The Minnesota Twins have been looking for another piece to add to their infield throughout most of this winter, and they have finally done so after agreeing to a one-year contract worth $10.5 million with shortstop Andrelton Simmons.
The former Braves and Angels shortstop is a defensive wizard, known for producing some of the best up-the-middle plays of anyone in the league. Throughout his Major League tenure, he has been an inconsistent hitter but most of those woes have always been canceled out by his premier defense.
Simmons posted a .297 batting average with the Angels last season with no home runs and very little power production. However, his glove remained as reliable as always, saving plenty of hits up the middle for his team.
The Twins will plug Simmons into the shortstop role next season and move long-time infielder Jorge Polanco to second base. The team hopes that Simmons will help improve its defense and give its team’s pitchers a nice boost. Any offensive production from Simmons would be considered a bonus, but that isn’t a priority for a Twins team with one of the best lineups in baseball.
The newest Twin is set to report to Spring Training in Florida over the next few weeks after the deal is officially announced.
