Updated MLB Free Agency Big Board With 1 Month Until 2026 Spring Training
One of the marquee names of this offseason's free-agent class found a new home on Saturday night when Alex Bregman agreed to a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs, but there are still some impact players looking for their next contract.
Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Cody Bellinger represent the top-tier bats capable of transforming a lineup, while Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Zac Gallen are all capable of adding frontline production to a team's rotation.
Our free agency big board was last updated on Dec. 17, shortly after the conclusion of the annual winter meetings. Now that Bregman has made his choice, some other major dominos could start to fall in the coming days, so it's time for an updated roundup of the top remaining talent.
Nos. 25-21
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25. 1B Paul Goldschmidt (Age: 38)
Stats: 534 PA, 104 OPS+, .274/.328/.403, 42 XBH (10 HR), 45 RBI
WAR: 1.2
Goldschmidt hit .338/.394/.495 over the first two months of the 2025 season, and that propped up his overall numbers as he cooled considerably in the second half and settled into a platoon role with Ben Rice at first base. The future Hall of Famer posted a .981 OPS in 168 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.
24. SP Walker Buehler (Age: 31)
Stats: 26 G, 24 GS, 4.93 ERA (5.66 FIP), 1.52 WHIP, 92 K, 126.0 IP
WAR: 0.0
The Red Sox essentially gave Buehler the qualifying offer he didn't receive from the Dodgers last offseason, signing him to a one-year, $21.05 million deal, but he failed to deliver on expectations. One of the game's best young pitchers before running into injury issues, he is still young enough to have a career renaissance, and he finished strong with a 0.66 ERA in 13.2 innings after he was traded to the Phillies at the deadline.
23. SP Max Scherzer (Age: 41)
Stats: 17 GS, 5.19 ERA (4.99 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, 82 K, 85.0 IP
WAR: 0.2
Scherzer proved he still has something left in the tank with a gutty playoff run for the Blue Jays, but counting on him to make 30 starts is wishful thinking at this point in his career. However, he can provide some useful depth and veteran leadership, and would be a potential fit at the back of several contender's rotations.
22. DH/OF Randal Grichuk (Age: 34)
Stats: 293 PA, 85 OPS+, .228/.273/.401, 28 XBH (9 HR), 27 RBI
WAR: -0.8
With an .819 OPS against left-handed pitching and 212 career home runs over 12 seasons, Grichuk is an appealing option for a short-side platoon role at designated hitter and potential fourth outfielder duties. He led the majors with 14 pinch hits in 2024, and finished second with nine in 2025.
21. C Victor Caratini (Age: 32)
Stats: 386 PA, 101 OPS+, .259/.324/.404, 26 XBH (12 HR), 46 RBI
WAR: 0.9
Caratini has been one of the most productive backup catchers in baseball the past few seasons, and he also started 29 games at designated hitter and 10 games at first base in 2025. He represents a cheaper, younger alternative to J.T. Realmuto for teams looking to upgrade behind the dish, and the market for catching help is thin beyond those two and former All-Star Jonah Heim.
Nos. 20-16
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20. RP Michael Kopech (Age: 29)
Stats: 14 G, 6 HLD, 2.45 ERA (4.50 FIP), 1.73 WHIP, 12 K, 11.0 IP
WAR: 0.2
Kopech logged a 1.13 ERA and 10.9 K/9 with six saves in 24 appearances with the Dodgers down the stretch in 2024 after he was acquired from the White Sox, and he looked like a candidate to close games heading into last season. However, right shoulder issues during spring training and a torn meniscus in his right knee limited him to just 14 games, and now he stands as a high-upside reclamation project.
19. OF Austin Hays (Age: 30)
Stats: 416 PA, 105 OPS+, .266/.315/.453, 36 XBH (15 HR), 64 RBI
WAR: 0.8
Hays finished third on the Reds in home runs (15) and RBI (64) in 2025 after signing a modest one-year, $5 million deal. He has always hit left-handed pitching well, and last season was no exception with a .319/.400/.549 line over 105 plate appearances. He could fill a starting role on a mid-tier team or a platoon job on a top-tier contender.
18. RP Seranthony Domínguez (Age: 31)
Stats: 67 G, 20 HLD, 3.16 ERA (3.47 FIP), 79 K, 62.2 IP
WAR: 0.5
The reliever market has been picked clean, and Domínguez represents the best available arm for teams still looking for a bullpen upgrade. He has significant late-inning experience, including some time in the closer's role in Philadelphia and 40 career saves, and he has made at least 50 appearances in each of the last four seasons.
