Updated Top 25 MLB Free-Agency Big Board After 2025 Winter Meetings
Only a few big names came off the free-agency big board during the annual MLB winter meetings, with Kyle Schwarber re-signing with the Phillies, Edwin Díaz joining the Dodgers, and Pete Alonso signing with the Orioles.
While there hasn't been a flurry of activity at any point this offseason, there has been a steady trickle of signings. And 22 players on our list of the top 50 free agents that published at the start of the offseason are no longer on the market.
That said, there are a lot of big dominos left to fall, with Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez headlining the best available stateside free agents, while Japanese League standouts Munetaka Murakami and Tatsuya Imai are also still weighing their options.
Now that the dust has settled on the winter meetings and the daily hot-stove news is at a low simmer, it's time for an updated look at the free-agency big board and the top 25 players who are still available.
Let's start with some honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
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SP: Nick Martinez, Max Scherzer, Zach Eflin, Walker Buehler, Andrew Heaney, Patrick Corbin, José Quintana, Michael Lorenzen, Aaron Civale, Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning, Kona Takahashi
RP: Sean Newcomb, Tyler Kinley, Shawn Armstrong, Seranthony Domínguez, Danny Coulombe, Michael Kopech, Jakob Junis, Jalen Beeks
C: Victor Caratini, Jonah Heim
1B: Paul Goldschmidt, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe, Carlos Santana, Justin Turner, Ty France
2B: Luis Rengifo, Jose Iglesias, Brendan Rodgers
3B: Yoán Moncada, Paul DeJong, Andy Ibáñez
SS: Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Orlando Arcia, Jorge Mateo
OF: Austin Hays, Max Kepler, Miguel Andújar, Mike Tauchman, JJ Bleday, Tommy Pham, Michael Conforto
DH: Marcell Ozuna, Randal Grichuk, Andrew McCutchen
Nos. 25-21
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25. IF/OF Willi Castro (Age: 28)
Stats: 454 PA, 89 OPS+, .226/.313/.366, 31 XBH (11 HR), 33 RBI
WAR: -0.2
Castro has been one of the game's more productive super-utility players over the past few seasons, even earning an All-Star selection in 2024. His market overlaps with Cardinals trade candidate Brendan Donovan, so he might have to wait until he finds a new home before he signs.
24. SP Zack Littell (Age: 30)
Stats: 32 GS, 3.81 ERA (4.88 FIP), 1.10 WHIP, 130 K, 186.2 IP
WAR: 3.2
Littell pitched primarily in relief early in his career, but he has made 61 starts over the last two seasons, logging a 3.73 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 343 innings. His 19.2 percent strikeout rate ranks 32nd among 37 qualified starters over that two-year span, but he has excellent command, walking just 32 batters in 186.2 innings in 2025.
23. SP Tyler Mahle (Age: 31)
Stats: 16 GS, 2.18 ERA (3.37 FIP), 1.13 WHIP, 66 K, 86.2 IP
WAR: 2.2
After making just eight total starts in 2023 and 2024 sandwiched around Tommy John surgery, Mahle missed significant time again in 2025, with a rotator cuff strain sidelining him for more than three months. When healthy, he has pitched like a frontline starter at times, but teams will have a tough time penciling him in for 30 starts.
22. SP Justin Verlander (Age: 42)
Stats: 29 GS, 3.85 ERA (3.85 FIP), 1.36 WHIP, 137 K, 152.0 IP
WAR: 1.2
Verlander intends to pitch in 2026, and he still had plenty in the tank during the second half last season, posting a 1.96 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 41.1 innings over his final seven starts. The future Hall of Famer will almost certainly end up with another one-year deal, but he could plug nicely into a contender's rotation as a No. 3/4 option.
21. SP/RP Luke Weaver (Age: 32)
Stats: 64 G, 21 HLD, 3.62 ERA (3.89 FIP), 72 K, 64.2 IP
WAR: 0.8
Weaver spent the first eight seasons of his career pitching primarily as a starter, but he found new life in the bullpen in 2024 and served as a solid late-inning option for the Yankees the last two years with 12 saves and 43 holds in 126 appearances. He is one of the better bullpen arms left on the market, but he is also intriguing as a candidate to return to a starting role.
Editor's Note: Weaver agreed to a two-year, $22M contract with the New York Mets on Wednesday afternoon, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Nos. 20-16
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20. RP Pete Fairbanks (Age: 31)
Stats: 61 G, 27/32 SV, 2.83 ERA (3.63 FIP), 59 K, 60.1 IP
WAR: 1.2
With 75 saves over the past three seasons, Fairbanks is the most experienced closer left on the market now that Edwin Díaz, Robert Suárez, Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Raisel Iglesias, Kyle Finnegan, Emilio Pagán and Kenley Jansen have all signed. He doesn't miss bats at the same rate he did a few years ago, but he is still a proven late-inning option.
