Top free-agent OF Marcell Ozuna switches agents

Outfielder Marcell Ozuna has changed his representation for his latest trip through the free-agent market, as Ozuna is now represented by CAA Sports.  The agency announced the news on its Twitter feed.

We’ve already heard of widespread interest in Ozuna in free agency, with the Braves and Mets cited as just two of many teams checking in on the slugger’s services.  Naturally, it isn’t any surprise that Ozuna is generating such buzz in the wake of an outstanding season that saw him finish sixth in NL MVP voting.  Ozuna hit .338/.431/.636 over 267 plate appearances with the Braves in 2020, topping the National League in home runs (18), RBI (56) and total bases (145).

Even though 2020 was a shortened season, Ozuna will head into free agency on the heels of a much better platform year than he did last winter.  He posted solid (.241/.328/.472, 29 homers in 549 PA) but not top-tier numbers with the Cardinals in 2019, and also was attached to draft pick compensation after rejecting the Cards’ qualifying offer.  Ozuna chose to bet on himself in the form of a one-year, $18M deal with Atlanta rather than accept other multiyear offers that were on the table — a decision that now looks pretty wise in the wake of his big 2020 campaign.  MLBTR projects Ozuna to land a four-year, $72M contract this offseason, ranking him fourth on our list of the winter’s top 50 free agents.

CAA represents enough players on enough teams that is difficult to gauge whether Ozuna’s agency change could hint at his next landing spot.  For what it’s worth, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos completed a notable free agent deal with a CAA client just a year ago, when Atlanta inked left-hander Will Smith to a three-year, $40M pact.