3 Free Agents the Guardians Must Target This Offseason (and 2 to Avoid)
By Tyler Maher
3. TARGET: Yasmani Grandal
Bo Naylor looks like the real deal at catcher, but we need a backup backstop who can actually hit. Cam Gallagher and Mike Zunino weren't the answers this year, but Grandal could be.
The last two years have been pretty rough for Grandal, but at least he bounced back a bit in 2023, batting .236/.312/.343 with the White Sox. That's not great, obviously, but you can definitely live with that from your second catcher. He also switch-hits, which is an added bonus.
Grandal gets on base (career .347 OBP) and still has a bit of pop, which is all you really need in today's game. The former All-Star can also man first base when needed and can slot in at DH, so he has a bit of versatility.
After four years with Chicago, Grandal is comfortable in the AL Central and wouldn't have to move far. He's going to be 35 next season and hasn't been great the last few years, so he should be an inexpensive option on a one-year deal.
Plus if Baylor has a sophomore slump or get hurt, Grandal is a decent insurance policy.