Early MLB Free Agency Big Board for Top 25 Players of 2025-26 Class
There is no Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto to headline the 2025-26 MLB free-agent class, but there might be more overall depth of talent than we have seen in years past, especially on the pitching side of things.
The biggest payday of the winter will likely go to outfielder Kyle Tucker, while opt-out candidates Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, Cody Bellinger and Trevor Story could reshape the market if they decide to test the waters.
On the pitching side, Dylan Cease, Michael King, Ranger Suárez, Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen and Brandon Woodruff are among the top starting pitchers, while Edwin Díaz can opt-out and join Robert Suárez as the top late-inning arms.
Ahead we've taken a closer look at the top 25 upcoming free agents, including players who are likely to opt-out or decline player options. International free agents will not be included until they are officially posted, but we've highlighted a few names to know to kick things off.
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The International Posting Market
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Who will be the headliner of this year's international posting market?
Here are four names that could be making the move stateside this offseason, based on speculation, past reports and perceived interest from MLB teams:
3B Munetaka Murakami (Japan): Murakami put himself on the MLB radar with a 56-homer, 134-RBI performance during his age-22 season in 2022, and now that he is 25 years old, he will no longer be subject to bonus pool restrictions and can maximize his earning power. He might fit best at first base in the big leagues, but it's his bat that teams will be targeting.
RHP Tatsuya Imai (Japan): The hardest throwing pitcher in Japan right now, Imai has a 1.67 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 162 strikeouts in 145.2 innings this season with the Seibu Lions. An undersized 5'11", 154-pound frame raises questions about his ability to pitch every fifth day, but his stuff will play in some role.
IF Sung-mun Song (KBO): An eight-year veteran of the KBO, Song enjoyed a breakout 2024 season, and he has backed it up this year by hitting .316/.392/.531 with 33 doubles, 24 home runs and 80 RBI in 131 games for the Kiwoom Heroes. The 29-year-old has played primarily third base and second base.
3B Kazuma Okamoto (Japan): A staple in the middle of the Yomiuri Giants lineup, Okamoto has six 30-homer seasons on his resume, though he has been slowed this season by an elbow injury. In 11 seasons in Japan, he is a .273/.353/.498 hitter with 273 home runs and 857 RBI.
Other Notable Free Agents
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SP: Chris Bassitt, Tyler Mahle, Zach Eflin, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Michael Soroka, Adrian Houser, Zack Littell, Tyler Anderson, Tomoyuki Sugano, Griffin Canning, Germán Márquez, Charlie Morton, Chris Paddack, Nestor Cortes, Aaron Civale, Jack Flaherty (player option), Lucas Giolito (mutual option), Jose Quintana (mutual option), Shane Bieber (player option), Walker Buehler (mutual option)
RP: Emilio Pagán, Kenley Jansen, Luke Weaver, Kyle Finnegan, Michael Kopech, Ryan Helsley, Raisel Iglesias, Kirby Yates, Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto, Danny Coulombe, Shawn Armstrong, Brad Keller, Phil Maton, Taylor Rogers, Drew Pomeranz, Shelby Miller, Devin Williams, A.J. Minter (player option)
C: Victor Caratini, Danny Jansen (mutual option)
IF: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, UT Willi Castro, 1B Carlos Santana, SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 3B Yoán Moncada, IF Luis Rengifo, IF Jose Iglesias, IF Amed Rosario, 1B Rhys Hoskins (mutual option)
OF: Austin Hays, Max Kepler, Mike Yastrzemski, Cedric Mullins, Michael Conforto, Tommy Pham
DH: Marcell Ozuna, Jorge Polanco, Josh Bell, Wilmer Flores,
Nos. 25-21
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25. 1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn (Age: 32)
Stats: 129 G, 124 OPS+, .274/.365/.439, 36 XBH (16 HR), 2.0 WAR
O'Hearn picked the perfect time for a career year offensively, earning his first All-Star selection before the Orioles flipped him to the Padres at the deadline. With a 122 OPS+ in 1,347 plate appearances since the start of the 2023 season, he has been productive for long enough to land a multi-year deal, and his ability to play first base and the corner outfield spots adds to his appeal.
