TSN's top 50 MLB free agents

With a deep group of shortstops and a handful of future Hall of Famers on the pitching side, this year’s free-agent crop is an intriguing one.

For the fourth year in a row, TSN MLB insider Steve Phillips and TSN Blue Jays reporter Scott Mitchell have combined efforts once again to put together the top 50 names available.

In addition to the consensus list, Phillips and Mitchell provide their own individual rankings, as well as contract predictions, potential landing spots and a Jays take on the top 30 players in the free-agent class.

---

1. SS Carlos Correa, Astros

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 1
MITCHELL: 1

2021 Stats: .279 BA, 26 HR, 92 RBI, .850 OPS, 5.8 fWAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Carlos Correa is a very talented two-way player – a Gold Glove defender and a middle-of-the-lineup bat. He’s had back problems in the past, which is a cause for concern, but stayed healthy in 2021. He became a great leader in Houston, but it remains to be seen how a new clubhouse and fan base will accept him because of his role in the sign-stealing scandal. He hits in the clutch and has proven he can deliver in the biggest moments. He may be the best defensive shortstop in the game. The Astros, Yankees, Rangers, Marlins, Orioles and Tigers will pursue him. I think the Detroit Tigers will go all out and sign Correa for eight years and $224 million where he will join his former manager A.J. Hinch.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: Won’t waste a whole lot of words on this one since the Jays have publicly committed to Bo Bichette at shortstop after he made some obvious strides there in 2021. Correa is a terrific defender and might even reach another level with the bat at some point during his next contract, too. That’s why he’s slightly — and I mean ever so slightly — ahead of the next guy on this list.

 

2. SS Corey Seager (Rangers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 2
MITCHELL: 2

2021 Stats: .306 BA, 16 HR, 57 RBI, .915 OPS, 3.7 fWAR

Signs With: Texas Rangers

Contract: 10 years, $325 million

 

3. 2B/SS Marcus Semien (Rangers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 4
MITCHELL: 3

2021 Stats: .265 BA, 45 HR, 102 RBI, .873 OPS, 6.6 fWAR

Signs With: Texas Rangers 

Contract: Seven years, $175 million

 

4. SP Max Scherzer (Mets)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 8
MITCHELL: 4

2021 Stats: 179.1 IP, 15-4, 2.46 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 5.4 fWAR

Signs With: New York Mets

Contract: Three years, $130 million

 

5. 3B Kris Bryant (Rockies)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 5
MITCHELL: 7

2021 Stats: .265 BA, 25 HR, 73 RBI, .835 OPS, 3.6 fWAR

Signs With: Colorado Rockies

Contract: Seven years, $182 million

 

6. 1B Freddie Freeman (Dodgers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 3
MITCHELL: 10

2021 Stats: .300 BA, 31 HR, 83 RBI, .896 OPS, 4.5 fWAR

Signs With: Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract: Six years, $162 million

 

7. SS Trevor Story, Rockies

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 6
MITCHELL: 8

2021 Stats: .251 BA, 24 HR, 75 RBI, .801 OPS, 3.5 fWAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Trevor Story is a five-tool shortstop who can do it all. He is coming off a subpar season and still hit 24 homers and stole 20 bases. He is an above-average defender even while playing on the super-fast infield surface in Colorado. He is tough and plays to win. Some of his home runs will become doubles when he leaves Coors Field, but it won’t matter. He is one of the top shortstops in the game. He may be a value signing coming off the down season in a shortstop-rich market. The Astros, Yankees, Rangers Tigers, Orioles, and Cardinals will consider him.  He signs with Houston for six years and $138 million.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: Unless Story’s market craters coming off a so-so platform season and he decides to emulate Semien’s prove-it deal and position switch, he’s not going to be an option. There’s also the Coors Field factor, but DJ LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado have helped debunk that narrative recently.

