MLB: 25 Biggest "Buy-Low" Players in Baseball Right Now

For those of us who are old enough, it used to be that you'd go to your local record store on a random afternoon and rummage through the bargain bin to see what was lying around.

More often than not, whatever you pulled out of the bin ended up being listened to once or twice and then turned into a door stop, a coaster or as a device used to level out your wobbly kitchen table.

But every once in a while, you pulled out a gem—an album that became part of your regular rotation.

Like the albums you pulled out of the bin, players who are classified as "buy-low" candidates and find themselves in the proverbial bargain bin are there for a reason.

They're simply either past their prime and have little left to offer, or their contract has become an issue and their teams are willing to take far below market value to unload it.

But every once in awhile, a talented player makes his way to the bin due to losing a numbers game and faces a lack of playing time or has continuously underperformed in their current location and desperately needs a change of scenery.

After the jump, 25 players who could be the diamonds in the bargain bin, both free agents and those who, at some point, could be made available by their respective teams if they've not been already.

Bobby Abreu, RF/DH, Los Angeles Angels

Almost traded last month to the Cleveland Indians before a dispute over the $9 million he's due this year squashed the deal, 38-year-old Bobby Abreu continues to flounder in Los Angeles.

Abreu only appeared in four games for the Angels thus far, going 3-for-13 with three RBI, two walks and three strikeouts.

While he's not the player he once was, Abreu can still be a valuable left-handed bat in someone's lineup or off the bench for a contender.

Gordon Beckham, 2B, Chicago White sox

We looked at Gordon Beckham last week as a player who could benefit from a change of scenery, and nothing has changed since then.

Beckham is off to an atrocious start for the White Sox, hitting .120/.214/.200 with three walks and 11 strikeouts over 28 plate appearances.

Getting out of Chicago is likely the only thing that will give him a chance to recapture the stroke that saw him breakout in 2009.

Casey Blake, 1B/3B , Free Agent

Released towards the end of spring training by the Colorado Rockies after going 3-for-20 with a home run, two RBI and seven strikeouts, 38-year-old Casey Blake can still help a team as a backup corner infielder.

Blake, who missed time last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers while battling a cervical strain, hit .252/.342/.371 with four home runs and 26 RBI in just over 200 at bats last season.

Brett Carroll, CF/RF, Washington Nationals

Designated for assignment late last week to make room for Rick Ankiel on the roster, 29-year-old Brett Carroll could serve a team well as their fourth outfielder.

Carroll, who has struggled mightily at the plate over parts of six major league seasons with a career hitting line of .201/.280/.319, has shown the ability to hit at Triple-A, hitting .277/.343/.500 over nearly 1300 plate appearances.

Coco Crisp, CF, Oakland A's

Coco Crisp is owed $13 million over the next two seasons before a team has to decide on a $1 million buyout or a $7.5 million option for 2014, limiting the return A's GM Billy Beane can reasonably expect to receive in exchange for the outfielder.

Crisp, pushed to left field with the emergence of Yoenis Cespedes in center, is off to an awful start, hitting .162/.225/.162 with two RBI.

Still an above-average defensive player with speed, Crisp could be a useful outfielder for someone with little aside from money to lose.

Jay Gibbons, 1B/OF, Free Agent

Released by the Milwaukee Brewers towards the end of spring training, Jay Gibbons is a left-handed bat who could provide some pop for a team coming off the bench.

Gibbons, 35, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, posting a combined hitting line of ..269/.317/.438 with six home runs and 22 RBI over 140 plate appearances.

Kevin Gregg, RHP, Baltimore Orioles

Kevin Gregg has been awful in three games for the Baltimore Orioles this year and it's time for the team and the 35-year-old to part ways.

Due $5.8 million this season, the Orioles likely aren't expecting much in exchange and would like to rid themselves of the contract.

Gregg, who has saved 143 games since 2007, could potentially help a number of bullpens around the league.