24. RP Tyler Rogers (Age: 34)
Stats: 71 G, 28 HLD, 1.84 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 46 K, 68.1 IP, 2.3 WAR
With a deceptive submarine delivery, Rogers has squeezed the most out of his stuff, and he has a strong track record as both a workhorse and an effective eighth-inning option. Age could limit the length of his deal, but a multi-year pact with an AAV north of $10 million is likely.
23. SP Merrill Kelly (Age: 36)
Stats: 30 GS, 3.21 ERA (3.83 FIP), 1.06 WHIP, 162 K, 176.2 IP, 3.6 WAR
Kelly has pitched as well this season as any pitcher in the 2025-26 free agent class, but the fact that he turns 37 years old on Oct. 14 keeps him from climbing any higher in these rankings. The three-year, $75 million deal that Nathan Eovaldi signed last offseason is a reasonable comp for his earning power.
22. OF Harrison Bader (Age: 31) — 2026 MUTUAL OPTION
Stats: 130 G, 125 OPS+, .281/.357/.467, 38 XBH (16 HR), 4.0 WAR
After back-to-back offseasons settling for a one-year deal, Bader should finally land a more significant payday this winter after he almost certainly declines his end of a $10 million mutual option. Aside from his solid offensive numbers, he also has strong defensive metrics (6 DRS, 2 OAA) in center field.
21. C J.T. Realmuto (Age: 34)
Stats: 122 G, 97 OPS+, .265/.327/.396, 37 XBH (11 HR), 2.8 WAR
Arguably the best all-around catcher of his generation, Realmuto is no longer the MVP-caliber performer he was in his prime, but he is still the best catcher on the free-agent market by a longshot. With no real in-house replacement, there's a good chance the Phillies will make re-signing him a top priority.
Nos. 20-16
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20. RP Robert Suárez (Age: 34) — 2026 PLAYER OPTION
Stats: 63 G, 36/41 SV, 3.16 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 66 K, 62.2 IP, 2.0 WAR
Suárez is expected to opt-out of the final two years and $16 million of his contract this winter, and the Padres move to acquire Mason Miller was likely made with the prospect of losing him in mind. He did not make his MLB debut until he was 31 years old, so he's older than some might think, but a multi-year deal and significant pay raise is still coming his way.
19. 3B Eugenio Suárez (Age: 34)
Stats: 143 G, 130 OPS+, .233/.306/.539, 70 XBH (45 HR), 3.3 WAR
Suárez crushed 31 home runs in 95 games during the first half of the season, and he had a .990 OPS with 21 long balls in 204 plate appearances in June and July to emerge as the most sought after bat on the trade market. However, he is hitting just .189/.265/.432 with a 34.7 percent strikeout rate since the beginning of August, and that decline coupled with his age might limit him to a one-year deal.
19. 1B Josh Naylor (Age: 28)
Stats: 133 G, 123 OPS+, .285/.347/.455, 45 XBH (19 HR), 2.4 WAR
One of the youngest free agents on the market, Naylor just turned 28 years old on June 22, and that should help him secure a solid long-term payday as a proven middle-of-the-order run producer. He has a 125 OPS+ with eight home runs and 21 RBI in 40 games since he was traded to the Mariners at the deadline.
17. IF Luis Arraez (Age: 28)
Stats: 140 G, 94 OPS+, .282/.317/.385, 40 XBH (7 HR), 1.0 WAR
Arraez has limited power, zero defensive value and middling speed, making him essentially a one-tool player, but that one tool is arguably the best bat-to-ball skill in baseball. The three-time batting title winner will be an interesting litmus test for the earning power of a contact-oriented, offensive-minded player.
16. SP Zac Gallen (Age: 30)
Stats: 30 GS, 4.84 ERA (4.53 FIP), 1.28 WHIP, 157 K, 174.2 IP, 1.2 WAR
There is no question Gallen has cost himself a sizable chunk of money with his disappointing 2025 season, but he has taken steps toward rebuilding some value with a 2.83 ERA in 47.2 innings and six quality starts since the beginning of August. He just turned 30 at the beginning of August, so age is a chip in his favor.
