Marlon Byrd

47-Year-Old OutfielderOF

Free Agent

2024 Stats

AVG

.000

RBI

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RBI

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2024 Fantasy Outlook

There was no outlook written for Marlon Byrd in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.

Bats R

Throws R

40 Man No

Height 6'0"

Weight 245

DOB 8/30/1977

Born Boynton Beach, FL

College Georgia Perimeter JC

Drafted 10th Rd 1999 PHI

Does not receive qualifying offer

OFFree Agent

Suspension

November 7, 2016

Byrd (suspension) did not receive a qualifying offer from the Indians and is now a free agent, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

ANALYSIS
Considering Byrd will not be eligible to return from a 162-game PED suspension until two months into the 2017 season, he is pretty unappealing as a free agent. If he wants to continue to play professional baseball, he may be forced to accept a minor league contract.

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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Marlon Byrd See More

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

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2003

Byrd's 2016 season was going well before a 162-game suspension was handed down on June 1 for a positive PED test. If he opts to return to baseball, some team may be willing to take a chance on his continued production. The 39-year-old outfielder had topped 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons prior to 2016, and was seemingly on his way to number four, as he was batting .270 with five home runs and 19 RBI through 34 games. He has always had issues with strikeouts, increasingly so in recent years, and that was no different in 2016, as he struck out at a 29.5 percent rate. When Byrd hits the ball, however, he hits it hard. His .361 batting average on balls in play was very strong, and he also added solid numbers with a .452 slugging percentage, .778 OPS and .182 isolated power. He could be worth a minor league contract to a team hoping to add a veteran bat off the bench and willing to wait two months.

Byrd began the 2015 season with the Reds, who traded for him in 2014, and ended it with the Giants, who were in search of more thump in their lineup down the stretch. Widely considered a mercenary for power, Byrd lived up to his end of the bargain with both clubs, collecting 23 homers and 73 RBI while slugging .453 in 135 games. With a league-high 61.6% swing rate, Byrd is truly an all-or-nothing type of batter. That aggressive approach will surely lead to a ton of strikeouts and a low batting average, but on the positive side, it will make him a cheap source of home runs and RBI. Even at the age of 38, Byrd could land on a team that feels they are a power hitter away from playoff contention.

The Phillies struck early in free agency last winter to bring Byrd onboard in a last ditch attempt to compete in the NL East. It was a risky move given that Byrd struggled to find a team willing to give him a minor league deal two seasons ago. He rewarded the Phillies with a productive season, leading the team in home runs and playing excellent defense in right field. Byrd hit for a decent average last season, but his declining contact rate hints at a lower batting average moving forward unless he changes his approach at the plate. He did express concern with his strikeouts at the end of last season, so perhaps Byrd will trade some power for a little more contact this season. He'll try to make those adjustments with the Reds after he was traded to Cincinnati in the offseason.

For a guy who couldn't find a job a year ago, Byrd's 2013 turned out pretty darn good. The 36-year-old ranked fourth among NL outfielders in isolated power (.220), fifth in RBI (88) and sixth in homers (24). A .353 BABIP throws up a red flag, however, considering he holds a career mark of .325. It would be easy, and possibly even prudent, to write 2013 off as an outlier season. What makes projecting Byrd in 2014 more difficult is that he changed his approach last season, showing a willingness to concede contact in exchange for increased power. He'll move to a more hitter-friendly environment after signing a two-year deal with the Phillies in November.

Byrd is in the final year of his three-year, $15 million contract, and there's a good chance he'll be plying his trade somewhere else before the end of 2012. The Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer Cubs are likely to give top prospect Brett Jackson a shot before long, and even if Jackson proves unready, the 34-year-old Byrd isn't a viable solution in center field even in the medium term. Byrd is average at best defensively, doesn't draw walks and hits for only modest power. His .282 career batting average might buy him at-bats somewhere, but he's not the type of player the newly enlightened Cubs are likely to write into the lineup on a regular basis.

After a strong first half (.317/.365/.480) that almost seemed to justify his three-year deal, Byrd collapsed after the All-Star break (.261/.321/.361), reminding us why you don't offer multi-year deals to outfielders in their 30s, coming off of career years in a hitter's parks. In the end, Byrd's line was almost identical to his Texas one minus some homers (and attendant slugging percentage), which anyone could have predicted given the change in home venue. Byrd's defense in center is merely average, but his deal likely ensures he begins the year as the team's starting center fielder as Tyler Colvin is probably more suited to a corner spot. That said, with Alfonso Soriano carrying an untradeable contract and top prospect Brett Jackson (also more suited to a corner spot) knocking on the door, there's a chance Colvin and/or Jackson cost Byrd at-bats before the season's out.

Byrd picked a nice time to have the best season of his career, swatting 43 doubles and 20 home runs while driving in 89 runs as an everyday player in Texas' outfield. He parlayed his season into a three-year, $15 million contract with the Cubs and will take over everyday duty in center field. His OPS totals on the road the past three seasons have not been good (.715, .773 and .740), so there's going to be unreachable expectations for him in Wrigley Field. He was little more than a reserve outfielder prior to coming to Texas, and could well be the sequel to Gary Matthews Jr.

Byrd battled knee problems as the season wore on, but managed a nice season on the whole: .298, 46 walks, 53 RBI in 122 games fueled by a .393/.468/.607 August. Milton Bradley's assumed departure will open up a spot in the Texas lineup, and Byrd figures to see a healty number of at-bats in a reserve role at a minimum.

Byrd used a .398/.438/.582 line in June following a late May callup as a springboard to regular playing time for the remainder of the season. There was even talk about a long-term contract. His post-break numbers (.269/.310/.417) likely saved Texas from an albatross of sorts as the talk of Byrd being the center fielder of the future has died off. He'll be back to a reserve outfielder role after the trade for Josh Hamilton.

Byrd used up his last chance in Washington, failing to carve out even a portion of the center field job. He'll start fresh in a new organization, and hope for an opportunity to catch on as a fourth OF.

Byrd seems to be settling into his range, as his 2005 numbers were nearly identical to his "breakout" 2003 with the Phillies, minus about 40 points of batting average. Outfielders who are only useful if they're hitting .300 -- and who can't hit .300 consistently -- tend not to have long careers in the majors, so don't invest too heavily in Byrd.

The sophomore jinx hit Byrd, as the athletic center fielder stumbled out of the gate and was eventually sent to Triple-A for a month. He's no more the .228 hitter he showed in 2004 than he is the .303 hitter he was in 2003, but the Phillies want to contend in 2005 and won't wait on him long. Byrd has a few .270-20-80-20 seasons in him, but with the Kenny Lofton trade he won't have the playing time opportunity to start the season.

Byrd started out slow in 2003, but a torrid final four months of the season helped put the Phils on the brink of the playoffs. He especially heated up in September, with a .330 batting average and .411 on-base percentage, stealing six of his 11 bases. Byrd had arthroscopic surgery to repair posterior labrum tear in left shoulder after the season, but is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

At Triple-A Scranton, Byrd hit .297 with 15 steals, 15 homers, 63 RBI. He'll start in centerfield, and likely hit eighth. He's got speed, but won't get the opportunity to showcase it unless Rollins slumps again in 2003.

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