The Winter Meetings, which will be held this year in Dallas from December 9-12, are nearly upon us.
The annual convention of players, agents, executives, and managers is often rife with rumors and a time of concentrated transactions that promise to shift the baseball landscape in the upcoming season. Before the proceedings begin, let’s take a look at what the league is preparing for over the next week.
Rumor Roundup
We already took a look at the biggest names on the market and what their respective statuses are ahead of the Winter Meetings, but a brief recap is always helpful:
Juan Soto: Everyone wants him, but only a few can afford him; bidding for Soto has reportedly eclipsed $600M. Rumor has it that it's down to five teams: the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Dodgers (who are definitely still in on the bidding). Soto is likely to pick his next team by the end of the Winter Meetings, at the latest.
Corbin Burnes: A marquee pitcher with his track record has not hit the market since Gerrit Cole in 2019. When he signs, it will likely be for more money than Blake Snell got from the Dodgers. Burnes's suitors include the Giants, the Red Sox, the Blue Jays, the Yankees, the Orioles, the Padres, the Cubs, and the Dodgers.
Garrett Crochet: He was very nearly traded to the Cubs in a three-team swap with the Mariners also being involved. Apparently, the White Sox couldn't agree on which prospects they would receive in return. Expect Crochet to be dealt in the coming months (if not sooner), with the Red Sox especially looming as a potential suitor.
Max Fried: Max Fried doesn't have Corbin Burnes's Cy Young pedigree, but the pair have had nearly identical ERAs since 2020. As the top lefty remaining on the market, he should receive plenty of offers in the $150 million-plus range at the meetings. All of Burnes's suitors will be in player for Fried as well.
Willy Adames: Willy Adames is a free agent after the best season of his career in 2024. The 29-year-old shortstop has many suitors because he's open to switching positions, but his market is still in its infancy. The Mets, Astros, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Phillies, Giants, and incumbent Brewers are all possible fits.
Alex Bregman: Bregman's reported asking price borders on absurd, but he's the top third baseman on the market and has championship pedigree. The Blue Jays, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees, Mariners and Tigers have all been mentioned as potential suitors. The Astros remain the heavy favorite, though, as they've made retaining Bregman their 'top priority' this winter.
Pete Alonso: The National League's home run leader since the start of 2020, Alonso is coming off a down season by his own lofty standards. Still, with prodigious pop and a knack for the coming through in big moments, he should have plenty of interested teams, including the Astros, Cardinals, Diamonbacks, Yankees, Mariners, and Mets.
Roki Sasaki: Arguably the biggest non-Soto name on the market, Sasaki isn't going to sign at the Winter Meetings due to quirks in the MLB's international posting system. Sasaki will sign after January 15th because that's when the bonus pool resets.
Winter Meetings Events
Beyond the usual flurry of rumors and breaking news, the meetings always have a few a events on the schedule that can impact rosters at the margins.
International Prospect Signings: The international signing period resets on December 15th, just after the end of the Winter Meetings. However, teams won't have access to their 2025 bonus pools until January 15th. They'll mostly be minor moves, but teams looking to use up any excess cash left in their 2024 bonus pools may sign a few international free agents.
Rule 5 Draft: Taking place on Wednesday, December 11 at 2pm EST, the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft will give teams a chance to snag 'unprotected' prospects from other teams' systems.
Any player who turned pro in 2021 (or 2020, if they were under 18 years old at the time) and isn't currently on a 40-man roster is eligible to be selected. The draft progresses in reverse order of the standings from 2024, and teams can continue selecting players until they choose to pass. Once they pass, they cannot select another player for the remainder of the draft.
If a team selects a player, they must keep him on their Major League roster for the entirety of the 2025 season. If a team wishes to get rid of a Rule 5 drafted player, they must offer him back to his original team.
A full list of Rule 5 eligible players can be found here.
MLB Draft Lottery: For the third time, this event — which will take place on Tuesday, December 10 at 5:30pm EST — will lend some automatic fun and intrigue to the meetings. All non-playoff teams are entered into a lottery for the top six picks.
The Rockies and Marlins share the best odds of getting the No. 1 pick this year, with both teams at 22.45 percent. The Angels (17.96%), Nationals (10.20%), Blue Jays (7.48%) and Pirates (5.31%) round out the top six. Neither the White Sox nor Athletics are eligible for this year's lottery. They can pick no earlier than 10th and 11th in the 2025 MLB Draft as a result.