Nos. 15-11
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15. 2B Gleyber Torres (Age: 28)
Stats: 130 G, 111 OPS+, .259/.363/.396, 35 XBH (15 HR), 2.4 WAR
Torres has been a great pickup for the Tigers this season on a one-year, $15 million deal, and he looks like a prime candidate for a qualifying offer this winter. An uptick in his walk rate from 9.8 to 13.7 percent has helped boost his on-base percentage to a .363 mark, which is good for seventh among qualified AL hitters.
14. SP Brandon Woodruff (Age: 32) — 2026 MUTUAL OPTION
Stats: 11 GS, 3.32 ERA (3.26 FIP), 0.96 WHIP, 74 K, 59.2 IP, 1.0 WAR
After missing all of 2024 and the first three months of the 2025 season recovering from shoulder surgery and other injury issues, Woodruff returned to the mound on July 6 with six innings of two-hit ball against the Marlins. Aside from a few clunkers at the end of August, he has looked like his frontline starter self, and he has done more than enough to decline his end of a $20 million mutual option in favor of a $10 million buyout and trip to free agency.
13. SS Trevor Story (Age: 32) — OPT-OUT CLAUSE
Stats: 143 G, 105 OPS+, .263/.310/.443, 51 XBH (24 HR), 3.7 WAR
Who would have guessed we'd be talking about Story as an opt-out candidate when the season started? After playing just 163 total games and tallying 4.1 WAR during the first three seasons of his six-year, $140 million deal, he has returned to form this season, logging the fourth 20/20 season of his career while providing solid defense at shortstop.
12. RP Edwin Díaz (Age: 31) — 2026 PLAYER OPTION
Stats: 52 G, 26/28 SV, 1.83 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 13.8 K/9, 54.0 IP, 2.2 WAR
Last time he hit the open market, Díaz inked the largest contract in MLB history for a reliever with a five-year, $102 million pact. Now he is expected to leave the final two years and $38 million of that deal on the table to secure more years and a larger guarantee, and he should have no trouble finding it as one of the game's elite stoppers.
11. OF Trent Grisham (Age: 28)
Stats: 128 G, 126 OPS+, .242/.349/.470, 40 XBH (30 HR), 3.3 WAR
Grisham hit .191/.298/.353 for an 84 OPS+ in 1,288 plate appearances during the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons, and he was a non-tender candidate last winter. Strong batted-ball metrics, including a .511 expected slugging percentage, make his offensive breakout look sustainable and the fact that he can play center field gives his value a significant boost.
Nos. 10-6
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10. SP Framber Valdez (Age: 31)
Stats: 28 GS, 3.42 ERA (3.19 FIP), 1.19 WHIP, 171 K, 176.1 IP, 4.1 WAR
Valdez has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons, and it sounds like it's going to impact his free agency, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
"Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez's stunt, in which he intentionally crossed up his own catcher or at the least simply didn't care that he hit him in the chest with his fastball, could cost Valdez millions in free agency. One scout said their organization already crossed Valdez off their list of free agent candidates after the incident."
That's enough to move him behind Dylan Cease and Michael King.
9. SP Michael King (Age: 30) — 2026 MUTUAL OPTION
Stats: 12 GS, 2.87 ERA (3.72 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, 67 K, 62.2 IP, 1.4 WAR
After excelling in a swingman role in 2023, King joined the Padres in the Juan Soto blockbuster and went 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 201 strikeouts in 173.2 innings to finish seventh in 2024 NL Cy Young voting. It has been more of the same this season when he has been healthy, but a nerve issue in his shoulder and knee inflammation have limited him to 12 starts. Declining his end of a $15 million mutual option will still be a no-brainer.
8. SP Dylan Cease (Age: 29)
Stats: 29 GS, 4.71 ERA (3.63 FIP), 1.34 WHIP, 195 K, 151.0 IP, 0.8 WAR
Cease has not had the contract year many were expecting, but he still ranks fourth among starters with a 30.0 percent strikeout rate, which speaks to the quality of his stuff and still present frontline potential. His .319 batting average allowed on balls in play is a good indication he has dealt with some bad luck, and his +1.08 gap between ERA and FIP is the second-largest of any qualified starter.
