How Do All 30 MLB Teams Rank as Potential Free-Agent Destinations?
A number of different factors go into determining how attractive each team is to free agents, from the city and its fans to the short- and long-term outlook of the team. What follows is a ranking of all 30 MLB teams to decide which team is the best free-agent destination.
Now, no free agent is of interest to all 30 teams, and every team can't offer up the same amount of money to each player. However, for the sake of this article, we are assuming that Player X has received the same offer from all 30 teams and has to decide which is the best based on the following factors:
Fanbase (1-5): Looking at recent attendance numbers, and simply the reputation of each fanbase, each team received a 1-5 score for its fans.
Payroll Situation (1-5): Deciding where to sign is not always about how much money a team can give you. It's also about how much more money the team has to work with when it comes to building a legitimate contender. Each team received a 1-5 score based on its current and future payroll outlook.
2014 Outlook (1-10): Looking strictly at the 2015 season, each team got a score from 1-10 on its chances of winning this coming year.
Long-Term Outlook (1-10): Looking ahead at each team's farm system, core of big league talent and future payroll freedom, each team received a score from 1-10 on its long-term chances of success.
With those four areas in mind, here is a look at which MLB team is the best free-agent destination. In case of a tie, the teams were ranked subjectively, with a brief explanation of why one team trumps another team with the same score.
30. Philadelphia Phillies (2014 Rank: 22)
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Team Overview
The Philadelphia Phillies have been spinning their tires the past three seasons, burdened by a number of bad contracts and unwilling to completely commit to rebuilding.
It appears general manager Ruben Amaro and the rest of the front office are finally open to selling, according to Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News, but that remains a "believe it when I see it" proposition.
With no young core in place and a fairly thin minor league system, this team is in real danger of slipping into the same cycle of signing veterans to stay afloat that the New York Yankees are currently dealing with, so this will be an important offseason.
29. Colorado Rockies (2014 Rank: 23)
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Team Overview
Despite the fact that they led the National League in scoring last season, the Colorado Rockies still turned in their fourth straight losing season, as fielding a competitive rotation remains a serious challenge for the organization.
The Rockies are reportedly willing to listen to trade offers for injury-plagued stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, and that would certainly be a franchise-altering move.
There is a good young core of position players in place, led by Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson, and if pitching prospects Eddie Butler and Jonathan Gray pan out, this team has some real potential. Until they prove they can pitch, though, it's going to be hard for the Rockies to be more than a .500 team.
28. Minnesota Twins (2014 Rank: 19)
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Team Overview
The 2015 season could be a long one, as the Minnesota Twins continue to wait on one of the better farm systems in baseball to arrive, led by Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano.
How quickly they can assemble a viable starting rotation will go a long way in determining when they contend again, as they have posted the worst starters' ERA in baseball the past two seasons. A lot of that will fall to the farm system, as guys like Alex Meyer and Trevor May will have to step up.
Joe Mauer (four years, $92 million) and Ricky Nolasco (three years, $36 million) are something of a burden on the payroll, but beyond that, the Twins really don't have any significant financial restrictions, so once the young core arrives, they should have some money to spend to fill in around them.
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27. San Diego Padres (2014 Rank: 27)
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Team Overview
The San Diego Padres somewhat quietly ranked fourth in the majors with a 3.27 team ERA last season, and their rotation remains solid thanks to the trio of Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy.
They have never been one to spend big in free agency, with the two-year, $15.5 million deal they gave Joaquin Benoit last offseason representing a team record, and that is not likely to change anytime soon.
Their farm system has depth, but it lacks a truly elite talent, and the Padres have to find a way to address a complete lack of offensive firepower.
14/30 Tiebreaker (MIN vs. SD)
The Padres are probably closer to winning now, thanks to one of the better pitching staffs in the National League and a core of young hitters that could take a big step forward. The Twins will become a more attractive destination once some of their homegrown talent establishes itself, but for now, the Padres get the nod.
26. Tampa Bay Rays (2014 Rank: 24)
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Team Overview
Moving David Price changes the overall complexion of the Tampa Bay Rays, but pitching should remain the bedrock of the franchise. Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly, Chris Archer, Jeremy Hellickson, Jake Odorizzi and eventually Matt Moore give them an enviable amount of controllable pitching.
This is never going to be a big-market team, and it would appear that regardless of how well the Rays play, the fans are never going to pack the place on a nightly basis.
Losing GM Andrew Friedman and manager Joe Maddon after a rough 2014 season has the Rays trending down as a franchise, as that duo was great at making the most of what their payroll would allow.
