TwinsCentric: Best defensive outfielders in free agency

It's been clear for some time now: the Twins need to find themselves a left fielder during the offseason.

What should they be looking for in a prospective pickup at this position? Well, that also seems fairly clear. Considering that they fielded the worst defensive outfield in baseball this year, the Twins should really be seeking a player who can cover ground and provide some much-needed help for the pitching staff.

Today, we'll take a look at some outfielders available on the free agent market who are known for their fielding chops.

Although I'm not a huge fan of any defensive metrics, UZR is generally considered to be the most accurate measure over a large sample, so I've listed each player's career average per 150 games (in essence, this is meant to convey the number of runs saved defensively per season).

For reference, Twins left fielders collectively posted a -14.7 UZR/150 mark in 2014. Yuck.

Nyjer Morgan

Age: 34

Career UZR/150: 15.7

Morgan has been a defensive wizard. His 15.7 UZR/150 mark is off-the-charts good, and he has proven to be a major asset at all three outfield spots. He has also been a solid hitter for the most part and and an aggressive threat on the basepaths. Unfortunately, he's in his mid-30s and doesn't have much of a recent MLB track record; he was bad in 2012, spent the 2013 season playing in Japan, and missed most of 2014 with a knee injury. It's fair to wonder what "Tony Plush" is capable of at this point, though he'd be awfully intriguing on a minor-league deal.

Chris Denorfia

Age: 34

B/T: R/R

Denorfia has spent years reliably patrolling the spacious outfield at Petco Park, and has usually managed to put up solid offensive numbers in the notoriously hitter-hampering yard, though he's coming off his worst season at the plate. He's a .292 career hitter with a .789 OPS against left-handed pitchers, and would be interesting as a potential platoon partner for Jordan Schafer.

Colby Rasmus

Age: 28

B/T: L/L

UZR/150: -0.3

Endy Chavez

Age: 36

B/T: L/L

Career UZR/150: 7.5

Like Rasmus, Chavez's UZR total understates his ability because he's spent so much time playing center field. In the corners he has been nothing short of spectacular, though his rates have sagged in the past couple years as he's aged into his late 30s. The Mariners still liked his defense enough to get him into 177 games in those two seasons, despite a .650 OPS, but he can't really be viewed as a candidate to start at this point.

Age: 29

B/T: S/R

UZR/150: 3.1

The 29-year-old has carved out a nice career as a glove-first utility man, and he does his best work in the outfield corners, but he doesn't bring enough with the bat to profile as a starter. He has posted an OPS above .700 only once in his career.

Alex Rios

B/T: R/R

UZR/150: 5.5

Rios has been so-so in center but excellent in right field. He hasn't played much in left but there's no reason to think he couldn't. He is known for his cannon arm, and brings more with the stick than most players listed here. He is also an excellent base stealer and the Twins would probably welcome more speed to the lineup. The only question is whether they're willing to commit millions over multiple years to an inconsistent player in his mid-30s.

Nori Aoki

Age: 32

UZR/150: 3.6

Aoki has mostly played right field, where he rates very well, but he would seemingly be a fit in left. He is a disciplined hitter without much pop, sporting a .287/.353/.387 slash line in three MLB seasons with the Brewers and Royals. He is said to be seeking a three-year deal.

SUMMARY

Out of the players on this list, we can probably rule out Morgan, Chavez and Bonifacio, at least as starting options. They just don't hit enough to anchor a corner outfield spot. Denorfia would be fairly cheap and his righty bat would complement Schafer well. If the Twins are looking to make a more significant splash, then Rasmus, Rios and Aoki are all worth a long look.

Who appeals to you most out of this group? Or would you prefer to look elsewhere, like a trade or international signing?