As the free agency period continues to loom, veteran Trey Mancini remains unsigned. After playing six seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, he ended the 2022 season as a World Series Champion with the Houston Astros. Now entering his 31-year-old season, Mancini is a free agent for the first time in his career. Today, we will be profiling Trey Mancini.
Offensively
Trey Mancini is a player who has been solid offensively. In his rookie season in 2017, Mancini hit .293/.338/.488 with 24 home runs and 78 RBI. It was a breakout season few expected but gained the attention of many. Earning him third place in the AL Rookie of the Year race behind Aaron Judge and Andrew Benintendi, respectively. In terms of home runs, he followed that up by hitting 24 in 2018, 35 in 2019, 21 in 2021, and 18 in 2022. For most of his career, he either batted second or third in the Orioles lineup. Although it’s possible he could have hit more home runs had he not played in Baltimore.
Had Trey Mancini played all his games at Wrigley last year, he would have hit 34 homers. But because he played in Baltimore and other larger ballparks, he only hit 18. pic.twitter.com/OeaLvZjvay
— Brendan Miller (@brendan_cubs) January 3, 2023
When he played with the Houston Astros, he did not muster the same momentum as he did in Baltimore. In 51 games, he got 29 hits which led to eight home runs and twenty-two RBI. Mancini did play every day, but with the Astros lineup being so deep, he didn’t stand out. According to Baseball Savant, Mancini’s exit velocity is in the 80th percentile among Major League hitters.
It's being ruled an inside-the-parker for Mancini.
If that's his final at-bat here, what a way for it to go. pic.twitter.com/4okqso9WyE
— Zach Silver (@zachsilver) July 28, 2022
Defensively
Although he is best known as a Designated Hitter, Mancini can fit into a few different defensive positions. When he started in the majors, his primary position was Left Field. From there, he has also learned to play First Base and Right Field effectively. His versatility is great for a team that is looking for someone who can play in multiple positions.
Battle with Colon Cancer
Ultimately baseball fans may know Trey Mancini best for things off the field. In March 2020, Mancini became aware that he had Stage Three colon cancer, which caused him to miss the 2020 season with Baltimore. After a year-long battle with cancer, he returned to Baltimore in 2021 and beat cancer. As a result, Mancini was named the 2021 AL Comeback Player of the Year. Mancini credits the Orioles for helping him be aware of this unfortunate predicament. “Without the Orioles, I never would have caught this before it may have been too late.”
Heart and Soul
The Baltimore Orioles selected Trey Mancini in the 8th round of the 2013 draft. After four years in the minors and overcoming cancer, this is someone who has survived in the face of adversity. Despite his barriers, Mancini overcame them and never quit. Now that he has experienced winning a World Series with the Houston Astros, he now brings that knowledge to a prospective team.
Notably, Mancini became one of the first players to commit to Team Italy for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. As an Italian American, he will play overseas for a team that can get out of the group stage. While they are an underdog, that is the type of team Mancini is known to play for.
A player’s heart is not always something that quantifies in statistics. For a prospective team, Trey Mancini can hit within the heart of the order, motivate his teammates and play multiple positions. With Spring Training just weeks away, Mancini remains one of the best free agents available and can improve any team he plays for, even the World Series champion.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players mentioned:
Trey Mancini, Aaron Judge, Andrew Benintendi