 

8. SP Robbie Ray (Mariners)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 9
MITCHELL: 5

2021 Stats: 193.1 IP, 13-7, 2.84 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 3.9 fWAR

Signs With: Seattle Mariners

Contract: Five years, $115 million

 

9. SP Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 10
MITCHELL: 6

2021 Stats: 192.0 IP, 14-6, 2.81 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 4.8 fWAR

Signs With: Toronto Blue Jays 

Contract: Five years, $110 million

 

10. OF Nick Castellanos, Reds

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 7
MITCHELL: 12

2021 Stats: .309 BA, 34 HR, 100 RBI, .939 OPS, 4.2 fWAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Nick Castellanos is a pure hitter who hits for average and power. He is a bit of a free swinger and doesn’t walk much but is very productive. He is a below-average outfielder defensively. He has always been a doubles machine, and this year some of those doubles went over the wall. He will play at 30 years of age in 2022. He is looking for a big payday as he opted out of a guaranteed two years and $34 million. The Mets, Nationals, Rockies, Guardians, Rangers, Giants and Royals all have a spot for him. He will sign with the Mets for five years/$115 million.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: After opting out of the final two years of his deal with the Cincinnati Reds, Castellanos is going to strike it rich. While it’s not official yet, the universal DH is really going to help this type of player because Castellanos is not a good outfielder and will likely spend the latter portion of his next contract as a bat-only player. There’s no reason for the Jays to be in on him.

 

11. SS Javier Baez (Tigers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 12
MITCHELL: 9

2021 Stats: .265 BA, 31 HR, 87 RBI, .813 OPS, 3.6 fWAR

Signs With: Detroit Tigers

Contract: Six years, $140 million

 

12. OF Starling Marte (Mets)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 11
MITCHELL: 11

2021 Stats: .310 BA, 12 HR, 55 RBI, .841 OPS, 5.4 fWAR

Signs With: New York Mets

Contract: Four years, $78 million

 

13. SP Marcus Stroman (Cubs)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 13
MITCHELL: 13

2021 Stats: 179.0 IP, 10-13, 3.02 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.4 fWAR

Signs With: Chicago Cubs

Contract: Three years, $71 million

 

14. SP Eduardo Rodriguez (Tigers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 17
MITCHELL: 14

2021 Stats: 157.2 IP, 13-8, 4.74 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 3.8 fWAR

Signs With: Detroit Tigers

Contract: Five years, $77 million

 

15. 1B Anthony Rizzo (Yankees)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 14
MITCHELL: 19

2021 Stats: .248 BA, 22 HR, 61 RBI, .783 OPS, 1.6 fWAR

Signs With: New York Yankees

Contract: Two years, $32 million

 

16. SP Justin Verlander (Astros)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 18
MITCHELL: 17

2021 Stats: Missed season (UCL injury)

Signs With: Houston Astros

Contract: One year, $25 million

 

17. OF Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 16
MITCHELL: 20

2021 Stats: .266 BA, 32 HR, 71 RBI, .928 OPS, 3.1 fWAR

Signs With: Philadelphia Phillies

Contract: Four years, $79 million

 

18. 2B/OF Chris Taylor (Dodgers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 15
MITCHELL: 22

2021 Stats: .254 BA, 20 HR, 73 RBI, .782 OPS, 3.1 fWAR

Signs With: Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract: Four years, $60 million

 

19. SP Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 19
MITCHELL: 18

2021 Stats: 121.2 IP, 10-8, 3.55 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 3.4 fWAR

Signs With: Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract: One year, $17 million

 

20. SP Noah Syndergaard (Angels)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 23
MITCHELL: 15

2021 Stats: 2.0 IP, 0-1, 9.00 IP, 1.50 WHIP, 0.0 fWAR

*Missed majority of season with right elbow injury

Signs with: Los Angeles Angels

Contract: One year, $21 million

 

