Three superstar MLB free agents that should sign during the Winter Meetings

The Winter Meetings is an annual event that begins in just a few days on December 9, in Dallas, Texas. During the four-day event, many top-tier free agents will be available for face-to-face discussions with team executives, team staff, and player agents.

This availability between General Managers and agents is not common throughout the year, which makes the Winter Meetings a four-day frenzy. Working out specific details face-to-face instead of over the phone or texting is why we tend see big-name free agents signed quickly or blockbuster trades executed during this relatively small window.

Many names will be discussed in rumors during the Winter Meetings, but here are where the top three players still on the board could go.

Corbin Burnes

Corbin Burnes is one of just two premier starting pitchers left in free agency market now that Blake Snell has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished 2024 with a 15-9 record, a 2.92 ERA, and 181 strikeouts over 194.1 innings. He's only 30, so he is still in his prime, even if he isn't the dominant pitcher who won Cy Young in 2021.

Burnes did dip in strikeouts this past season, as he had fewer than 200 for the first time in four years. His whiff percentage fell into the 74th percentile in 2024, a massive drop off from the 95th percentile mark he registered 2022.

The San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox are known to have had discussions with the right-handed starting pitcher. The Orioles are normally not keen on pursuing expensive free agents, though they could make an exception for their in-house ace.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi has reported that the Giants are trying to strike a deal with Burnes before Juan Soto signs in order to avoid a bidding war. Since Burnes and Soto both have Scott Boras as their agent, the former Orioles pitcher is being advised to wait to strike a deal until after Soto signs to leverage his status as the best free agent available.

The Giants have their own leverage since Burnes pitched at nearby Saint Mary's College of California, but reports indicate it may be near the end of the Winter Meetings before a deal is completed.

Willy Adames

Willy Adames already has multiple teams interested in him. Adames finished the 2024 season hitting .251 over 610 at-bats with 32 HRs and 112 RBIs for the Milwaukee Brewers. The shortstop also had a .963 fielding percentage, which makes him an asset to any shortstop-needy team.

The 29-year-old has made himself even more appealing to teams by announcing he is open to moving to second or third base if the right fit appears. Little interest has been reported between both parties in a Milwaukee reunion, although two teams will have Adames at the top of their list and will be looking to strike a deal quickly.

The San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros have both expressed plenty of interest in Adames.

The Giants did receive a breakout season from their rookie shortstop, Tyler Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald bounced between AAA and MLB during the first half of the 2024 season before becoming an everyday starter for the Giants starting in July. The 27-year-old also logged innings at first and second base this past season and left and center field.

This makes Adames a perfect fit however the Giants decide to assign positions. They ranked 17th in HRs and tied 14th with eight other teams in fielding percentage, both figures that Adames would aid in boosting. The only hindrance is that former Giants catcher Buster Posey was named president of baseball operations and has said the team wants to cut costs this offseason.

The Houston Astros, meanwhile, could lose their Gold Glove third baseman, Alex Bregman, to free agency, making Adames a high priority. Bregman hit .260 with 26 HRs and 75 RBIs in the 2024 season, so Adames could offset the power drop if Bregman departs.

The Astros also have leverage that the Giants do not possess: a feasible chance at a World Series run in 2025. However, the Astros remain concentrated on retaining Bregman, calling it their top priority for the offseason.

Juan Soto

During last year's Winter Meetings, Soto was all the talk when he was traded from the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees. He went on to hit .288 with 41 HRs and 109 RBIs. With his elite on-base skills and the fact that he's only 26 years old, it is understandable why such large numbers are being floated as possibilities for his contract.

Soto's market has simplified in the last few days. It has been reported that the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox have all made offers in the $600 million range, and they appear to be the clear-cut finalists.

It is hard to imagine the Dodgers being outbid with their deferred money strategy, but the Mets and Yankees are the two favorites to sign Soto.

However, the Blue Jays are the dark horse that may go all in to combine Soto with their young superstars, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. The Red Sox have reportedly requested a meeting where they intend to give Soto the equivalent of a blank check.

Regardless of who pulls it off, it's become clear that Soto intends to sign by the end of the Winter Meetings. Buckle up, folks.

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