25. Cleveland Indians (2014 Rank: 26)
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Team Overview
With the emergence of Corey Kluber and Michael Brantley, the Cleveland Indians have two bona fide stars to build around. If guys like Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana can bounce back from disappointing seasons, this team could quickly return to the postseason.
That being said, this team will always be burdened by some financial constraints, as it was forced to watch Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir depart in free agency last offseason.
However, if Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar are for real and shortstop prospect Francisco Lindor is as good as predicted, this team looks to be in pretty good shape.
24. Chicago White Sox (2014 Rank: 30)
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Team Overview
The Chicago White Sox will always be the No. 2 team in their own city, but they still play in a major market, and they have money to spend now that Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko are off the books.
Jose Abreu (five years, $61 million) Chris Sale (four years, $26.5 million) and Jose Quintana (four years, $20.15) are all locked up for well below market value, while guys like Adam Eaton and Avisail Garcia are still pre-arbitration.
The farm system has slowly but surely climbed to respectability, led by 2014 first-round pick Carlos Rodon, and with its combination of a young core and money to spend, this looks like a team on the rise.
16/30 Tiebreaker (CWS vs. CLE)
The White Sox have the more impressive core of controllable talent and fewer financial restrictions, so they get the nod over AL Central foe Cleveland here.
23. Atlanta Braves (2014 Rank: 6)
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Team Overview
The Atlanta Braves offense was an absolute disaster last season, and bad contracts to guys like B.J. Upton, Chris Johnson and Dan Uggla have been serious detriments to the franchise.
On the pitching side of things, Julio Teheran and Alex Wood give the Braves a good, young one-two punch at the top, but they are lacking in the depth that defined their organization for so many years.
A new stadium, set to open after the 2016 season, could rejuvenate a fanbase that is definitely not what it was back in the 1990s.
22. Milwaukee Brewers (2014 Rank: 28)
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Team Overview
The Milwaukee Brewers will need to bounce back from a disappointing late-season collapse this past season that saw them fall from atop the NL Central standings after leading the division for nearly the entire season.
They return essentially everyone from last year's team, with Francisco Rodriguez and Zach Duke being the notable exceptions, so there's no reason to think they can't contend once again in 2015.
Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Gomez, Scooter Gennett, Khris Davis and Jean Segura give the Brewers a good core of position players, even with Ryan Braun no longer putting up elite numbers. A thin farm system may be the biggest weakness they have right now, so the long-term outlook remains a bit cloudy.
21. Arizona Diamondbacks (2014 Rank: 15)
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Team Overview
The Arizona Diamondbacks have just two players under contract beyond 2015 in Miguel Montero and Paul Goldschmidt, so while this franchise searches for a new identity, it should have plenty of flexibility to wheel and deal.
With Tony LaRussa and Dave Stewart now running the show in the front office, this team should finally have some direction after an up-and-down last several seasons.
The return of Patrick Corbin from Tommy John surgery and the arrival of big-time pitching prospects Archie Bradley and Andrew Chafin could turn a rotation that was a rough spot in 2014 into a legitimate strength moving forward.
20. Toronto Blue Jays (2014 Rank: 21)
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Team Overview
Jose Reyes is the only player with a guaranteed contract for the Toronto Blue Jays beyond 2015, and the options they do have belong to sluggers Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion and workhorse R.A. Dickey.
That should give them some flexibility to add pieces, and with the emergence of guys like Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez and Dalton Pompey they also have a good mix of young talent at the big league level.
Overall, the farm system is somewhat thin, and the Blue Jays still lack a bona fide staff ace, but the time is now for this team to finally return to the postseason.
18/30 Tiebreaker (MIL vs. ARI vs. TOR)
The Brewers are probably in a better position to contend in 2015 than the Diamondbacks, but the new front office in Arizona could have that team on the right track quickly, and the D-Backs are a far better team than their 2014 record reflects. The Blue Jays get the nod over both of them, as the AL East looks to be in a state of flux, and they are just a few pieces away from legitimate contention.
19. Cincinnati Reds (2014 Rank: 13)
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Team Overview
The Cincinnati Reds have some big decisions to make this offseason about the future of their starting rotation, as Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Alfredo Simon are all free agents at the end of the 2015 season.
Luckily, they have a pair of up-and-coming arms in Robert Stephenson and Tony Cingrani waiting in the wings to take over two spots, so starting pitching should remain a strength.
