MLB's Top 50 free agents rebooted

Scott Mitchell

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The hot stove has barely been crackling so far this off-season, and there are a number of reasons why.

The Giancarlo Stanton trade talks have been bogging things down for the top-tier free agents, while preparation for the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes took precedence for all 30 general managers, a chase that has now been whittled down to seven teams courting the Japanese star.

Add in the continuing evolution of cost-conscious GMs preferring not to invest heavily in the aging and flawed players that usually make it to the open market and you end up with what we’ve got: A slow start to the off-season.

With the Winter Meetings in Orlando less than a week away, however, things are about to change.

It doesn’t hold a candle to the class that could be set free a year from now, but this year’s free-agent market is headlined by a handful of front-of-the-rotation starters, a solid group of high-leverage relievers, and a typical smattering of past-their-prime corner-type bats.

1 - SP/OF Shohei Ohtani, Japan
Age: 23
2017 salary: $2.4 million
Three fits: Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs
Even if Ohtani hadn’t been dubbed Japan’s Babe Ruth by just about everyone who’s seen the right-handed ace and left-handed power hitter, his age alone would be a reason to chase. Not often do players with his production — Ohtani has a career 2.52 ERA in 543 innings and an .859 OPS in 1,170 plate appearances in Japan — and upside come along. Ohtani is telling teams he wants to pitch and hit, which could factor into negotiations. MLB bonus pool restrictions limit the type of money he’ll make initially, making him an extreme bargain for whichever lucky team is able to secure his services over the next three weeks after he was officially posted Dec. 1. In addition to the three fits listed above, the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers are also still in the mix for Ohtani.

2 - SP Yu Darvish, Los Angeles Dodgers
Age: 31
2017 salary: $11 million
Three fits: Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers
It’s not a strong free-agent class, but the top pitchers will still be getting paid in a big way, even if they faltered in a big way in the post-season. Darvish and Jake Arrieta are 1a and 1b on the market, and they’ll likely have the same suitors, pushing their eventual price tags well past the $100-million mark. Don’t let Darvish’s World Series struggles fool you, he is still an ace.

3 - SP Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs
Age: 32
2017 salary: $15.6 million
Three fits: Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox
Arrieta salvaged his career on the north side of Chicago, but he might find more money and term elsewhere. Similar to Ohtani and Darvish, all of the deep-pocketed teams will be in on the right-hander and maybe a couple of under-the-radar suitors. It is concerning that Arrieta’s numbers have progressively gotten worse since his 2015 Cy Young season, but he’s still pretty darn good.

4 - RF J.D. Martinez, Arizona Diamondbacks
Age: 30
2017 salary: $11.8 million
Three fits: Los Angeles Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants
Quietly, Martinez has been one of the five best offensive outfielders in baseball over the past four years, and he’s poised to cash in on that production. Martinez recently switched to powerhouse agent Scott Boras, who will obviously try to get every last penny he can for his client this winter, and has already floated contract numbers in the range of $200 million.

5 - 1B Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals
Age: 28
2017 salary: $12.3 million
Three fits: Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres
After a slow start, Hosmer slashed .318/.385/.498 to hit the free-agent market at the age of 28 on a high note. Hosmer’s 135 wRC+ is sure to attract a number of teams, but clubs have been hesitant to give big money to first basemen recently, a trend that the sweet swinging lefty could buck.

6 - 3B Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals
Age: 29
2017 salary: $8.7 million
Three fits: San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals
Similar to Hosmer, “Moose” hits the market at an enviable age, and should do well considering the dearth of hot corner options available. An acceptable third baseman defensively, Moustakas doesn’t get on base a whole lot — career .305 on-base percentage — but he does have oodles of power, evidenced by his 38 bombs this past year.

7 - CF Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals
Age: 31
2017 salary: $11 million
Three fits: Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants
Most of the core that got the Royals to back-to-back World Series earlier this decade is now being set free by the small-budget K.C. club. A little bit older than Hosmer and Moustakas, Cain provides an up-the-middle skillset and the most defensive ability of the trio. There are lots of teams looking for legit centre-field chops and 15 homers and 26 steals to boot.

8 - RP Wade Davis, Chicago Cubs
Age: 32
2017 salary: $10 million
Three fits: Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs
Davis was mostly terrific in his first — and only? — season with the Cubs, saving 32 games and pitching to a 2.30 ERA. While the peripheral numbers didn’t love him as much as they have in the past, Davis, who endured arm problems in 2016, has proven he’s a top-tier closer when healthy. The relief market cashed in last year — will it be similar this winter?

