MLB Free Agents 2014: Latest Rumors, Predictions for Coveted Free Agents

Free agency can be crazy to follow, but the early stages of the MLB offseason often result in relatively few rumors that can be manageable to stay up to date on.

That's the case today.

The offseason is still young. It was only last week that the San Francisco Giants were crowned World Series champions. That said, we've already seen some things happen. Most qualifying offers have been extended, and there have already been a couple of trades.

Who will be the first free-agent domino to fall? It could be anybody, but the following three players have had their names pop up in rumors early on this offseason.

Nick Markakis

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Nick Markakis had his $17.5 million mutual option declined by the Baltimore Orioles, but that doesn't mean the soon-to-be 31-year-old outfielder needs to find a new home.

MASN's Roch Kubatko reports that Markakis and the Orioles are already working on a new contract:

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The Orioles and Nick Markakis should stay paired up despite his name now appearing among the list of baseball's free agents. The two sides have been talking for weeks - I've heard that the framework involves a four-year deal - and I'd expect an agreement at some point in the not-too-distant future.

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A lifelong Oriole, Markakis has seen the highs and the lows of the past decade for the franchise. Now part of a winning formula, Markakis is the type of player Baltimore needs to bring back.

He's a career .290/.358/.435 hitter with an absolute cannon for an arm. He plays a strong right field and is a veteran leader in a relatively young clubhouse.

Manager Buck Showalter used him almost entirely as the leadoff hitter this season despite the fact that he isn't your typical No. 1 hitter. He embraced the role and performed well.

While Baltimore could seek a more traditional hitter to set the table, Markakis is far too valuable to this team to let walk. He'll be back.

Prediction: Orioles

Chase Headley

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

The return of Alex Rodriguez is apparently not deterring the New York Yankees from going hard after Chase Headley early in the offseason.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that the Yanks are already focusing their efforts on retaining him: "The Yankees may check in on World Series hero Pablo Sandoval, but with his asking price over $100 million, they are focusing on bringing back Chase Headley for third base and have already begun those negotiations."

This indicates that the Yankees view A-Rod as mostly a designated hitter, though the 39-year-old could still get time at the hot corner on Headley's off days or when he crosses over the diamond to give Mark Teixeira some rest.

Headley wasn't overwhelmingly good in his tryout effort with the Bombers last season, but he still played pretty well. He slashed .262/.371/.398 with six home runs and 17 RBI in 58 games. While the lack of run production is glaring, his high on-base percentage is something to applaud.

Headley is likely looking for a full-time job this offseason, so the fact that the Yankees are focusing on him now would imply that they're committed to giving him as many at-bats as possible.

Given how the Yankees generally get deals done when they set their mind to doing so, it's probably only a matter of time before the pen hits the paper.

Prediction: Yankees

Nelson Cruz

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Nelson Cruz hit a league-high 40 homers last year after settling for a one-year, $8 million deal last offseason. He'll get a significant raise in the very near future.

Heyman reported the specifics about what he's looking for in his next deal: "Cruz is seeking a four-year deal at big bucks, according to league sources."

But who will give him that type of contract?

The Baltimore Orioles are certainly in contention for his services. He was a crucial member of a powerful lineup in Baltimore, so letting him walk and then replacing his production wouldn't be easy. The team already extended him a qualifying offer, but it's one that he'll surely decline.

A team to watch is the Seattle Mariners. Not far off from contending, the Mariners still lack significant pop from the right side of the plate. Cruz would still mash in Safeco Field, and he would probably be the missing piece to the playoff puzzle for the organization.

The Mariners showed the willingness to spend money a year ago by bringing in Robinson Cano and a few other supporting players. Will they go out and spend money again?

Grabbing Cruz would be worth it.

Prediction: Mariners

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