Rich Harden, RHP, Free Agent

The Yankees struck gold signing an injured player following the 2002 season when they inked Jon Lieber to a two-year, $3.5 million deal only months after he had undergone Tommy John surgery.

Lieber rehabbed under the Yankees watchful eye in 2003 and became a solid part of their 2004 rotation.

Rich Harden is out of action for 2012 as he recovers from shoulder surgery to repair a torn capsule Harden believes has hampered him for five years with the goal of coming back healthy in 2013.

A shrewd GM with an eye towards his 2013 rotation or bullpen should be able to get Harden on a similar deal to what the Yankees signed Lieber for.

Harden, who has averaged 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings for his career, will draw interest following the 2012 season as he did following last year.

Phil Hughes, RHP, New York Yankees

I find it highly unlikely that the Yankees would entertain trading 25-year-old Phil Hughes, but stranger things have happened.

Hughes, who was an All-Star and 18-game winner in 2010, has struggled out of the gate in 2012, allowing eight earned runs and 13 hits over eight innings of work.

He has struck out 11 while only issuing three walks, but in the pressure-packed world of the Yankees, it's possible Hughes may be pitching himself not only out of the rotation, but to another zip code altogether.

Scott Kazmir, P, Free Agent

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported last month that the Mets had sent scouts to Texas to watch former Met Scott Kazmir throw, and the reports weren't great.

That being said, Kazmir is a 28-year-old former American League strikeout champion who a team could bring into their system for virtually nothing up front on an incentive-laden deal.

Chances are that Kazmir truly has nothing left, but what's the harm in a minor-league deal to find out?

Matt LaPorta, 1B/OF, Cleveland Indians

In 2008, Matt LaPorta was the centerpiece of the deal that sent C.C. Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Four years later, LaPorta is playing for the Columbus Clippers—the Indians Triple-A affiliate—with no discernible chance of rejoining the major league roster anytime soon.

LaPorta failed to impress over parts of three seasons with the Indians, yet has nothing left to prove or gain from hitting against Triple-A pitching.

Still relatively young at 27, a change of scenery could rejuvenate his career and make a GM look good for taking a chance on him.

Damaso Marte, LHP, Free Agent

Recovered from shoulder surgery that cost him the 2011 season, 37-year-old Damaso Marte is looking to throw his first major league pitch in nearly two years.

Marte, a lefty specialist who has held left-handed batters to a .194 average over his career, could be an inexpensive option for a team to bolster their bullpen with.

Hideki Matsui, DH, Free Agent

Still unsigned, 37-year-old Hideki Matsui hit .251 with 12 home runs and 72 RBI for the Oakland A's in 2011.

No longer able to play the outfield, Matsui's clutch bat off of the bench or as a designated hitter could help any number of teams this season.

It's only a matter of time before someone brings Matsui on board.

Brian Matusz, LHP, Baltimore Orioles

This spring, a strong performance earned Brian Matusz a spot in the Orioles' starting rotation, but after allowing nine runs, 14 hits and walking eight over 9.2 innings pitched so far, the 25-year-old lefty finds himself on shaky ground.

With the Orioles off to a decent start, Matusz is pitching on borrowed time and could be throwing his way out of Baltimore.

Aaron Miles, IF, Free Agent

Primarily a second baseman, 35-year-old Aaron Miles had a decent season for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011, hitting .275/.314/.346 with three home runs, 45 RBI and solid defense at second base.

Miles could serve as a veteran leader and a capable utility player on a contender's bench.

Scott Podsednik, CF, Philadelphia Phillies

Off to a 2-for-16 start with the Phillies Triple-A affiliate, Scott Podsednik still has value to major league teams in need of a fourth outfielder, pinch runner off of the bench or as an injury replacement in center field.

The 36-year-old last appeared in the majors back in 2010 with the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers where he hit a combined .297/.342/.382 with six home runs, 51 RBI and 35 stolen bases in 50 attempts.