9 - RP Greg Holland, Colorado Rockies
Age: 32
2017 salary: $6 million
Three fits: Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals
Holland bet on himself by signing a contract with a mutual option for 2018, and it worked out. After missing the 2016 season due to Tommy John, Holland returned to close out 41 games for the Rockies and prove he’s still an elite option out of the bullpen. He’ll be looking for a long-term commitment this time around.

10 - SP Alex Cobb, Tampa Bay Rays
Age: 30
2017 salary: $4.2 million
Three fits: Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees
Likely to be one of the most-coveted pitchers once the top tier of starters have signed, Cobb is in that interesting tier where he’s going to have lucrative offers. But if you squint there’s also upside once you consider he’s never been able to put it together for a full season. Cobb is a perfect mid-rotation starter for a contender, meaning he’ll have many suitors.

11 - SP Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals
Age: 30
2017 salary: $7.5 million
Three fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox
Similar to Holland, Lynn missed the 2016 season with an elbow injury, but returned this past summer and still looked the part of mid-rotation innings eater. Contenders that have aces but are looking for a solid No. 3 or 4 option will be interested in the 6-foot-5, 280-pound horse. Cobb and Lynn have very similar profiles, all the way down to the Tommy John surgery in the past.

12 - 1B Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
Age: 31
2017 salary: $12 million
Three fits: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins
Over the last seven campaigns, Santana’s 117 wRC+ this past year was his worst. That means he’s consistently provided above average offensive production, even if he’s limited to first base, where the former catcher has turned himself into a pretty good defender. Santana’s .365 career OBP will surely attract teams that emphasize the stat.

13 - LF Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies
Age: 32
2017 salary: $20 million
Three fits: New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays
One of the preeminent run producers of this decade, Gonzalez struggled to a .262/.339/.423 slash line this past season, homering just 14 times in the process. Gonzalez may need to consider an American League landing spot in order to save his aging legs, and he will also have to also look at a short-term deal in order to go out and rebuild his value. He could be a bargain with a bounceback season.

14 - 3B Eduardo Nunez, Boston Red Red Sox
Age: 30
2017 salary: $4.2 million
Three fits: Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets
Nunez has been above average offensively for two straight full seasons now, but that’s not the most attractive aspect of the 30-year-old. He can play second, third, shortstop and the outfield, giving the team that signs him a shot of versatility both in the field and in the batting order. 

15 - SS Zack Cozart, Cincinnati Reds
Age: 32
2017 salary: $5.3 million
Three fits: Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals
Most teams have a shortstop they like, one of the reasons there wasn’t much of a market for Cozart at the trade deadline. But there’s no doubt Cozart, who slashed an impressive .297/.385/.548 with 24 homers this past season, is an upgrade for about two thirds of the league if he can keep up that sort of pace.

16 - RF Jay Bruce, Cleveland Indians
Age: 30
2017 salary: $13 million
Three fits: Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks
Over the past few seasons, Bruce has proven he is what he is. He’ll hit you 25-30 home runs, give you an average in the .250 range, and provide below-average defence. There wasn’t a whole lot of money available for corner outfield bats last winter, and Bruce should provide an interesting case study for how MLB teams are valuing this type of player.

17 - 3B Todd Frazier, New York Yankees
Age: 32
2017 salary: $7.5 million
Three fits: New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees
There are a handful of contenders looking for an answer at third base this winter, leaving Frazier in a good spot. His 2017 season — .214 average with his home run total dropping to 27 from 40 in 2016 — wasn’t anything to write home about, but Frazier is at least an average option offensively who can still pick it at the hot corner.

18 - C Jonathan Lucroy, Colorado Rockies
Age: 31
2017 salary: $5.3 million
Three fits: Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, Washington Nationals
If Lucroy were available one year ago, he’d be popular. But the right-handed backstop suffered through one of the worst seasons in his career, even if he turned around in the altitude of Denver once he was traded mid-season. It’s not hard to envision Lucroy bouncing back and providing bang for someone’s buck.

19 - RP Addison Reed, Boston Red Sox
Age: 29
2017 salary: $7.8M
Three fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals
You’ll notice a theme with the top relievers, especially those deemed to be closer-worthy: Two contenders, the Cubs and Nationals, will be searching for legit options, leaving Davis, Holland and likely Reed atop their wishlists. They’ll all find beaucoup bucks on the free-agent market.

