3 intriguing non-tendered free agents the Dodgers could sign

The biggest name to perhaps ever be non-tendered came courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, as Cody Bellinger is now a free agent who can sign with any team. Bellinger’s future with the team is up in the air, as he could re-sign for a cheaper contract, but the team might be paving the way for Aaron Judge.

Joining Bellinger as non-tendered by the Dodgers was outfielder Luke Williams and slugging left-handed infielder Edwin Rios. With Trea Turner potentially leaving in free agency, Tyler Anderson already leaving and Justin Turner’s club option getting denied, the 2023 Dodgers may look far different.

Perhaps some of that change could come via other non-tendered players. While non-tendered players usually have some sort of baggage with them, there are some intriguing options in the long list of available players for Los Angeles to consider.

3 intriguing non-tendered free agents the Dodgers could sign:

3. Colton Welker

A right-handed infielder who has shown potential in the past but has not been able to put it together at the big-league level. If there is one team that has experience in getting the most out of these players it is the Los Angeles Dodgers and they may have another project in Colton Welker.

Welker is far from a household name and his numbers at the big-league level are, quite frankly, bad. Welker appeared in just 19 games for the Colorado Rockies last season and slashed .189/.250/.216 in 40 plate appearances. That is a tiny sample size and should not end his MLB career before it even gets started.

The corner infielder has shown a lot of promise at nearly every minor-league level that he has touched in his professional career. He has a career .836 OPS in the minors in 373 games played. Despite his MiLB success, Welker was designated for assignment last season, was claimed by the San Francisco Giants in the Rule 5 Draft, and was then non-tendered by the Giants.

Welker is a typical Dodgers project for the team to take a flier on. He does not have much home run power, but he has showcased the ability to hit to all areas of the field, and there definitely is something there to unlock. Heck, Welker was a top-100 prospect in the entire sport prior to the 2019 season.

Max Muncy was a nobody who had to go play in Mexico before the Dodgers took a chance in him. While comparing Welker to Muncy is unfair, if there is any club that can maximize Welker, it is the Dodgers.

2. Jeimer Candelario

If the Los Angeles Dodgers do not re-sign Justin Turner, then they are going to be in the market for an infielder, even if Michael Busch is slated to make his big-league debut to start next season. There are several options for the Dodgers to consider with these qualifiers and Jeimer Candelario makes the most sense.

There are bigger names that are available such as Dominic Smith and Luke Voit, both of whom are very promising power-hitting bats when they are at their best. The problem is that both guys are pretty much limited to first base (Smith has played outfield, but is poor at it).

Candelario can also play third base, which would be very beneficial for the team’s depth. He would not be an everyday starting player, but because of his versatility to play on either side of the infield, and the fact that he is a switch hitter, he could get decent playing time.

At the very least, Candelario is someone who has produced against left-handed pitching in his career, which is something the Dodgers need, considering they’re currently comprised of several left-handed bats and reverse-split righties.

There is potential for the 29-year-old to produce at a higher level, though. He had a down season in 2022, but put together two really promising seasons in 2020 and 2021 that put him on the map.

In 201 games split between those two seasons, Candelario slashed .278/.356/.458 with 23 home runs, 96 RBI and 53 doubles. In a much more talented lineup where he will be protected, the Dodgers could see that production return to Candelario’s bat.