7. OF Cody Bellinger (Age: 30) — 2026 PLAYER OPTION
Stats: 135 G, 129 OPS+, .277/.333/.502, 57 XBH (28 HR), 5.1 WAR
The Yankees acquired Bellinger during the offseason in what amounted to a salary dump by the Cubs, and he is enjoying his best all-around season since he won NL MVP honors in 2018. There is no question he will decline his $25 million player option in favor of a $5 million buyout, but don't be surprised if the Yankees move quickly to re-sign him on a new long-term deal.
6. SS Bo Bichette (Age: 27)
Stats: 139 G, 128 OPS+, .311/.357/.483, 63 XBH (18 HR), 3.4 WAR
After a down 2024 season, Bichette is once again one of the best offensive players in the sport, leading the NL in hits (181) and doubles (44) while ranking third in the batting title race (.311 BA). However, he is arguably the worst defensive shortstop in baseball (-12 DRS, -13 OAA), and that undercuts his overall value enough to leave him just outside the top five. Will he be open to a position change?
5. 1B Pete Alonso
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Age: 30
Stats: 146 G, 141 OPS+, .269/.346/.514, 71 XBH (33 HR), 3.0 WAR
Slugger Pete Alonso failed to find the long-term deal he was seeking last offseason, ultimately making his way back to the Mets on a two-year, $54 million deal that includes an opt-out this winter.
He's a lock to leave next year's $24 million player option on the table in search of a long-term deal once again, and not unlike last offseason, it's hard to imagine the Mets letting him get away.
The five-time All-Star does not provide much in the way of secondary value, and he does not have a profile that traditionally ages well, but right now he remains one of the game's elite sluggers.
4. DH Kyle Schwarber
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Age: 32
Stats: 146 G, 150 OPS+, .241/.368/.562, 72 XBH (50 HR), 4.4 WAR
Kyle Schwarber secured a four-year, $79 million contract last time he reached free agency, and over the life of that deal, he has posted a 133 OPS+ with 181 home runs and 10.8 WAR.
Aside from the on-field production, he has also emerged as a leader in the Phillies clubhouse, and his 50-homer performance this season has put him in position for the largest payday in MLB history for a designated hitter not named Shohei Ohtani.
"Forget all of the talk, Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber isn't going anywhere this winter," wrote Bob Nightengale of USA Today earlier this month. "He loves Philadelphia, and more important, the Phillies love him. They simply will not be out-bid by any team, knowing how vital he is to them as not only their greatest power hitter, but their ultimate clubhouse leader."
3. 3B Alex Bregman
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Age: 31
Stats: 101 G, 129 OPS+, .279/.362/.474, 43 XBH (16 HR), 3.4 WAR
He might not have the same gaudy offensive numbers as Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber, but Alex Bregman is a far more valuable all-around player as a standout defender at third base and quality base-runner.
While he missed time with a quad injury this year, he has played in at least 145 games six times in eight full seasons in the majors, so durability is not a major concern going forward.
Despite a slow-moving market last winter, he is still expected to opt-out of the final two seasons of his three-year, $120 million deal, and there will be no shortage of teams interested in his services.
2. SP Ranger Suárez
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Age: 30
Stats: 23 GS, 2.77 ERA (2.95 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, 140 K, 143.0 IP, 5.1 WAR
In a market that includes Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Michael King, Framber Valdez and others, it's a bit surprising to see that Ranger Suárez has climbed to the head of the starting pitching class.
The left-hander has been rock solid since becoming a full-time starter in 2022, posting a 3.50 ERA in 574 innings, and he is enjoying the best season of his career this year.
His recent performance, which includes a 0.88 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 30.2 innings over his last five starts, has further boosted his stock, and the Phillies will be counting on him to keep it rolling in October with Zack Wheeler sidelined and Aaron Nola not his usual self.
1. OF Kyle Tucker
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Age: 28
Stats: 133 G, 149 OPS+, .270/.381/.472, 51 XBH (22 HR), 4.8 WAR
Despite a second-half swoon that seems to have been the result of a fractured hand, and a current IL stint for a calf strain, Kyle Tucker is still a virtual lock to be the highest-paid player on the offseason market.
A true five-tool talent, he has posted the third 20/20 season of his career this year, swiping 25 bases in 28 attempts while also providing solid defense in right field as a former Gold Glove winner.
A $400 million payday and a AAV in the $40 million range is in the realm of possibility, and the question is whether any other team can keep him from landing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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