Joey Votto and Jay Bruce are both locked up long term, and the team needs them to perform up to their contracts if it is going to contend for a division title. The emergence of Devin Mesoraco and Todd Frazier helps, but the Reds' stars have to perform.
18. Kansas City Royals (2014 Rank: 20)
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Team Overview
The long rebuilding efforts of GM Dayton Moore finally paid off this past season, as the Royals shocked most everyone and walked away with the AL pennant.
Potentially losing ace James Shields in free agency hurts, but flame-throwing Yordano Ventura is capable of stepping into that role, and the Royals should have enough money to land a solid veteran to fill out the staff.
The fanbase got a shot in the arm, and the core of the team returns intact, but this is still a franchise that has to work in the confines of a budget on the small side.
17. Texas Rangers (2014 Rank: 9)
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Team Overview
For as bad as they were last season, there is actually some reason for optimism regarding the Texas Rangers in 2014 if only they can avoid being bit by the injury bug once again.
Prince Fielder, Shin-Soo Choo and Derek Holland are all key pieces of the puzzle, and they all missed significant time last year. If they can return strong and stay on the field, alongside guys like Yu Darvish, Leonys Martin and Adrian Beltre, the pieces are there for a drastic turnaround.
The Rangers' only real holes are left field and in the starting rotation, and they have one of the bigger payrolls in baseball to address those. Add in a farm system that remains solid despite trading off a number of high-profile prospects, and the Rangers are in a decent position.
16. Seattle Mariners (2014 Rank: 14)
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Team Overview
Behind the best bullpen in baseball and a starting rotation led by arguably the best pitcher in the AL in Felix Hernandez, the Seattle Mariners managed to stay in contention for a playoff spot down to the final day of the 2014 season.
Young pitchers Taijuan Walker and James Paxton showed flashes last season, and if Hisashi Iwakuma can bounce back from a rough final two months, their rotation could be as good as any in the AL.
Offense remains the issue, as the M's desperately need a right-handed power bat to slot behind Robinson Cano in the cleanup spot. A full season of Austin Jackson in center field and atop the lineup should give them a boost, though.
19/30 Tiebreaker (CIN vs. KC vs. TEX vs. SEA)
The Mariners are probably one bat away from being a seriously dangerous team, and they showed a willingness to open up the budget last offseason, so they get the nod here. The Rangers should be able to rebound nicely, while the Reds could have a harder time getting back to where they were, and the Royals have their work cut out for them duplicating their 2014 success.
15. Baltimore Orioles (2014 Rank: 16)
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Team Overview
The Baltimore Orioles ran away with the AL East title last season, their first since 1997, despite a number of key pieces being out of commission.
Even with Manny Machado and Matt Wieters set to return, it's hard to see the offense being anywhere near as potent if the Orioles aren't able to re-sign Nelson Cruz, who ended up being one of the biggest steals of the season on a one-year, $8 million deal.
The pitching staff that was viewed as a weakness the past several years is suddenly a strength, and young right-hander Kevin Gausman looks like as good a candidate as anyone for a breakout season in 2015.
14. Oakland Athletics (2014 Rank: 17)
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Team Overview
The Oakland A's went all-in at the deadline in 2014, and they will now have to deal with the consequences of that decision, as they came up short in their pursuit of a title and looked like a completely different team down the stretch.
Jeff Samardzija and Scott Kazmir are both entering the final season of their contracts, leaving Sonny Gray as the only stable piece in the starting rotation right now. How well Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin bounce back from Tommy John surgery will be key.
With the A's middle infield currently slated to be Eric Sogard and Andy Parrino if the season started today, something has to be done this offseason to address those holes, along with a few others.
13. Houston Astros (2014 Rank: 25)
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Team Overview
Though they lost 92 games in 2014, that represented a 19-win improvement for the Houston Astros, as they have finally taken a step forward in what was as complete a rebuild as any in baseball history.
Jose Altuve leads a good young core of position players that includes George Springer, Jon Singleton, Chris Carter and Jason Castro. Top prospect Carlos Correa remains the long-term answer at shortstop, and he leads one of the deeper farm systems in baseball.
The pitching is the question mark, as Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh have to prove that 2014 was for real, and the rotation behind them has yet to fall into place. The Astros have a ton of money to spend, though, and they could start using it to plug holes as soon as this offseason.
12. New York Mets (2014 Rank: 11)
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Team Overview
With Matt Harvey returning to a rotation that also includes Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom, Dillon Gee, Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon and potentially top prospect Noah Syndergaard, the New York Mets have starting pitching depth most teams can only dream of.
