The Atlanta Braves are not expected to re-sign Marcell Ozuna, and at this point in the offseason, he could settle for a short-term deal.
Ozuna is a three-time All-Star going into his 14th season. He declined last season, but he is still a capable hitter with 20-plus home run power. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter predicted he would sign with the Minnesota Twins in free agency.
“Ideally, the Twins would use one of Matt Wallner or Trevor Larnach at designated hitter, but the opportunity to buy low on Marcell Ozuna and potentially flip him at the trade deadline could become an appealing option for a team clearly focused on retooling,” wrote Reuter.
With the Twins trading away many of their star players recently, they are not expected to be serious contenders. They do not need Ozuna, but adding him to flip him for a prospect in the summer would make sense. Power bats are a hot commodity at the trade deadline, and Ozuna could quickly become coveted.
If he is on a cheap, one-year deal, many teams could be calling the Twins in hopes of landing him. He is 35 now, but slashed .232/.355/.400 with 21 home runs last season. He was an All-Star as recently as 2024.
Target Field has been a great venue for right-handed hitters in the last three years, according to Baseball Savant. If Ozuna puts up strong numbers in the first half, the Twins could easily find a trade partner for him.
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