2014 MLB Free Agents: Recent Rumors and Predictions for Notable Talent

The MLB hot stove has cooled off a bit in mid-December. The majority of big-name free agents have been signed to lucrative contracts, and teams have crossed off the majority of their wish lists via trades.

The Los Angeles Dodgers brought the ruckus and cut a litany of high-profile deals with other clubs around the league, while the Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners made waves by signing the likes of Jon Lester and Nelson Cruz, respectively.

The roster building at the major league level is not yet over—in truth, it never really ends—as there are some big talents still out on the market as well as valuable contributors who can become important pieces of a number of teams (whether a rebuilding squad or a nascent contender). 

Here are the latest rumors from around the league and predictions on where each player discussed might eventually land.

Max Scherzer

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Max Scherzer led the American League in wins the past two seasons as a member of the Detroit Tigers and is apparently ready to cash in on his recent success in a big way. According to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi, Scherzer is looking for $200 million in his next contract:

Over the past two years, Scherzer has gone a combined 39-8 with two All-Star Game appearances and one Cy Young Award (2013). He's a top-of-the-line hurler, but the big asking price is scaring some suitors away. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported the St. Louis Cardinals aren't interested, while MLB passed along comments from Tigers' general manager Dave Dombrowski:

One team that could be willing to bite is the Arizona Diamondbacks. According to AZCentral.com's Nick Piecoro, the Diamondbacks are mulling over a pursuit of James Shields or Max Scherzer:

Shields isn't as strong of a front-line starter as Scherzer, but he would be a smart bit of business, and the Diamondbacks can't afford to whiff completely on bolstering their rotation. Shields went 14-8 with a 3.15 ERA in 2014. Josh Collmenter was the only D-backs starter last season to post an ERA below 3.50, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Scherzer's robust contract demands would seem to take the Diamondbacks out of the running, but the reported lack of interest from other teams could drive his price down. It's also possible the D-backs could lose out to another team in the Shields sweepstakes, making a Scherzer signing all the more imperative.

However, it's hard to see them pulling the trigger. One team who could still come through with the right offer and a winning pedigree is the New York Yankees, although general manager Brian Cashman has misgivings about Scherzer's price tag, per NJ.com's Brendan Kuty:

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Max Scherzer might be too expensive for the Yankees, after all.

'I don’t think Yankee fans will be looking at Max Scherzer,' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on NBC’s 'Sports Final' early Monday morning.

At first glance, and even after deep examination, the Yankees and Scherzer, the 2013 Cy Young winner, would appear the near-perfect match.

The Yankees have serious starting rotation issues. The three starters they expect ready for Opening Day — CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda – all come with health questions. The fourth pitcher that will likely join the rotation, Ivan Nova, isn’t expected to return from Tommy John surgery rehabilitation until late May.

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However, with the competition apparently fading away, the Yankees could play the long game and top any other team's offer at the last second. Kuty noted that Cashman did say Scherzer's price tag is at a "higher level than we'd like to play in right now," but that could change. Assuming Scherzer's price does indeed come down from his (reportedly) astronomical demands, look for the Yankees to snatch him up.

Prediction: New York Yankees

Brandon Morrow

Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

Brandon Morrow is a talented righty pitcher who's had nothing but bad luck the past two seasons. Arm injuries took a toll on his production—an especially disappointing development considering he went 10-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 2012, his finest season as a pro—and the market for his services appears to be very quiet.

Season	W	L	ERA	IP	SO	WHIP
2013	2	3	5.63	54.1	42	1.491
2014	1	3	5.67	33.1	30	1.650

However, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal has reported the San Diego Padres are willing to take a chance on the veteran pitcher: 

It's a smart move for the Padres, who have had a busy offseason. They landed outfielder Matt Kemp in a trade with the Dodgers and could stand to use another veteran to provide competition for the likes of Jesse Hahn and Robbie Erlin.

While there's a slim chance the Blue Jays could give Morrow another chance in Canada, it's best for the team to move on and try its luck with a more durable pitcher. With an apparent lack of interest in his well-worn arm this offseason, look for the California native to try to turn things around in America's Finest City.

Prediction: San Diego Padres

Jung-Ho Kang

While not technically a free agent in the traditional sense, the bidding war for Jung-Ho Kang, an infielder from the Korean Baseball Organization, could very much resemble that of a traditional scrum for an MLB unrestricted talent.

According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Nexen Heros, Kang's KBO team, will post the keystone slugger Monday:

Dan Martin of the New York Post reported the New York Mets have taken a close look at Kang and could be among the teams bidding: "The Mets have scouted Kang and continue to weigh whether they will enter a bid as they look to upgrade a position that has plagued them since Jose Reyes departed for Miami as a free agent."

It's highly unlikely they will be the only ones interested considering Kang's power potential as a middle infielder. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman gave a rundown of potential suitors on Dec. 8:

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Power-hitting Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang is drawing interest, no surprise considering the thin shortstop market, and the Mets, Athletics and Giants are among teams interested.

While some may view the slugging Kang as more of a second baseman, he has been the top shortstop in Korea and some major-league teams clearly think he can make the transition.

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The 27-year-old Kang had a monstrous 2014 season, batting .356 while smacking 40 home runs and 117 RBI. Those numbers will almost certainly take a dip once he hits the majors and faces elite pitching, but a shortstop (or possibly second baseman) who can potentially hit 20-plus home runs is not someone teams in need of a bat can or should ignore.

Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

All three of those teams mentioned by Heyman could use an offensive boost in the infield. Kang appears to be relatively affordable, with Martin reporting the Korean star is looking for a deal in the four-year, $24 million range.

The Oakland Athletics traded away first baseman Brandon Moss and third baseman Josh Donaldson this offseason. They combined for 54 home runs last year.

The likes of middle infielders Eric Sogard, Nick Punto and Marcus Semien do little to intimidate opposing pitchers. Still, if GM Billy Beane is intent on building a new team from scratch, he may not want to commit to Kang and might instead open up the middle for young prospects.

The Giants would be a nice fit for Kang, having failed to get anything out of Dan Uggla at second base last season and shortstop Brandon Crawford posting a paltry .246/.324/.389 slash line in 2014. However, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle has reported a lack of interest on the Giants' part:

This leaves the Mets, who are in desperate need of a splash signing and have a huge question mark at shortstop. Neither Wilmer Flores or Ruben Tejada appears to be anything special in the batter's box, although the former is just 23 years old and perhaps shouldn't be given up on so soon. That being said, Kang could provide competition at this spot for a reasonable price and perhaps challenge Daniel Murphy for a starting role at second.

Look for Kang to head to the Big Apple and shore up the Mets' lineup with decent power numbers.


Prediction: New York Mets