There's probably no tougher player in Major League Baseball to evaluate than Luis Arraez currently.
On the surface, Arraez isn't going to strike out much, put the ball in play, and have a high batting average. Some don't like batting average and would rather have a player who can slug.
It comes down to preference, something new San Diego Padres and many other teams will have to consider during the offseason. The left-handed hitting infielder is set to hit the free agency market, and it remains uncertain just how much he could be looking at.
When looking at the top players on the free agency market this winter and what they could command on the open market, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report has some interesting thoughts. He noted that seeing him get a multi-year deal for less than $100 million wouldn't be surprising.
"As Arraez doesn't hit for power, steal bases or play good defense, it will be interesting to see how much teams value his ability to put the ball in play. Given he's probably overpaid even with a $14 million salary this year, don't be surprised if even a multi-year deal lands him well short of $100 million," he wrote.
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Arraez could be coming in at around six years and $80 million.
If another team needs a hitter who can put the ball and play at an above-average level, there wouldn't be another player on the market, or even in baseball, who does it at the level he does.
He'll have to hope that teams value that, but given the current state of the modern game, it's tough to say that will be the case.