20 - RP Mike Minor, Kansas City Royals
Age: 30
2017 salary: $4 million
Three fits: Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs
The last time we saw Minor, he was a starter for the Atlanta Braves in 2014. The Royals have enjoyed extreme success with pitcher reclamation projects and Minor is the latest example, turning into a shutdown lefty out of the bullpen last season, registering a 10.2 K/9 and a 2.55 ERA, piling up 2.1 WAR in the process. The lefty has some thinking he’s a poor man’s Andrew Miller, a pitcher who can be dominant in various situations thanks to no platoon issues.

21 - RP Brandon Morrow, Los Angeles Dodgers
Age: 33
2017 salary: $1.3 million
Three fits: Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels
Same story as Minor. Morrow revived his career in 2017, and now he’s poised to cash in. He looks like a potential closer and the only reason he won’t be one is if a contender with an established shutdown option offers Morrow more money than he can refuse. The stars have aligned and he’s going to be highly sought after.

22 - SP Jaime Garcia, New York Yankees
Age: 31
2017 salary: $12 million
Three fits: Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates
Traded twice this past summer as a deadline rental, Garcia will still likely be in high demand this winter despite middling results with a 4.41 ERA. All of the contenders looking for backend starters will check in, but Garcia may find the most money from a second-tier team desperately looking to improve its rotation depth.

23 - SP Jason Vargas, Kansas City Royals
Age: 35
2017 salary: $8 million
Three fits: New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers
An all-star in July thanks to a sparkling 2.62 ERA, Vargas imploded in the second half and pitched to a 6.38 mark. That’s not going to help his free-agent case, but there are more than a few teams who will remember the first half and be interested at a fair price.

24 - SP Tyler Chatwood, Colorado Rockies
Age: 28
2017 salary: $4.4 million
Three fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays
Pitching in the hell that is Coors Field for the majority of his career, Chatwood’s numbers have been completely reasonable over the past two years. With a career groundball rate of 54.7 per cent, Chatwood could flourish outside of Denver, and there’s likely a team or two that’s willing to bet on that for backend starter money.

25 - 1B Logan Morrison, Tampa Bay Rays
Age: 30
2017 salary: $2.5 million
Three fits: Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays
A steal in 2017 at $2.5 million, Morrison’s hot start didn’t last for 162 games, but his overall production was still well worth the money, and then some. There might not be many teams betting he’ll repeat his 38 homers, but someone might bet that he’ll come close to matching his 130 wRC+.

26 - 2B Neil Walker, New York Mets
Age: 32
2017 salary: $17.2 million
Three fits: Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants
Not an overly exciting player, but an extremely consistent one, Walker has posted an OPS mark between .750 and .810 each and every year of his career. Walker, however, has missed close to 50 games in each of the past two seasons.

27 - RP Jake McGee, Colorado Rockies
Age: 31
2017 salary: $5.9 million
Three fits: Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers
Acquired prior to 2016 in exchange for outfielder Corey Dickerson, this southpaw pitched in 119 games for the Rockies over two seasons, putting together a solid year in 2017 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.5 WAR. There’s a chance he’s just starting to put it together with his 95-mph fastball.

28 - RP Tony Watson, Los Angeles Dodgers
Age: 32
2017 salary: $5.6 million
Three fits: Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs
Miscast as a closer, Watson has been tremendously consistent for six or seven seasons now, evidenced by his 2.68 career ERA. He doesn’t strike out as many batters as you’d like, but he usually finds a way to get enough outs.

29 - RP Anthony Swarzak, Milwaukee Brewers
Age: 32
2017 salary: $900,000
Three fits: Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels
After bouncing around four different organizations over the past three years, this big righty picked a perfect time for a breakout season, showing strikeout ability (10.6 K/9) and control (2.6 BB/9) and results (2.33 ERA).

30 - SP Andrew Cashner, Texas Rangers
Age: 31
2017 salary: $10 million
Three fits: Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers
The former first-round pick was the bait the Chicago Cubs needed to get Anthony Rizzo back in the day, but he was also a savvy under-the-radar pickup by the Rangers last winter, providing 166.2 innings of 3.60 ERA pitching. Cashner’s success, however, came with one of the worst strikeout rates in the league at 4.6 K/9.