Ben Revere, LF/CF, Minnesota Twins

My pick for Twins breakout player of the 2012 season, Ben Revere has been generally stuck to the Twins bench so far this season.

Appearing in only four games, Revere is hitting .199 (2-for-11) with one run scored and nothing else.

Considering the issues that the Twins starting rotation is dealing with, including the loss of Scott Baker for the season, it's conceivable their fourth (or fifth) outfielder could be expendable in exchange for a pitcher.

Revere's speed on the bases and ability to get to balls other players cannot in the outfield could make him a steal at a cost of a back-of-the-rotation arm and give a team their outfielder of the future.

Ivan Rodriguez, C, Free Agent

Healthy and in good shape, as CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports, 40-year-old Ivan Rodriguez is simply waiting for a team to have a need for a catcher.

Pudge, who struggled in limited playing time for the Nationals in 2011, posting a .218/.281/.323 hitting line, could serve as a backup to a team that suffers an injury or is thin at the catching position.

Travis Snider, LF, Toronto Blue Jays

While a devalued asset generally will regain value as it begins to perform up to expectations, that's not the case with Travis Snider.

Regardless of how well he plays in Triple-A for the Las Vegas 51's, Snider's value is only going to increase with consistent and successful play at the major league level.

That leaves the Blue Jays in a catch-22: he has no spot on the major league roster, but the team is wary of dealing him away while his value is down.

Alfonso Soriano, LF, Chicago Cubs

Alfonso Soriano might be off to a good start for the Cubs, but that changes nothing—the Cubs would love nothing more than to send him and his bloated contract out of Chicago.

While his contract, which runs through the 2014 season and pays him $54 million over that time, is an albatross and the Cubs have indicated a willingness to pick up a large chunk of the remaining money.

Money aside, Soriano could be a fit for an American League team looking to add a power bat to their lineup as a designated hitter at little cost in the way of prospects.

Drew Stubbs, CF, Cincinnati Reds

This season, Drew Stubbs is off to a rough start for the Cincinnati Reds, hitting .167/.211/.167 with one RBI, one stolen base and 12 strikeouts against only two walks in 38 plate appearances

As John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets, "trading Stubbs now is like dumping a stock that just dropped $27."

Rich Thompson, RHP, Los Angeles Angels

MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez says the Angels are looking to trade 28-year-old reliever Rich Thompson before exposing him to waivers.

Thompson, who allowed four earned runs and five hits over 2.1 innings pitched this year, reportedly has seen a big drop in his velocity—a potential sign of a significant injury.

Then again, it could be something completely different.

Someone will take a chance on Thompson, who posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 9.3 K/9 ratio over 54 innings of relief for the Angels in 2011.

Brandon Webb, RHP, Free Agent

It was six years ago Brandon Webb won the National League Cy Young award, and after a second surgery on his right shoulder last season, the 32-year-old is intent on pitching for a major league team again, says ESPN's Buster Olney.

Webb is at the very least worth an extended look—talk about a low-risk, high-reward situation.

Michael Wuertz, RHP, Free Agent

It was only two years ago Michael Wuertz broke out as an excellent setup man for the Oakland A's, posting a 6-1 record with a 2.63 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 102 strikeouts over 78.2 innings pitched.

After battling injuries the past two seasons that limited him to a combined 73.2 innings pitched with a 5.40 ERA and 1.62 WHIP, the 32-year-old Wuertz remains a free agent.

The Seattle Mariners were said to have serious interest in him recently, but ultimately decided to go with an in-house option, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.

Clay Zavada, LHP, Free Agent

After a strong rookie campaign with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 that saw him go 3-3 with a 3.35 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 52 strikeouts over 54.1 relief innings, 27-year-old Clay Zavada has spent his time in the minors waiting for a chance to get back to the majors.

Last year, for the Arizona Diamonbacks' Double-A affiliate, Zavada posted a 3.43 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 46 strikeouts over 60.1 innings pitched.