19. SP/RP Brad Keller (Age: 30)
Stats: 68 G, 25 HLD, 2.07 ERA (2.93 FIP), 75 K, 69.2 IP
WAR: 1.4
Signed to a minor league deal last winter, Keller ended up being the Cubs' most reliable bullpen arm while seeing his fastball velocity spike from 93.8 to 97.2 mph in his first season as a full-time reliever. Whether he remains in a setup role or shifts back to starting, a multi-year deal should be awaiting this time around.
Editor's Note: Keller agreed to a two-year, $22M contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.
18. SP Chris Bassitt (Age: 36)
Stats: 31 GS, 3.96 ERA (4.01 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, 166 K, 170.1 IP
WAR: 2.1
A proven workhorse who ranks eighth in the majors with 880.1 innings pitched over the past five seasons, Bassitt is one of the better mid-level options still standing on the starting pitching market. He also had a 1.04 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 8.2 innings in the playoffs pitching out of the bullpen.
17. IF Luis Arraez (Age: 28)
Stats: 675 PA, 99 OPS+, .292/.327/.392, 42 XBH (8 HR), 61 RBI
WAR: 1.2
Arraez won three straight batting titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024, but he hits the open market coming off a down year by his standards. He still put the ball in play in a staggering 91.6 percent of his plate appearances in 2025, but his limited on-base ability, middling power and lack of a defensive value limit his overall impact.
16. 1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn (Age: 32)
Stats: 544 PA, 125 OPS+, .281/.366/.437, 39 XBH (17 HR), 63 RBI
WAR: 2.4
A standout platoon option for the Orioles in 2023 and 2024, O'Hearn logged a career-high 544 plate appearances in 2025 and parlayed that into his first All-Star selection. Hitting .278/.358/.474 in 109 plate appearances against lefties should help him shake the platoon label, and his ability to handle first base and the corner outfield spots broadens his market.
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Nos. 15-11
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15. C J.T. Realmuto (Age: 34)
Stats: 550 PA, 91 OPS+, .257/.315/.384, 39 XBH (12 HR), 52 RBI
WAR: 2.5
Shortly after they re-signed Kyle Schwarber, it was reported that the Phillies also have an offer on the table to bring back Realmuto. He is far and away the best available catcher on the market, even on the other side of his prime, and returning to Philadelphia on a short-term deal makes sense for both sides.
14. OF Harrison Bader (Age: 31)
Stats: 501 PA, 117 OPS+, .277/.347/.449, 42 XBH (17 HR), 54 RBI
WAR: 3.9
Bader ended up being a steal on a one-year, $4.75 million deal last offseason, as he slugged a career-high 17 home runs while providing his usual standout defense in the outfield. For teams that can't afford Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, he is the best option left in free agency to upgrade the outfield.
13. 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto (Age: 29)
Stats (Japan): 314 PA, .322/.411/.581, 39 XBH (15 HR), 51 RBI
Okamoto was limited by an elbow injury in 2025, but he has been a standout middle-of-the-order run producer throughout his career with a .274/.355/.501 line and 277 home runs over 11 seasons. He had six straight 30-homer seasons earlier in his career, including a .958 OPS and career-high 41 long balls in 2023.
12. SP Lucas Giolito (Age: 31)
Stats: 26 GS, 3.41 ERA (4.17 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, 121 K, 145.0 IP
WAR: 2.1
Giolito returned from a 2024 season spent recovering from Tommy John surgery to reestablish himself as a solid rotation option and one of the more reliable starters on the Red Sox staff. He had a 2.70 ERA in 63.1 innings over his final 11 starts, and declined a $19 million mutual option in favor of a $1.5 million buyout to hit the open market.
11. 3B Eugenio Suárez (Age: 34)
Stats: 657 PA, 126 OPS+, .228/.298/.526, 77 XBH (49 HR), 118 RBI
WAR: 3.6
Suárez matched his career high with 49 home runs in 2025, and his 163 homers over the past five seasons are the seventh-highest total in baseball. There are some question marks going forward after he batted just .196 with a .729 OPS and 18 home runs after the All-Star break, but he is one of the more impactful bats left in free agency.
Nos. 10-6
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10. SP Zac Gallen (Age: 30)
Stats: 33 GS, 4.83 ERA (4.50 FIP), 1.26 WHIP, 175 K, 192.0 IP
WAR: 1.1
It was a disappointing contract year for Gallen, but he started to look more like the guy who finished in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting three times in a span of four years down the stretch. Over his final 11 starts, he had a 3.32 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 65 innings, and he could end up signing a high AAV, short-term deal to rebuild his value.
9. SP Michael King (Age: 30)
Stats: 15 GS, 3.44 ERA (4.42 FIP), 1.20 WHIP, 76 K, 73.1 IP
WAR: 1.2
King is lacking in track record and coming off an injury-plagued 2025 season, but his 2024 campaign is still enough to drive interest. After coming to the Padres in the Juan Soto trade, he logged a 2.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 201 strikeouts in 173.2 innings in his first season as a full-time starter, and his ability to miss bats gives him frontline upside.