17. DH Marcell Ozuna (Age: 35)
Stats: 592 PA, 113 OPS+, .232/.355/.400, 40 XBH (21 HR), 68 RBI
WAR: 1.6
Ozuna is just a year removed from a 39-homer, 104-RBI, 4.3-WAR seasons and a fourth-place finish in NL MVP voting, but his numbers dipped across the board during a contract year in 2025. A drop in his hard-hit rate (53.4 to 44.6 percent), average exit velocity (92.1 to 89.9 mph) and expected slugging percentage (.583 to .448) suggest his days as an elite power hitter might be over, but he could still be a productive run producer on a one-year deal.
16. SP/RP Nick Martinez (Age: 35)
Stats: 40 G, 26 GS, 4.45 ERA (4.33 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, 116 K, 165.2 IP
WAR: 2.3
A year removed from accepting a qualifying offer, Martinez might have to settle for a sizable pay cut and more of a hybrid/swingman spot this time around, but he has thrived in that role. Over the past four seasons since returning from a four-year stint in Japan, he has a 3.67 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 524.2 innings spanning 61 starts and 131 relief appearances.
Nos. 15-11
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15. IF/OF Willi Castro (Age: 28)
Stats: 454 PA, 89 OPS+, .226/.313/.366, 31 XBH (11 HR), 33 RBI
WAR: -0.2
Age, versatility and track record make Castro a sneaky candidate for a multi-year deal this offseason, and he has been one of baseball's best utility players for the past several years. The 2024 All-Star could get a crack at a starting gig, likely at second base, but he's most valuable shuffling around to multiple positions.
14. 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
Used primarily as a reliever early in his career, Littell has made 61 starts and tossed 343 innings over the last two seasons, and he has a 3.73 ERA and 1.17 WHIP to show for it. His ability to fill multiple roles on the staff should give him widespread appeal, and he is young enough to command a multi-year deal.
13. 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
With a 1.96 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 41.1 innings over his final seven starts of the 2025 season, Verlander is still capable of impact production, and he made it clear back in September that he intends to pitch in 2026. The future Hall of Famer signed a one-year, $15 million deal last offseason, and should come at a similar price point.
12. 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
Bassitt ranks eighth in the majors with 880.1 innings of work over the past five seasons, and he the late-bloomer has been a reliable workhorse since his breakthrough season in 2019. He had a 1.04 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 8.2 innings in the playoffs while pitching out of the bullpen, but will likely prefer a starting role.
11. IF Luis Arraez (Age: 28)
Stats: 675 PA, 99 OPS+, .292/.327/.392, 42 XBH (8 HR), 61 RBI
WAR: 1.2
Arraez would have been one of the top players on the market 20 years ago when batting average was king, but his lack of extra-base pop, middling on-base ability and limited defensive profile undercut his elite contact skills. That said, there's still plenty of value in a player who put the ball in play in a ridiculous 91.6 percent of his plate appearances in 2025.
Nos. 10-6
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10. C J.T. Realmuto (Age: 34)
Stats: 550 PA, 91 OPS+, .257/.315/.384, 39 XBH (12 HR), 52 RBI
WAR: 2.5
A reunion with the Phillies seemed like a slam dunk when the offseason started, but it's fair to wonder if they now likely headed in a different direction as they try to get younger around an aging core. Realmuto is no longer the elite all-around player he was in his prime, but he still does a great job handling the staff while providing double-digit home run power and proven run production.
9. OF Harrison Bader (Age: 31)
Stats: 501 PA, 117 OPS+, .277/.347/.449, 42 XBH (17 HR), 54 RBI
WAR: 3.9
Bader's market is likely held up by the ongoing free agency of Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, as he will serve as a consolation prize of sorts for whoever misses out on landing one of those top outfielders. After career-high marks in OPS+ (117) and home runs (17) the former Gold Glove winner should get a nice raise over the one-year, $6.25 million deal he signed last offseason.
8. 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 strong from a 2024 season lost to Tommy John surgery, and he got better as the season went on with a 2.70 ERA in 63.1 innings over his final 11 starts. Similar to Bader, his market is likely held up by Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez as their free agency decisions continue to drag on.
