Where will a key cog to the offense end up?
By the numbers:
- Rating: 7.77
- 2024 Stats: 106 G, 279 PA, .291/.348/.528, 140 OPS+, 2.2 bWAR, 1.5 fWAR
- Date of Birth: August 13, 1991
- 2024 Earnings: $2,000,000 (per Spotrac)
- 2025 Status: Unrestricted free agent
Introduction
“Why can’t baseball teams properly evaluate draftees?” is one of the constant refrains between my dad and I. There are obviously far, far more examples of unsuccessful draftees than there are for successful ones. I am sure there are innumerable reasons for why it is so difficult to predict a player’s success rate including their individual psychological makeup, injury possibility, and just general bad luck, but it will never cease to amaze me how badly some scouts can miss in their recommendations. Randal Grichuk appears to be yet another example of this phenomenon as he (along with 23 others) were selected ahead of Mike Trout in the 2009 draft. Obviously, hindsight being what it is, I suspect every team – including the D-Backs – would go back and select Trout instead of their actual pick, but that is the nature of the beast unfortunately. While Trout has gone on to do Trout-like things for the past decade-plus, Grichuk was handed off several times as he has been part of four separate trades in his career. Rather than operate as a starter however, he has slowly morphed into an excellent platoon player who could have good stretches as an everyday player in the outfield.
2024 Season
After the disappointing end to his and the Angels’ season in 2023, his personal market was extremely slow in developing as he didn’t sign with the D-Backs until the middle of February after Joc Pederson had also been acquired. As Steve Gilbert points out in that article, while Pederson had been acquired as a mostly-full time DH, his struggles against lefties left something to be desired. Hazen then quickly moved to shore up that side of the platoon split at the DH position by signing the veteran to a mutually advantageous contract. We here at the Snakepit were generally positive at the time as Grichuk brought additional depth and offense to a team that surely needed it while also carrying an extremely reasonable price tag. Despite his veteran status, Grichuk started the year down in Reno, but barely had time to unpack before he was called back to Phoenix when Alek Thomas went down with a hamstring strain at the very beginning of April. He would not relinquish the opportunity or roster spot as he fulfilled exactly what he was signed to do: mash lefties to the tune of .319/.386/.528. On the other side of the platoon advantage, he was still able to compile a respectable .242/.274/.528 slash line, but it’s clear his time as an everyday player may very well be in the past. As a result, his mediocre defensive stats at the corner outfield posts (-0.3 dbWAR) could not detract too much from an otherwise excellent signing.
2025 Outlook
Unsurprisingly, Grichuk declined his half of the mutual option his contract included after one of the best seasons he’s had in nearly a decade. Spotrac estimates his market value somewhere in the two year/$6.6 million range, which should theoretically be within the D-Backs’ budget. However, given today’s news of the Josh Naylor trade and that the $14 million he’s owed would suck up most of the available salary for the team, it’s entirely possible that a reunion between the two sides can be ruled out. I think there is a possibility in which Naylor, who is not known for his defense at the cold corner, could be used primarily in a DH role and Pavin Smith takes over at first, but that might push Grichuk back into the outfield where the team already has a surplus of players. Additionally, Hazen seems reluctant to sign anyone who is too deep into their 30s to multiyear contracts. Overall, the roster construction of the team as it stands now makes it difficult to see where Grichuk might be able to find consistent playing time. He clearly demonstrated this year that he can work extremely well in a part-time role, but I would not blame him at all if he were more interested in a full-time starting role instead. I will have fond memories of Grichuk’s time here in Phoenix regardless as he provided another veteran presence and a different attitude to the team. If he does not return, I genuinely wish him luck and that he is able to find a baseball home somewhere in the league!