He's only known one Major League organization to this point in his career, but All-Star catcher Willson Contreras is set to become a free agent once the offseason begins. Contreras, who was rumored to be a likely trade candidate prior to last August's Trade Deadline, remained with the Cubs through the end of the season. Being a catcher who can hit with power, he should have strong interest on the free-agent market.

FAST FACTS
Birthdate: May 13, 1992 (age 31 in 2023)
Primary position: C
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 225 lbs.
Bats/throws: Right/right
Place of birth: Puerto Cabello, Venezuela
Signed: July 2, 2009
MLB debut: June 17, 2016
Qualifying offer: Received one

THE NUMBERS
2022: .243/.349/.466 (128 OPS+), 22 HR, 3.9 WAR* in 113 G
Career: .256/.349/.466 (115 OPS+), 117 HR, 20.8 WAR in 734 G
*Per Baseball-Reference

STAT TO KNOW
Contreras had a hard-hit rate above 47 percent in each of the past three seasons, and his hard-hit rate of 48.6 percent in 2022 ranked in the top 10 percent of qualified batters, according to Statcast.

QUESTION MARK
Contreras has had a series of hamstring injuries the past few seasons, and while they have not caused him to miss an inordinate amount of time, hamstring injuries can be unpredictable with respect to how long they can keep a player sidelined. He's also had hip, knee, ankle and foot issues.

See ball, hit ball
Contreras wasted no time getting a big milestone out of the way: home run No. 1. On June 17, 2016, he made his MLB debut but didn't get a plate appearance. Two days later, he got that first plate appearance as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning against the Pirates at Wrigley Field. On the first pitch he saw from Pittsburgh right-hander A.J. Schugel, Contreras launched a two-run homer to dead-center-field. What a way to introduce yourself at the Friendly Confines.

Leading man
A catcher who doesn't run particularly well, leading off? Then-Cubs manager Joe Maddon didn't see why not, and it paid big dividends. On June 26, 2017, Maddon penciled Contreras into the leadoff spot in the batting order. On a 3-1 pitch, Contreras opened the game with a home run, making him the first catcher in Cubs history to lead off a game with a homer.

Bro, you're an All-Star
Contreras' younger brother, William, had a breakout season as a catcher and designated hitter for the Braves. The Contreras brothers found themselves in the same lineup for the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium last summer, with Willson batting sixth and William batting seventh. They became the first pair of brothers to appear in the same All-Star Game since Aaron and Bret Boone in 2003. They were also the first set of brothers to appear in the same All-Star Game lineup since Sandy and Roberto Alomar in 1992.