting line, production that translated into a wRC+ of 125, or 25% better than league average. There might be some luck there, as his .348 batting average on balls in play was very high, but it would have been a good showing even with unbiased luck. He slashed .277/.315/.399 over 2023 and 2024 with a wRC+ of 103, down a .306 BABIP over that stretch.
Andujar strikes from the right and has strong team separation. For his career, he has a .297/.332/.475 line and a 121 wRC+ against lefties, compared to a .275/.307/.427 line and a 101 wRC+ without the team advantage. It was even more extreme last year, as Andujar had a .389/.409/.578 line and a 171 wRC+ against southpaws. Against righties, he has held his own with a .290/.331/.429 line and a 108 wRC+.
Defensively, he doesn’t play the leading role but provides some flexibility, as he ranked in the four corners last year. He doesn’t get good marks anywhere but being able to move around helps if the club wants to play matchups.
So Andujar could theoretically be in any club with a lefty in the corner somewhere. The A’s hired Andujar through 2024 and part of 2025 and could do so again. They have it Nick Kurtz at the beginning and the outer corners are handled Tyler Soderstrom again Lawrence Butler. They can be more competitive in 2026 but they can also trade Andujar at the deadline as well. Last year, they managed to get a chance to get help Kenya Huggins at Mabomvu.
A must have project for the Rangers Brandon Nimmo on the left. Evan Carter is another lefty, with notable struggles against southpaws, and plans to be the team’s center fielder. There was a suggestion that Wyatt Langford would take away some playing time for center field, which would open up a righty bat spot in the corner. Joc Pederson projects to be a designated hitter. He is coming off a rough season but has crushed righties and excelled against lefties in his career.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom recently said the Cards have room for a good hitter. The group plans to have a frog Lars Nootbaar in one corner, with Alec Burleson at the beginning too Nolan Gorman maybe get more playing time at third base. The Cards are rebuilding but Andujar could help the club protect its current players and perhaps be traded at the deadline, as was the case last year.
The Reds recently had Andujar through the final two months of the 2025 season and could re-sign him. They trade. Gavin Lux radiation but the project was successful JJ Bleday in one corner of the field. The Cubs have it Michael Busch at the beginning too Moisés Ballesteros maybe it’s a favorite to take a designated place to hit. The Padres project to have some combination Jake Cronenworth, Sung Mun Song again Gavin Sheets covering first base, second base and designated hitter.
Andujar probably doesn’t command much on the open market as a shortstop. Boys love it Austin Hays again Randal Grichuk are somewhat comparable players who received one-year, $5MM deals last season. Rob Refsnyder just got $6.3MM from the Mariners on a one year contract last month.
Hays and Grichuk are there again now, next to Andujar. Other similar players in this market include Austin Slater, Tommy Pham, Star Marte again Chas McCormick. There is also Harrison Baderalthough he should be a distance above this group. A powerful central defender, he is a viable everyday player and could earn himself a two-year deal.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Hanisch, Imagn Images