8. 3B Munetaka Murakami (Age: 25)
Stats (Japan): 263 PA, .286/.392/.659, 34 XBH (24 HR), 52 RBI
Despite questions about his ability to handle elite velocity and a middling defensive profile, Murakami has the potential to be a game-changing addition offensively. Over eight seasons in the Japanese League, he posted a .945 OPS and 265 home runs, and the fact that he doesn't turn 26 years old until February further adds to his long-term appeal.
7. SP Tatsuya Imai (Age: 27)
Stats (Japan): 24 GS, 10-5, 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 178 K, 163.2 IP
A strong track record and high-octane stuff makes it easy to overlook the fact that Imai has an undersized 5'11", 154-pound frame. He has an elite fastball and a nasty splitter, giving him swing-and-miss stuff that should have no problem translating stateside. His desire to "take down" the Dodgers rather than joining countrymen Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki has added an interesting wrinkle to his market.
6. SP Ranger Suárez (Age: 30)
Stats: 26 GS, 3.20 ERA (3.21 FIP), 1.22 WHIP, 151 K, 157.1 IP
WAR: 4.7
Since his breakout 2021 season, Suárez ranks sixth among all pitchers with 17.7 WAR, trailing only Zack Wheeler (27.6), Logan Webb (21.5), Max Fried (20.6), Corbin Burnes (18.5) and Tarik Skubal (18.0). A career 52.0 percent groundball rate makes him an attractive target for teams with a strong defensive infield.
5. OF Cody Bellinger
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Age: 30
Stats: 656 PA, 125 OPS+, .272/.334/.480, 59 XBH (29 HR), 98 RBI
WAR: 5.1
With a 125 OPS+ and 12.0 WAR over the past three seasons, the Cody Bellinger who was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2022 season is a distant memory.
His 29 home runs in 2025 were his highest total since the 47-homer performance that earned him NL MVP honors in 2019, though he did benefit from hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium with better numbers at home (.909 OPS, 18 HR) than on the road (.715 OPS, 11 HR).
A reunion with the New York Yankees might be the best-case scenario for both player and team.
4. SP Framber Valdez
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Age: 32
Stats: 31 GS, 3.66 ERA (3.37 FIP), 1.25 WHIP, 187 K, 192.0 IP
WAR: 3.8
Dylan Cease set the frontline pitching market for this offseason with the seven-year, $210 million deal he signed with the Blue Jays, and despite being roughly two years older, Framber Valdez will likely be looking for something similar.
The southpaw has tossed 767.2 innings over the past four seasons, a total that trails only Logan Webb (820.0), making him one of baseball's biggest workhorses. He also has a wealth of postseason experience on his resume.
He might have to settle for a five- or six-year deal rather than the seven-year pact Cease signed, but it will take an AAV of $30 million or more to add him to the rotation.
3. 3B Alex Bregman
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Age: 31
Stats: 495 PA, 128 OPS+, .273/.360/.462, 46 XBH (18 HR), 62 RBI
WAR: 3.5
Despite a quad strain that cost him 44 games at midseason, Alex Bregman still recorded his fourth straight 3-WAR season while producing at a high level when he was healthy.
He left two years and $80 million on the table when he opted out of his contract, and while he might not match that AAV over a longer deal, he should be able to secure significantly more guaranteed money.
With Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber both off the board, a reunion with the Red Sox looks even more likely than it already was at the start of the offseason, though others such as the Cubs and Tigers are also circling.
2. SS Bo Bichette
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Age: 27
Stats: 628 PA, 129 OPS+, .311/.357/.483, 63 XBH (18 HR), 94 RBI
WAR: 3.5
One of baseball's best pure hitters, Bo Bichette rebounded from a disappointing 2024 campaign to post his highest batting average and OPS+ over a full season's worth of games.
A PCL sprain in his left knee sidelined him down the stretch and early in the postseason, but he returned to go 8-for-23 with a home run and six RBI in the World Series.
The question looking forward is whether he will stick at shortstop, as he has consistently been one of the league's worst defenders at the position and makes more than enough offensive impact to handle a shift to second base or third base.
1. OF Kyle Tucker
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Age: 28
Stats: 597 PA, 143 OPS+, .266/.377/.464, 51 XBH (22 HR), 73 RBI
WAR: 4.6
With a track record of five-tool production and several prime seasons left in the tank as he is set to turn 29 years old in January, Kyle Tucker has long been expected to be baseball's highest-paid free agent this offseason.
A 10-year, $400 million payday is not out of the question, and a $30-plus million AAV seems like a lock, regardless of how long his contract ends up being.
With five consecutive 4-WAR seasons, 30/30 potential and standout defense, he is a game-changing player. Even in an injury-plagued second half with the Cubs, he was still one of the best outfielders in the game and an All-Star and Silver Slugger winner.
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