7. 3B Eugenio Suárez (Age: 34)
Stats: 657 PA, 126 OPS+, .228/.298/.526, 77 XBH (49 HR), 118 RBI
WAR: 3.6
Suárez is a tough player to nail down in terms of 2026 outlook. His 49-homer season looks great at first glance, but he hit just .196/.267/.463 with a 34.2 percent strikeout rate after the All-Star break, giving significant reason for pause. He could be the final piece of a busy offseason in Pittsburgh.
6. 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
After finishing in the top-five in NL Cy Young voting in 2022 and 2023, Gallen navigated injury issues in 2024 and struggled through most of his contract year last season. He looked more like himself down the stretch with a 3.32 ERA in 65 innings over the final two months, and now the question is whether he'll bet on himself with a pillow contract, or take the best offer on the table.
5. SP Ranger Suárez
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Age: 30
Stats: 26 GS, 3.20 ERA (3.21 FIP), 1.22 WHIP, 151 K, 157.1 IP
WAR: 4.7
Editor's Note: Suárez agreed to terms on a five-year, $130M contract with the Boston Red Sox on 1/14.
Since the start of the 2021 season when he broke through in a swingman role, Ranger 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).
After averaging 92.9, 92.5 and 92.8 mph with his fastball in 2021, 2022 and 2023, he has seen that dip to 90.8 and 90.1 mph the last two seasons.
However, it's his 52.0 percent career groundball rate and ability to generate soft contact that has been the biggest key to his success, making a velocity dip less of a red flag than it would be for a more strikeout-reliant pitcher.
4. OF Cody Bellinger
6 of 9
Age: 30
Stats: 656 PA, 125 OPS+, .272/.334/.480, 59 XBH (29 HR), 98 RBI
WAR: 5.1
From 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP to non-tendered by the Dodgers after the 2022 season, Cody Bellinger has had an up and down career, but things have stabilized in recent years.
Over the past three seasons playing for the Cubs and Yankees, he has a 125 OPS+ and 12.0 WAR, and his 29 home runs and 98 RBI this past season were his highest totals since his MVP campaign.
3. SP Framber Valdez
7 of 9
Age: 32
Stats: 31 GS, 3.66 ERA (3.37 FIP), 1.25 WHIP, 187 K, 192.0 IP
WAR: 3.8
Few pitchers have provided more reliable frontline production over the past four seasons than Framber Valdez.
The left-hander has a 3.21 ERA and 1.16 WHIP during that stretch, and he has averaged 188 strikeouts, 192 innings and 3.7 WAR while also anchoring a World Series title run in 2022. He has 85 career playoff innings under his belt, and represents the top arm left on the market for teams looking to make a splashy addition to their starting rotation.
Valdez is roughly two years older than Dylan Cease, so it's unlikely he will match the seven-year, $210 million deal he received from the Blue Jays, but he could end up with a similar AAV over a shorter pact.
2. SS Bo Bichette
8 of 9
Age: 27
Stats: 628 PA, 129 OPS+, .311/.357/.483, 63 XBH (18 HR), 94 RBI
WAR: 3.5
After the worst season of his career in 2024, Bo Bichette firmly reestablished himself as one of the best pure hitters in baseball, finishing second in the AL batting title race with a .311 average and finishing in the 98th percentile in expected batting average.
With a 121 OPS+ over seven seasons in the majors and two seasons as the AL hits leader, there is little question about his ability to make an impact in the batter's box, but his defense is another story.
His 2025 defensive metrics (-12 DRS, -13 OAA) were among the worst of any shortstop, and his glove work has been a weakness throughout his career, but a willingness to change positions should help alleviate those concerns as he hunts for a long-term deal.
1. OF Kyle Tucker
9 of 9
Age: 28
Stats: 597 PA, 143 OPS+, .266/.377/.464, 51 XBH (22 HR), 73 RBI
WAR: 4.6
Kyle Tucker is one of the most well-rounded players in baseball, with three 20/20 seasons, a Gold Glove Award and two Silver Slugger Awards among his career accolades.
He is also still only 28 years old, which coupled with a skill set that should age better than more power-centric players, makes him a safe bet to perform better than most over the length of a long-term deal.
It looks like his market has narrowed to the Dodgers, Blue Jays and Mets, with the Yankees more focused on Bo Bichette and the Cubs making their splash in the form of Alex Bregman. Will one of them offer up the $300 million-plus contract many were predicting when the offseason started?
