MLB Winter Meetings: Logan Morrison market "getting a bit warmer"

Rumors are swirling at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, and one of the latest involves the Brewers and Marlins. Jon Heyman has the scoop:

LoMo @LoMoMarlins trade market getting a bit warmer. Brewers jays pirates rays possibles.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 9, 2013

Logan "LoMo" Morrison is 26 years old, bats left-handed and is a career .249/.337/.427 career hitter over 363 games in four MLB seasons. Those numbers are a bit deceptive, though, as he's posted an OPS slightly over .700 in part-time duty in each of the last two seasons. The Marlins signed Garrett Jones today, so Morrison is a bit redundant on their roster.

Morrison's numbers would probably look better in an offense-neutral environment, as he hit 23 homers in Sun Life Stadium in 2011 but has hit just 17 in two years since the Marlins moved into Marlins Park. He's played 240 games in the outfield and 101 at first base in his career, but was exclusively a first baseman in 2013. FanGraphs has him as a very poor defensive outfielder, worth -15.6 runs per 150 games in left field according to UZR.

I guess Morrison makes sense for the Brewers in two situations:

• First, if the Brewers aren't confident in their ability to sign Corey Hart, Morrison would be an alternative at first base. It's possible, though, that better offensive upgrades could be available.
• Second, if the Brewers think Morrison can still play the outfield, then he could split or compete for playing time with Khris Davis in left field while also being available to take a game or two a week at first base.

The Marlins opted to tender Morrison a 2014 contract instead of letting him become a free agent last week, so clearly they think they can get something for him in trade. Morrison is eligible for arbitration for the first time in 2014 and Matt Swartz of MLB Trade Rumors predicts he'll receive $1.7 million.

It's hard to peg Morrison's value at this point. The fact that he's under team control for three more seasons certainly means he's worth something, but at this point he may only be a fringe major leaguer.