MLB Free Agency: Potential Targets for Every Team in 2013

With Opening Day only 85 short days away, baseball season is finally right around the corner. Many teams have been active this offseason, making trades, signing free agents and rearranging management.

A number of moves will still certainly be made between now and opening day, but the moves that aren't made may speak just as loudly, as teams look to position themselves to look even further down the road towards the 2013 free-agent pool.

With so many variables between now and then, it's almost impossible to predict where those free agents could end up, but a number of players that have built a foundation in this league will no doubt garner plenty of interest as they look to cash in with either their current team, or the highest bidders.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Stephen Drew

After seeing his 2011 season cut to just 86 games, Stephen Drew will no doubt come out with something to prove in 2012.

He'll have added incentive as he enters free agency in 2013, and as a Scott Boras client will no doubt be on the market. But he may still be retained by the Diamondbacks if they can manage to make the numbers work. 

Atlanta Braves: David Wright

It has yet to be seen as to whether or not the New York Mets will pick up the 2013 contract option on star third baseman David Wright.

If they don't opt to extend his contract, the Atlanta Braves may give serious consideration to make a play on Wright as a potential replacement for Chipper Jones.

Baltimore Orioles: Fausto Carmona

Fausto Carmona appeared to be headed in the direction of some of the best young pitchers in the league, as he won 13 games and posted an ERA of 3.77 in 2010 with the Cleveland Indians.

He has team options for 2013 and 2014, but if he continues to struggle moving forward (7-15, 5.25 ERA in 2011) the team may cut ties instead of kicking in the options.

Boston Red Sox: Matt Cain

Fairly quiet in this offseason's free-agent market, the Boston Red Sox may very well be setting themselves up for a move in the very deep 2013 free-agent market.

With top pitching always a hot commodity in this league, Matt Cain will no doubt be a highly sought after free agent next offseason and could fit in well with Boston's rotation.

Chicago Cubs: Cole Hamels

They've still got Matt Garza in the rotation, but if he's traded at any point by the Chicago Cubs the team may look to the 2013 free-agent market to add depth.

With a number of great options set to enter free agency, 28-year-old Cole Hamels could be a good fit in the NL Central and sign a huge contract with the Cubs.

Chicago White Sox: A.J. Pierzynski

Entering the final year of a two-year, $8 million contract with the Chicago White Sox, A.J. Pierzynski has enjoyed his time with the Sox, batting .279 while making one All-Star appearance and catching at least 120 games each season.

At 35 he may only have a couple good years left and it wouldn't be surprising to see him re-sign with the team and end his career in Chicago.

Cincinnati Reds: Brandon Phillips

Spending the majority of his career in Cincinnati, Brandon Phillips has won three Gold Gloves in the past four seasons with the Reds, making two All-Star appearances in the process.

With the team acquiring talent to bolster the rotation, the Reds are clearly looking to compete. Re-signing Philips would be another step in building a foundation in the NL Central.

Cleveland Indians: B.J. Upton

With Grady Sizemore holding down center field this upcoming season in what could very well be a tryout for future seasons, the Cleveland Indians are still probably considering the possibility of moving forward without him.

B.J. Upton will likely be one of the top free-agent outfielders in next year's market, possibly putting him out of reach for the Indians, but if they could get a deal done he'd make a big impact for years to come.

Colorado Rockies: Francisco Liriano

The Colorado Rockies shipped out a pitcher with a high upside in trading Ubaldo Jimenez to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for some high-value prospects.

They now have a number of talented young pitchers that can certainly perform, but may still want to add a pitcher next offseason if the picture isn't more clear before then.

Francisco Liriano presents an option that also has a high upside, but with inconsistency issues could also be a risk.

Detroit Tigers: Jhonny Peralta

Since coming over to the Detroit Tigers from the Cleveland Indians in 2010, Jhonny Peralta has seen his average jump more than 20 points to .286 with consistent offensive production throughout.

The Tigers will likely move to re-sign the 29-year-old Peralta rather than opting for other free-agent options in the 2013 market.

Houston Astros: Shane Victorino

Spending virtually all of his career in a Phillies uniform, Shane Victorino has been a constant part of the lineup, never playing less than 130 games in a season.

With speed on the basepaths and good defensive aptitude, it's unlikely the Phillies would let him walk, but if they did go in a different direction, his versatility and leadership could go a long way in Houston.

Kansas City Royals: Joakim Soria

Averaging 36 saves per season the last four years as the Kansas City Royals' closer, Joakim Soria will likely continue to shut the door on AL Central opponents as the Royals look to lock him in long term.

Los Angeles Angels: Torii Hunter

The Los Angeles Angels went on a spending spree this offseason, making two huge acquisitions by signing C.J. Wilson and Albert Pujols to long-term deals.

Should the team choose to exercise the 2013 option on Dan Haren, they may have less flexibility in spending but could still retain outfielder Torii Hunter at a reduced salary from what he currently makes.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Andre Ethier

After a dominant 2009 season in which he hit 39 home runs en route to a sixth-place MVP finish and Silver Slugger award, Andre Ethier saw a slight decline over the past two seasons, playing in fewer games with slightly less inflated slugging numbers.

He'll have a lot to prove in 2012, and if he doesn't produce enough to warrant a very large deal, the Dodgers could probably afford to retain him for a few more years.

Miami Marlins: Yadier Molina

The Miami Marlins have shown that they're willing to spend big money, so there's no reason to think they wouldn't consider landing the biggest catcher expected to hit the open market in 2013.