31 - SP Michael Pineda, New York Yankees
Age: 29
2017 salary: $7.4 million
Three fits: New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in July, Pineda is a play for 2019. With an estimated 12-14 month timeline, a team would pay Pineda to rehab this summer and then get him back full go in 2019. Pineda was well on his way to his third straight 3-plus-WAR season prior to getting hurt.

32 - SP Drew Smyly, Seattle Mariners
Age: 28
2017 salary: $6.8 million
Three fits: Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers
Non-tender by the Mariners on Dec. 1, Smyly underwent Tommy John surgery last summer and will be hard pressed to make it back by the end of 2018, setting himself up for the same type of two-year deal that Pineda will likely scoop. The underrated lefty represents an interesting gamble for teams without many rotation options for 2019, which is exactly where the Jays will find themselves when J.A. Happ and Marco Estrada are slated to hit the open market next winter.

33 - SP Jeremy Hellickson, Baltimore Orioles
Age: 31
2017 salary: $17.2 million
Three fits: Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres
After giving up 35 home runs last season, Hellickson would be wise to find a new home that’s flyball friendly. A handful of teams will look at his 3.3 WAR season from 2016 with the Philadelphia Phillies and consider letting him compete for a back end rotation spot.

34 - SP Miles Mikolas, Japan
Age: 29
2017 salary: $2.5 million
Three fits: Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles
Mikolas posted a 5.32 ERA over parts of three seasons with the Padres and Rangers (2012-14), before heading to Japan and finding a mix that work. In three seasons for Yomiuri in the NPB, Mikolas ran up a 31-13 record and pitched to a sparkling 2.18 ERA over 424.2 innings, which has a handful of teams very interested in the 6-foot-5 right-hander.

35 - RP Pat Neshek, Colorado Rockies
Age: 37
2017 salary: $6.5 million
Three fits: Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox
The sidearming righty had another fine season in 2017, pitching to a 1.59 ERA with the Phillies and Rockies and posting excellent peripherals. He doesn’t blow hitters away but Neshek would be a solid addition to any bullpen looking to lock down the seventh inning.

36 - OF Carlos Gomez, Texas Rangers
Age: 32
2017 salary: $11.5 million
Three fits: Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants
Gomez is no longer the MVP candidate he was in 2013 and ’14 with the Brewers, but he’s still a useable starting option in his early 30s. Gomez still provides solid defence and posted an above average 110 wRC+ last season.

37 - RP Yoshihisa Hirano, Japan
Age: 34
2017 salary: $2.6 million
Three fits: St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers
A dominant closer over the past few years with the Orix Buffaloes, the right-hander has accumulated 143 saves and a 2.62 ERA since 2013. Hirano, who has shown interest in coming Stateside this winter, is old enough that he’s exempt from the posting system.

38 - SP Hideaki Wakui, Japan
Age: 31
2017 salary: $2.2 million
Three fits: San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers
Like Hirano, Wakui has indicated interest in trying his hand at getting MLB hitters out this winter, but he’s still trying to gauge whether there’s a market for his services. Over 13 seasons in Japan, Wakui posted 6.6 K/9 and a 3.45 ERA. He profiles as a potential back end starter.

39 - C Alex Avila, Chicago Cubs
Age: 31
2017 salary: $2 million
Three fits: Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers
Avila is either a really good backup or an average starter. A scorching first half with the Detroit Tigers prompted a trade to the north side of Chicago, but Avila slashed just .239/.369/.380 with three home runs in 35 games with the Cubbies.

40 - RP Juan Nicasio, St. Louis Cardinals
Age: 31
2017 salary: $3.65 million
Three fits: St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs
Shifted to the bullpen full time, Nicasio responded with a 2.61 ERA and was closing games for the Cards by the end of the season. Nicasio has posted back-to-back 1.4-win seasons and looks like one of the more underrated relief options on the market.

41 - 1B Yonder Alonso, Seattle Mariners
Age: 31
2017 salary: $4 million
Three fits: Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets
The seventh-overall pick in the 2008 draft bashed 20 homers in the first half, but struggled in the second half, hitting just eight more homers the rest of the way. The market isn’t likely to be kind to players with Alonso’s profile, and he’ll likely have to settle for a part-time role thanks to his inability to hit lefties.

