The top 25 MLB free agents available this offseason
With the World Series now in the rearview mirror, the Major League Baseball offseason can officially begin.
Of course, the offseason includes movement by free agents. While we don’t know what role a potential work stoppage can or could have with the MLB offseason, we do know that, when baseball begins next season, there will be plenty of new faces on new teams thanks to free agency, trades, etc.
Who are the top 25 MLB free agents available this offseason?
Using this list which documented FanGraphs’ Wins Above Replacement (WAR) from the 2020 and 2021 season as a measuring tool, let’s rank the top free agents available and what we know about their past and perhaps their future.
As a note, if a player had a club or mutual option or opt-out clause, he was not included in this list.
With that in mind, we’ll start with numbers 21-25 on the list.
T-21. Raisel Iglesias (3.1 fWAR)
In his first season with the Los Angeles Angels, the 31-year-old right-hander led the American League with 59 games finished and posted 34 saves, tying a career-high. Excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Iglesias has 30 or more saves in three consecutive seasons.
T-21. Alex Cobb (3.1 fWAR)
Another member of the Los Angeles Angels, Cobb went 8-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 18 starts this past season, striking out 98 in 93.1 innings pitched. The right-hander missed almost two months of the 2021 season with right wrist inflammation but came back to make three solid starts in September.
23. Anthony DeSclafani (3.0 fWAR)
A one-year, $6 million deal with the San Francisco Giants made DeSclafani look like a bargain this season after the right-hander posted a career-high 13 wins and career-low 3.17 ERA and 3.62 FIP. His pair of complete-game shutouts led all MLB pitchers.
24. Michael Conforto (2.9 fWAR)
The former 10th overall draft pick had a much stronger 2020 (.322/.412/.515 with an OPS of .927 in 202 at-bats) for the New York Mets than he did in 2021 (.232/.344/.384 with an OPS of .729 in 406 at-bats).
Conforto, who primarily played right field over the last two seasons, finished 2021 on a tear, however, going 9-for-23 over the final seven games, including this home run in Atlanta.
25. Anthony Rizzo (2.7 fWAR)
Whether he was on the Chicago Cubs or New York Yankees in 2021, Rizzo was consistent last season, slashing .248/.346/.446 with an OPS of .792 in 323 at-bats as a member of the Cubs before being traded to the Big Apple at the trade deadline. Once in New York, his numbers were .249/.340/.428 with an OPS of .768 in 173 at-bats.
The 32-year-old first baseman has 291 career homers, including 23 last season.
20. Eduardo Rodriguez (3.8 fWAR)
Rodriguez returned to the mound this season after missing the entire 2020 campaign with COVID-19 and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart connected to COVID-19). After the 28-year-old southpaw started a Major League-high 34 games for the Boston Red Sox in 2019, he started 31 games for them in 2021. He averaged 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings and showed electric stuff in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.
19. Javier Báez (3.6 fWAR)
What a season it was for the two-time All-Star. Traded from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Mets, Báez struggled with his new team until finding his groove in September, slashing .361/.441/.577 with an OPS of 1.019 in 97 at-bats during the month. From a valuable lost earring to his abilities to get out of jams on the basepaths, the ultra-talented infielder was in the news plenty last season.
T-18. Robbie Ray (3.5 fWAR)
After signing a one-year, $8 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, the 30-year-old southpaw staked his claim to what could well be the American League Cy Young Award. Ray led the American League with a 2.84 ERA in 32 starts covering 193.1 innings. His 248 strikeouts led all MLB pitchers, and his ERA+ of 154 was the best in the AL.
T-18. Zack Greinke (3.5 fWAR)
Having just turned 38, what does the former Cy Young winner and six-time All-Star still have left in the tank? He made 29 regular-season starts for Houston (going 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA), but struggled in the postseason, before throwing four scoreless innings in a Game 4 World Series start. He’s coming off a six-year, $206.5 million deal. Will he be looking for a one year deal to keep his career going?
16. Marcus Stroman (3.4 fWAR)
Stroman will turn 31 next season, and the right-hander continues to amaze with his pitching and overall athleticism. After opting out of the 2020 season, Stroman came back to post a 3.01 ERA in a Major League-high 33 starts. His 1.145 WHIP was the second-lowest of his career, and his 3.59 strikeout-to-walk ratio was the second-highest of his career.
11. Clayton Kershaw (4.8 fWAR)
It’s hard to imagine the 33-year-old former National League MVP and three-time Cy Young Award winner in any other uniform other than Dodger blue, but after suffering through an injury-filled 2021, anything is possible. Kershaw’s 1.019 WHIP and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings last season shows that, when he’s healthy, he can be a weapon on the mound.
12. Chris Taylor (4.5 fWAR)
If Chris Taylor’s time with the Dodgers is over, he went out with a bang, smacking three home runs in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves (just the 11th player in MLB history to do that) and hitting a walk-off home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card Game. Taylor, however, hit just .223 after the All-Star break with 79 strikeouts in 215 at-bats.
