The Rangers' top winter priority is upgrading its starting pitching but they're also going to be looking for a bat.
Target: Ben Zobrist, OF/2B/SS
2014 stats: .272 batting average, .354 on-base percentage, .749 OPS, 34 doubles, 10 home runs, 52 RBIs
Zobrist has been a longtime favorite of yours truly. He's a versatile defender and an underrated hitter that will always battle and give quality at-bats. He's batted at least .270 in each of the past three seasons with Tampa Bay and while he was primarily a second baseman for the Rays last season, he also played more than 50 games in the outfield and a few games at shortstop.
He's a be a great addition not only for his bat but also for that defensive versatility, as the Rangers are still searching for a corner outfielder and could also need a middle infielder in case Jurickson Profar is hurt again or Rougned Odor just suffers a massive sophomore slump, which wouldn't at all be surprising given his young age and the fact teams will have more of a book on him this season.
He has a $7.5 million team option this year, and then is set to become a free agent after the 2015 season but he'd be a nice stop-gap, if nothing else, until guys like Joey Gallo and maybe even Nomar Mazara are ready to arrive in 2016.