Yadier Molina's .274 career average, .797 OPS and four Gold Gloves certainly represent an upgrade over the Marlins' current catcher, Jon Buck, who has batted at a .241 clip in eight seasons.

Milwaukee Brewers: Erick Aybar

Erick Aybar has emerged in Los Angeles as a rising infield star in this league, with good range and solid offensive numbers.

In his final year of arbitration, Aybar could earn himself a big payday in 2013 and increase depth on Milwaukee's left side of the infield.

Minnesota Twins: Brandon McCarthy

The Minnesota Twins' already uneasy situation in the starting rotation will only get worse after 2012, when Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano and possibly Scott Baker will head into free agency.

Seeing Liriano's inconsistent track record with the Twins, they may opt to trade him before the season. With Pavano continuing to age, bringing in a young starter like Brandon McCarthy would make sense for a team looking to bring some much needed stability to the rotation.

New York Mets: Gavin Floyd

With the departure of Chris Capuano to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the possibility of Jonathan Niese moving to another team, the New York Mets may face some uncertainty in the starting rotation in 2012.

The Chicago White Sox may opt to trade Gavin Floyd given the extension they recently gave to John Danks, but either way the Mets could look to add the young righty to their rotation in 2013.

New York Yankees: Mariano Rivera

With such a deep free-agent pool in 2013, the New York Yankees will likely be looking to address a number of positions.

One of their biggest moves however, could very well come from within their own roster as they'd be wise to extend the seemingly ageless Mariano Rivera for another season.

Oakland Athletics: Jeremy Guthrie

After seeing Gio Gonzalez head out of Oakland this offseason and possibly dealing with the departure of Brandon McCarthy after 2012, the Athletics may very well look to address starting pitching during next offseason's free-agency period.

Despite leading the league in losses a couple times in the past few years, Jeremy Guthrie could represent a realistic option for the Athletics moving forward.

Philadelphia Phillies: Zack Greinke

The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the top (if not the top) starting rotation in all of baseball as it stands heading into 2012.

With the likelihood of Cole Hamels departing after 2012 however, the Phillies could reload their rotation with another big-name pitcher like Zack Greinke, who is still young and could come at a lower price tag than Hamels.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Carlos Lee

In making a move for Derrek Lee last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates got a star who may have been past his prime, but still had value as he batted .337 with a .398 on-base percentage in 28 games.

Carlos Lee is entering the final year of a $100-million deal with the Houston Astros in 2012, and while he certainly won't command the same salary when he hits free agency, he could still be a valuable pickup for a team in need of a veteran bat.

San Diego Padres: Jake Peavy

The Chicago White Sox expected big things when they acquired Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres in 2009.

Things haven't gone at all to plan as a number of injuries have derailed Peavy's stay in Chicago to the tune of a 17-13 record and a 4.49 ERA, nearly 1.5 runs higher than it was when he was in San Diego.

Should the White Sox decline to pick up his 2013 option, Peavy could opt to return to San Diego, where he's enjoyed the most success in his career.

San Francisco Giants: Ian Kinsler

It seems to be a foregone conclusion that the Texas Rangers would want to pick up the 2013 option on the extremely effective Ian Kinsler, but with the team's financial commitment to Yu Darvish and need to re-sign Josh Hamilton this offseason, it's hard to say what could happen between now and then.

Should the Rangers somehow decline the option, Kinsler would represent a major improvement in the Giants' infield and offense.

Seattle Mariners: Ichiro Suzuki

Having not known any other team in major league baseball, it's hard to imagine Ichiro Suzuki playing in any uniform other than the Seattle Mariners.

His 2011 season showed a slight decline from his past seasons in Seattle, but he's still a great outfielder, remains a threat in the batter's box and should be expected to re-sign.

St. Louis Cardinals: Lance Berkman

After going deep 31 times in 2011 and leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series championship, the team was quick to make sure Lance Berkman wasn't going anywhere else in 2012.

With Albert Pujols headed out west, they'll need to think long term. Assuming Berkman doesn't regress in 2012, there's no reason to think they won't re-sign him for 2013 and possibly beyond.

Tampa Bay Rays: Delmon Young

After fizzling out as a former top pick of the Tampa Bay Rays, Delmon Young seems to have found some life in this league.

His performance in last year's postseason will likely help him out heading into 2012, and with 2013 being his first year as a true free agent, a return trip to Tampa Bay could yield far better results than the first time around.

Texas Rangers: Josh Hamilton

As mentioned earlier, the Texas Rangers will have their hands full next offseason with Ian Kinsler set to make a large sum of money and Josh Hamilton in need of a lucrative deal.

Despite some issues with his health in recent seasons, Hamilton is still one of the most dominant offensive players in the league with production that is hard to replace, making it even more difficult to consider letting him walk.

Toronto Blue Jays: James Shields

After narrowly missing out on the posting of Yu Darvish this offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays may wait until next offseason to truly address a big-name starting pitcher.

A number will be available, and strong consideration should be given to James Shields, who led the league with 11 complete games in 2011 en route to a 16-win season and a sub 3.00 ERA. 

Washington Nationals: Marlon Byrd

The Washington Nationals appear to be set to vault in the NL East standings with a boatload of young talent ready to produce in 2012.

They've been looking to upgrade their outfield and were at one time linked to Denard Span of the Minnesota Twins to fill the role in center field.

Span may be falling off their radar due to the ongoing concussion concerns, but Marlon Byrd could be a formidable option next offseason, as the team clearly has interest given their past inquiry on Byrd.