21. OF Michael Conforto, Mets

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 20
MITCHELL: 21

2021 Stats: .232 BA, 14 HR, 55 RBI, .729 OPS, 0.8 fWAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Michael Conforto had a disappointing platform season in 2021(.232/.344/.384 with only 14 HR). He was hoping it would serve as a springboard to a huge multi-year deal, but instead it was a bust. The Mets opted to sign shortstop Francisco Lindor in the spring and didn’t make a deal with Conforto. It seemed to affect him. Despite the down year, the Mets extended the qualifying offer to him. They fully expected he would accept it, betting on himself to have a big year and then go to the market next year with a better platform season. Instead, he rejected the QO, hoping that his career numbers will be enough to overcome 2021. He is a middle-of-the-lineup left-handed bat at his best and an average outfielder. The Mets, Marlins, Braves, Nationals, Phillies, Guardians, White Sox, Giants, Padres, Royals and Rangers could all use a corner outfielder. He signs with the Padres for four years/$64 million.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: A lot of people expected Conforto to accept the qualifying offer, but he quickly rejected that and expects to field multi-year offers on the open market. Coming off his worst season with the bat, it’s an interesting strategy, but there will be lots of teams eyeing a bounce-back season and a value deal. The Jays are prioritizing lefty bats, making Conforto a great fit if they shift some other pieces around in trades.

 

22. OF Seiya Suzuki, Hiroshima Carp (Cubs)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 21
MITCHELL: 23

2021 Stats: .319 BA, 38 HR, 88 RBI, 1.075 OPS

*Stats via 2021 Nippon Professional Baseball season

Signs With: Chicago Cubs

Contract: Five years, $70 million

 

23. RP Raisel Iglesias (Angels)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 24
MITCHELL: 24

2021 Stats: 70.0 IP, 34 SV, 2.57 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 2.0 fWAR

Signs With: Los Angeles Angels

Contract: Four years, $58 million

 

24. RP Kenley Jansen, Dodgers

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 25
MITCHELL: 25

2021 Stats: 69.0 IP, 38 SV, 2.22 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 1.8 fWAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Kenley Jansen had another terrific season as the closer for the Dodgers. He saved 38 of 43 games. His cutter is still a nasty pitch and his fastball velocity ramped back up this year a couple of ticks. At the age of 34, he is battle-tested. He can still get the big outs in the ninth inning. He fits for teams on the verge of winning and those with bigger aspirations. The Dodgers, Cardinals, Marlins, Phillies, Blue Jays, Angels, Red Sox and Nationals all make sense for Jansen. I think the Blue Jays sign him to a three-year, $49.5 million deal, which will allow Charlie Montoyo to shorten the game by moving the rest of the bullpen forward.  

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: Jansen has been one of the most reliable closers in the game for the better part of 10 years now and he picked a great time to post his best season since 2017 with a 2.22 ERA and a bump in velocity. Heading into his age-34 season, Jansen’s walks are creeping up, but it’s hard to argue with the overall body of work. There’s a chance the Jays could end up shopping in the established closer market, but it doesn’t seem likely.

 

25. SP Jon Gray (Rangers)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 26
MITCHELL: 28

2021 Stats: 149.0 IP, 8-12, 4.59 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 2.3 fWAR

Signs With: Texas Rangers

Contract: Four years, $56 million

 

26. SP Steven Matz (Cardinals)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 30
MITCHELL: 26

2021 Stats: 150.2 IP, 14-7, 3.82 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 2.8 fWAR

Signs With: St. Louis Cardinals

Contract: Four years, $44 million

 

27. SP Anthony DeSclafani (Giants)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 27
MITCHELL: 29

2021 Stats: 167.2 IP, 13-7, 3.17 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3.0 fWAR

Signs With: San Francisco Giants

Contract: Three years, $36 million

 

28. SP Carlos Rodon (Giants)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 40
MITCHELL: 16

2021 Stats: 132.2 IP, 13-5, 2.37 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 4.9 fWAR

Signs With: San Francisco Giants

Contract: Two years, $44 million

 

29. SP Zack Greinke (Royals)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 29
MITCHELL: 30

2021 Stats: 171.0 IP, 11-6, 4.16 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 1.3 fWAR

Signs With: Kansas City Royals

Contract: One year, $13 million

 

30. SP Corey Kluber (Rays)

Individual ranking
PHILLIPS: 35
MITCHELL: 27

2021 Stats: 80.0 IP, 5-3, 3.83 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 1.5 fWAR

Signs With: Tampa Bay Rays

Contract: One years, $8 million