There are still holes offensively, though, with the most notable being the shortstop position. They could also use a right-handed power bat to join David Wright alongside Curtis Granderson and Lucas Duda in the middle of the lineup.
The Yankees will always be the dominant franchise in New York, but the Mets still have major-market appeal, and they could steal a bigger portion of the city if they turn things around faster than the Yankees.
20/30 Tiebreaker (BAL vs. OAK vs. HOU vs. NYM)
The Orioles and A's looked like the two best teams in the AL for much of last season and are still attractive destinations. The Astros get the nod over them, though, thanks to their terrific future outlook and enviable payroll flexibility. The Mets trump them all, as they could be in for a big turnaround in 2015 and have the young pieces for sustained success.
11. Pittsburgh Pirates (2014 Rank: 10)
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Team Overview
When the Pirates finally snapped their postseason drought in 2013, it was clear that they had the pieces to be more than a one-year wonder, and they backed that up with a return trip to the playoffs this past year.
Potentially losing Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez in free agency hurts, but the Pirates have a ton of high-upside young pitching down on the farm, and a rotation of Gerrit Cole, Charlie Morton, Vance Worley and Jeff Locke still has the potential to be a strength.
They are still a small-market team from a payroll standpoint, but they have indicated a willingness this offseason to go "beyond our normal comfort zone" to re-sign Russell Martin, per Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, so they are capable of expanding the payroll for the right player.
10. Miami Marlins (2014 Rank: 29)
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Team Overview
After a 100-loss performance in 2013, the Miami Marlins unexpectedly took a huge step forward this past year, improving their win total by 15 and legitimately contending into the second half.
That despite the fact that ace Jose Fernandez made just eight starts before Tommy John surgery ended his season, as guys like Henderson Alvarez, Nathan Eovaldi and deadline acquisition Jarred Cosart stepped up in the rotation.
Locking up slugger Giancarlo Stanton long-term is priority No. 1 for this organization right now, and if the Marlins can get him to commit to the team, it could go a long way in convincing free agents to do the same in the years to come.
21/30 Tiebreaker (PIT vs. MIA)
These are a pair of teams with a good core of young talent that should be in a position for sustained success, but the Marlins get the edge here thanks to a potentially higher payroll ceiling and fewer question marks heading into the offseason.
9. Los Angeles Angels (2014 Rank: 18)
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Team Overview
Coming off of a season in which they led all of baseball with 98 wins, and with reliever Jason Grilli checking in as their only notable free agent, the Los Angeles Angels are in as good a position as anyone heading into the offseason.
Mike Trout is locked up long-term, and the emergence of Garrett Richards and Matt Shoemaker gives the rotation some hope long-term, with Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson both on the downswing of their respective careers.
The biggest obstacle for this team will be maneuvering around the backloaded deals it gave to Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, as payroll flexibility is not a strength of this team in the least. Neither is a farm system that may be the worst in baseball. But the short-term still looks incredibly bright.
8. New York Yankees (2014 Rank: 4)
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Team Overview
The New York Yankees threw roughly $500 million at free agency last season, only to miss the postseason for the second straight year, the first time since 1993-1994 that they have done that.
It would appear that simply throwing money at the top free agents on the market is no longer a viable alternative to developing in-house talent. The Yankees are buried by bad contracts and lacking in impact prospects, a rough combination even for a team with a seemingly limitless payroll.
On the plus side, every year that passes, the Yankees are one year closer to being done with the Alex Rodriguez contract. The long-term outlook is still positive due to their willingness to spend, the fanbase is always going to be there and there will always be a certain mystique about donning the pinstripes.
7. San Francisco Giants (2014 Rank: 12)
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Team Overview
With three titles in five years, this core group the San Francisco Giants have in place right now is probably the closest thing we will see to a baseball dynasty these days.
That being said, this team has some work to do if it wants to return to the playoffs next year. The rotation is a huge question mark behind Madison Bumgarner, third base could be an issue if Pablo Sandoval walks in free agency and the revolving door in left field continues to spin.
As for the long-term outlook of the team, Kyle Crick and Tyler Beede give the Giants a pair of high-end pitching prospects, and there are a number of second-tier arms as well, but they are sorely lacking in position-player talent.
23/30 Tiebreaker (NYY vs. SF)
Both the Yankees and Giants are lacking in impact prospects, but the Giants have a younger core of players, and the guys they do have locked up long term are still producing up to the level of their salary. They have never been big spenders, but the Giants have the money if someone to their liking comes along.