42 - SP C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
Age: 37
2017 salary: $25 million
Three fits: New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles
Originally signed to a seven-year, $161-million deal prior to the 2009 season, Sabathia ended up being worth that significant outlay. Now a free agent, it’s expected Sabathia will sign on for another year in the Bronx, especially now that Shohei Ohtani has eschewed pinstripes.

43 - 1B Lucas Duda, Tampa Bay Rays
Age: 32
2017 salary: $7.2 million
Three fits: Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals
After quietly bopping 30 homers and posting a 113 wRC+, Duda might be this year’s Logan Morrison, a player who signs for peanuts and ends up providing surplus value. There aren’t a lot of obvious first base or DH openings, but Duda will find work.

44 - RP Bryan Shaw, Cleveland Indians
Age: 30
2017 salary: $4.6 million
Three fits: Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs
All the attention went to Andrew Miller and Cody Allen at the back end of the Indians’ bullpen, but Shaw has been the epitome of consistency over the past five seasons, registering an ERA between 2.59 and 3.52 each year. His 55.9 per cent ground-ball rate is second among free-agent relievers and he’s never been on the disabled list.

45 - OF Cameron Maybin, Houston Astros
Age: 31
2017 salary: $9 million
Three fits: Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins
A one-time uber prospect traded from Detroit to the Marlins in the Miguel Cabrera deal, Maybin has now settled in as a solid fourth outfielder with some speed. The right-handed hitter stole 33 bases last season.

46 - OF Jarrod Dyson, Seattle Mariners
Age: 33
2017 salary: $2.8 million
Three fits: San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians 
It’s no secret what Dyson brings as a fourth outfielder: Great defence and base-running with a little bit of speed and not much pop. Dyson stole 28 bases for the Mariners last season and his career wRC+ of 86 is about what you can expect in terms of offensive production.

47 - RP Brandon Kintzler, Washington Nationals
Age: 33
2017 salary: $2.9 million
Three fits: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals
Kintzler doesn’t blow people away (4.9 K/9 last season), but he finds a way to get guys out, which is kind of the point. After posting ERAs of 3.03 and 3.15 over the past two seasons, Kintzler will have a number of suitors once the elite bullpen options have set the market.

48 - OF Jon Jay, Chicago Cubs
Age: 33
2017 salary: $8 million
Three fits: San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs
Jay was quietly tremendous in 2017, slashing .296/.374/.375 in his first season with the Cubs. While it’s not ideal to have Jay piling up 433 plate appearances, the left-handed hitter would look good in a bench role on a contender.

49 - OF Austin Jackson, Cleveland Indians
Age: 31
2017 salary: $1.5 million
Three fits: Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers
He came up with the catch of the year, diving into the Boston Red Sox bullpen to steal a home run, but it wasn’t the only highlight Jackson provided. With a 131 wRC+, Jackson provided well above average offensive production for the outfield-starved Indians and both sides would be wise to find a way to keep him in Cleveland.

50 - SP Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles
Age: 30
2017 salary: $10 million
Three fits: Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels
Traded to the Orioles in a package for Canadian lefty Erik Bedard way back in 2008, it’s amazing to think Tillman won’t turn 30 until mid-April. One of the Orioles’ only consistent rotation options from 2013 through 2016, Tillman ran into shoulder issues last spring and ended up getting blown up all season and finishing with a 7.84 ERA in 93 innings. There’s an innings-eating back end starter to be had at a discount if Tillman is healthy.

*Ages as of start of 2018 season

THE NEXT 40: OF Melky Cabrera; 1B Mark Reynolds; SP Jhoulys Chacin; RP Steve Cishek; 1B Adam Lind; RP Brian Duensing; RP Tommy Hunter; 2B/OF Howie Kendrick; SP Trevor Cahill; 1B Mitch Moreland; SS Alcides Escobar; INF Jose Reyes; 1B Mike Napoli; INF Yunel Escobar; SP Brett Anderson; C Chris Iannetta; RP Joe Smith; RP Bud Norris; OF Seth Smith; RP Fernando Abad; OF Curtis Granderson; OF Jose Bautista; SP John Lackey; 2B Chase Utley; SP Clay Buchholz; 1B Matt Adams; RP Xavier Cedeno; RP Jared Hughes; RP Bruce Rondon; RP J.J. Hoover; SP Mike Fiers; RP Hector Rondon; SP Tom Koehler; SP Wade Miley; 2B Brandon Phillips; 3B Trevor Plouffe; INF Ryan Goins; INF Darwin Barney; OF Matt Holliday; OF Andre Ethier.