13. Mark Canha (4.3 fWAR)
In his seventh season with Oakland, Canha put up a solid, but not eye-popping season (.231/.358/.387 slash line with 17 homers and 22 doubles while also swiping a career-high 12 bases). His versatility in the outfield (ability to play all three positions) and steady production will be enough to intrigue teams this offseason. As an aside, it’s a tough stat to lead MLB in, but Canha was hit by a pitch 27 times in 2021.
14. Kris Bryant (4.0 fWAR)
Coming over to the San Francisco Giants from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline, Bryant made a big impact for San Francisco in the postseason, slashing .471/.500/.647 with an OPS of 1.147 in 17 at-bats, as well as some solid defense. Like Canha, Bryant provides versatility (playing infield and outfield). Will the former National League Rookie of the Year and MVP return to the Giants in 2022?
15. Nelson Cruz (3.9 fWAR)
Cruz will turn 42 on July 1, yet could well bring some pop at the designated hitter role in what could be his 18th MLB season. With the National League expected to implement the DH in 2022, the amount of teams who could interest in Cruz could rise, especially after a season where he hit 32 home runs for the Tampa Bay Rays. He signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Rays last offseason. Where will he land another one-year deal this offseason?
6. Kevin Gausman (6.4 fWAR)
The 30-year-old Gausman earned his first-ever All-Star Game nod this season and helped the Giants capture the National League West with a 14-6 mark, 2.81 ERA, 1.042 WHIP, and 145 ERA+. He also registered 227 strikeouts over 192 innings (10.6 per nine innings). Among his career-bests this season were hits allowed per nine innings (7.0) and opponent OPS (.609).
7. Brandon Belt (5.2 fWAR)
Sticking with the Giants, Belt put up a solid season in his 11th year in a San Francisco uniform, slashing .274/.378/.597 with an OPS of .975 in 325 at-bats. His 29 home runs were by far a career-high and he was batting .349 with 18 RBI in September when he went down with a thumb fracture on September 26.
8. Trevor Story (6.0 fWAR)
Of the entire shortstop free agent market, Story contains the most questions … and potential opportunities as well. Nolan Arenado and DJ LeMahieu have already proven that hitters can hit at any ballpark outside of Coors Field, and Story seems well equipped to follow that tradition of Colorado Rockies All-Stars who left Denver for other teams. In six seasons with the Rockies, Story totaled 158 homers, 450 RBI, 100 stolen bases, and plenty of defensive highlights.
9. Corey Seager (5.5 fWAR)
Named the MVP of the 2020 World Series, the 27-year-old Seager has put together back-to-back seasons with an OPS+ of 145 or higher. He finished the 2021 regular season with a flourish, slashing .366/.455/.699 with an OPS of 1.153 in 93 September at-bats, helping keep the Dodgers in the hunt for the NL West title.
10. Carlos Rodón (5.0 fWAR)
After an injury-shortened 2020 season where he threw just 7.2 innings for the Chicago White Sox, the Southsiders signed Rodón to a one-year, $3 million deal for the 2021 campaign. Rodón rebounded in a big way, going 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA in 24 starts as the White Sox won the American League Central. He earned his first-ever All-Star Game nod while averaging 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
T-1. Freddie Freeman (7.8 fWAR)
Drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Braves in 2007, will the Braves and Freeman agree on a contract to extend a career that has seen him become the face of the franchise? He batted an even .300 in 2021, marking the fifth time in the last six seasons where the five-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger has hit that mark. Just turning 32 in September, Freeman seemingly still has plenty of career left ahead of him.
T-1. Marcus Semien (7.8 fWAR)
Signed to a one-year, $18 million by the Toronto Blue Jays prior to the season, Semien saw action in all 162 games for the second straight full season. His 45 homers (a single-season record for any MLB second baseman) and 102 RBI were both career-highs and he played both second base and shortstop for the Blue Jays this season, showing his versatility. He’s only played in the American League through his first nine MLB seasons. Will that change this offseason?
3. Max Scherzer (7.2 fWAR)
Was there a bigger trade at the trade deadline than the one that sent Trea Turner and Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals to the Los Angeles Dodgers? Both players showed just how valuable they were after arriving on the West Coast, with the 37-year-old Scherzer going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 68.1 innings wearing Dodger blue. In his time with L.A., he averaged 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings and recorded his 3,000th career K.
4. Starling Marte (6.7 fWAR)
This will be the first time in his 11-year career that Marte will be a free agent, and he’s expected to be one of the hottest commodities out there this offseason. The 33-year-old Marte is the only active player with more than 125 home runs and 275 steals in his career. He can also play left or center field and has earned a pair of Gold Gloves for his defensive prowess in the outfield.
5. Carlos Correa (6.6 fWAR)
The top overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft, Correa slashed .279/.366/.485 and logged an OPS+ of 131 during the 2021 regular season. His 26 home runs were a career-high and his 92 RBI marked the second time he’s topped 90 RBI in a campaign. He’s expected to be the most sought-after shortstop in a very talent-heavy free agent class at the position. Will Correa remain with the Astros, the only team he has played for during his seven-year MLB career?
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We will update this list as players sign with their respective teams at this link.