6. Detroit Tigers (2014 Rank: 7)
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Team Overview
The Detroit Tigers did a great job unloading the salary of Prince Fielder last offseason, and that should help afford them some payroll flexibility moving forward as they look to re-sign Victor Martinez and lock up David Price long term.
Their rotation should still be a strength, even with Max Scherzer set to walk in free agency, especially if prospects Robbie Ray and Kyle Lobstein continue to improve, but the bullpen is an absolute disaster and a complete overhaul is necessary.
Provided they re-sign Martinez and find a way to shore up the bullpen, the Tigers should once again enter the season as favorites in the AL Central. They have not always played up to their potential, but they have put together an impressive run of sustained success.
5. Chicago Cubs (2014 Rank: 8)
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Team Overview
No team has more upside right now than the Chicago Cubs, and the fanbase could finally start to see the rebuilding efforts of Theo Epstein and Co. come to fruition during the upcoming season.
As far as position-player talent, no team in baseball has a more impressive young core, as All-Stars Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro will be joined by Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler, Addison Russell and Arismendy Alcantara long term.
The emergence of Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks gives the Cubs some building blocks in the rotation, and the bullpen took a step forward last year.
There will be growing pains with this young group, but if the team can walk away from the offseason with Jon Lester and Russell Martin, this could be a playoff contender in 2015 and for the foreseeable future.
4. Boston Red Sox (2014 Rank: 1)
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Team Overview
If sustained success is the ultimate goal, the Boston Red Sox have not been the poster boys for that the past three seasons, as they have gone 69-93, 97-65 and 71-91. They sold aggressively at the deadline this past season but targeted big league talent along with prospects in an effort to better position themselves to contend in 2015.
"We have every intention to compete and contend next year,” manager John Farrell told Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal at the deadline.
Now, with just $114 million on the books for the upcoming year, the Red Sox have a chance to do just that with a busy offseason of retooling.
That financial freedom, coupled with a terrific farm system that is loaded with high-end pitching talent, should mean a return to relevance in the short term and a more stable product on the field in the long term.
3. Washington Nationals (2014 Rank: 5)
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Team Overview
No team has a more complete roster heading into the offseason than the Washington Nationals, as they are a second baseman and perhaps another left-handed reliever away from having their roster set for the upcoming season.
They will have some decisions to make about the future of the rotation, as Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister are both free agents at the end of 2015 and Stephen Strasburg hits the open market the following offseason.
Assuming the Nationals lock up at least two of those guys, and top prospect Lucas Giolito continues his rise through the system as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, this team should be just fine on the pitching side of things.
Offensively, the young duo of Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon has the potential to lead this franchise for the next decade. Now the Nats just need to find a way to get over the hump in October, as they they have posted the best record in the NL twice in the past three years, only to be bumped in the National League Division Series.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (2014 Rank: 2)
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Team Overview
Since the new ownership group has taken control of the team, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been as committed to winning as any team in baseball, as they now have a seemingly endless pool of money from which to build the team.
Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu give the Dodgers as good a trio as there is in baseball atop the rotation, and they have one of the game's top pitching prospects in 18-year-old Julio Urias.
The offense is where things get a bit cloudy, as they have a ton of money invested in their outfield and have holes to fill at shortstop and catcher. Figuring out the logjam in the outfield will be important, as guys like Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson have earned a shot at a bigger role.
A willingness to spend big, a trio of top prospects and the game's best pitcher locked up long term put the Dodgers in as good a spot as any team. The holes that need to be filled, including the bullpen and a fairly thin farm system behind those top three guys, keep their long-term outlook from being a perfect 10, though.
1. St. Louis Cardinals (2014 Rank: 3)
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Team Overview
No franchise has put together a better model for sustained success than the St. Louis Cardinals, as they have reached the postseason 11 times in the past 15 seasons, winning four NL pennants and two World Series titles along the way.
The Cardinals roster features a good mix of veterans and up-and-coming young talent, and they are the gold standard at developing their minor league talent and hitting on late-round draft picks.
The perfect example of this organization in action:
1. Albert Pujols walks in free agency.
2. Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright are extended with the money saved.
3. Michael Wacha is selected with the compensatory pick received.
4. Matt Adams, a 23rd-round pick, is developed into an everyday first baseman.
5. Pujols sees his production drop off significantly and will be overpaid through 2021.
Add in a fanbase that is widely regarded as the best in baseball and a nice new ballpark, and you have yourself the top free-agent destination in all of baseball.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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