2014 MLB Free Agents: Best Destinations for Top Players on Open Market

This year's class of baseball free agents is not the greatest that we have ever seen, but there is no lack of players with the potential to make big impacts. 

Second baseman Robinson Cano is at the top of this year's class of free agents, which has a solid mix of bats and arms to offer those teams ready to open their wallets.

There hasn't been much movement on the market yet, but rest assured, a flurry of activity awaits. Hardball Talk has a tracker to keep you up to date on the latest transactions on the market. 

In the meantime, I'm going to focus on some of the top targets and identify the best future homes for them. 

Jacoby Ellsbury, Outfielder

Jacoby Ellsbury offers big potential, but he is not without risk. The 30-year-old is a career .297 hitter and batted .298 last season. He also offers gap power and solid defense in center. He can cover a lot of ground.

However, he has a hard time staying healthy. Over the last four seasons, he has averaged playing just 96 games a season. At his age, the chances of Ellsbury enjoying a prolonged run of health is low.

This is also a problem with Ellsbury due to his style of play. A lot of the benefits that Ellsbury brings to a club stem from his legs. Age and injuries will slow down everyone, and there is reason for concern that Ellsbury's downtrend is not far off.

Ellsbury has spent all seven of his major league seasons playing with the Boston Red Sox, but could find himself in a new uniform next year. Given that he is not likely to come cheap and there are risks involved, especially long term, he is fit best for a contender. 

I like the Detroit Tigers to acquire Ellsbury. He would give the Tigers lineup the leadoff hitter it has been lacking, and for a team as talented as Detroit, that can be the difference between celebrating a World Series title or lamenting another playoff exit. 

Robinson Cano, Second Base

Since Robinson Cano has turned down the Yankees qualifying offer, it is now open season on the infielder with the big bat.

Cano has hit at least 25 home runs in each of his last four seasons. He's done so while hitting at least .302 and is a career .309 hitter. His kind of bat at second base is going to be costly, but it is fairly low on risk. 

At age 31, Cano is sliding past his prime years. However, there aren't any signs of that yet in his production. He is also very durable, having played in at least 159 games in seven straight seasons. 

Given his likely big price tag, a team that is desperate for some pop would be wise to make a run at Cano. The Washington Nationals are the perfect fit, and the chances of them outbidding the Yankees is not out of the question, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today: 

The Nationals were 15th in runs last year, 17th in batting average and 13th in slugging percentage. Cano could pair with shortstop Ian Desmond to give the Nationals a productive middle of the infield. Combined with their quality pitching staff, it would make the Nationals World Series contenders.  

Masahiro Tanaka, Starting Pitcher

The top pitcher on the market by most accounts has never thrown a single major league pitch, but playing in Japan last season, Masahiro Tanaka went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA. That will grab people's attention, no matter the league. 

The process to acquire Tanaka will be different than other free agents. A posting fee will have to be paid just to gain negotiating rights to Tanaka, and it is no guarantee that he will even make the jump to American baseball. 

However, with starting pitching always at a premium, there will be several teams eager to try and land him, although it is not going to be cheap. 

This move is custom-made for the Yankees. New York has the money to make a big splash and it needs pitching. 

The Yankees were 17th in quality starts this past season, 18th in ERA and WHIP, and 25th in batting average against. 

Even if this move didn't work out, there is no team that will be able to absorb the financial blow as well as the Yankees.