MLB Free Agents: Top 5 Players Still Left on Market

With Albert Pujols, Jose Reyes, C.J. Wilson and Heath Bell off of the market, many of the top names of the 2011 free-agent class are no longer available. This will be the case again later today when Yu Darvish from Japan has his bidding rights claimed. 

For the sake of this argument, we're not going to include him. His rights will go to the highest bidder, and that's basically the only factor. Once that happens, that's the only team that will have the right to sign him. So, he's not really a free agent in the truest sense of the term. 

Still, there are plenty of players out there that will make a big impact wherever they end up.

So, if you still want your favorite team to bring in an impact player, take a look at these guys.

Follow @mdixon1985

Ryan Ludwick

On the surface, this isn't the sexiest name on the market, but will be a quality pickup for whatever team gets him. Look at the numbers he generated in 160 games for the Padres, who play in a pitcher's park and in a strong pitching division. 

Plate Appearances	At Bats	Hits	AVG	OBP	HR	RBI
659	587	134	.228	.301	17	90

While the average could certainly use work, the power numbers are quite respectable when you consider the pitching and ballparks the NL West has to offer. Also, driving in 90 runs in San Diego's lineup is quite impressive. 

In a stadium that's fair to hitters, with protection around him and men on base to drive in, Ludwick is a great addition. He'll get back up to above .250 and be closer to 25-30 home runs with around 100 RBI. 

Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran is a perfect heart-of-the-order guy. He's got the power to hit in the four or five slot, but is also a strong average hitter, so the No. 3 hole is not out of the question. 

The problem with Beltran has always been staying on the field for an entire season, but there are a few ways around that. 

If a National League team signs him, a team with a deep outfield like the Nationals could easily keep him refreshed. If it's an American League team, there's the nice option of the DH. 

Beltran's an excellent hitter and still a solid defender in right field. He'll be an excellent addition to whatever team inks him.

Hiroki Kuroda

This is the perfect victim of the struggles that have hit the Dodgers in recent years. His ERA has consistently been below 4.00 since joining the Dodgers, yet he's only had a winning record once. Think about the kind of record he'd post pitching for a team that scores the occasional run.

Very few teams couldn't use his services. Think about teams like the Red Sox, who completely fell apart in the final month of the 2011 season. The Yankees made the playoffs but one rain delay forced them to start a rookie in a winner-take-all game. The Rangers' pitching fell apart in the World Series, and they lost their top arm.

Any one of those teams would score runs for Kuroda and could use him in a big way. 

Francisco Cordero

In 2003, Cordero saved 15 games for the Rangers. Since then, Cordero has locked down 30 or more saves in all but one season. Playing exclusively in hitter's parks, his ERA has been consistently strong. 

Teams needing a strong closer or even a late-inning bullpen guy would do well to bring Cordero in. The save numbers are just too great to ignore. 

At 36, he still has several good years left in him. Closers are certainly capable of having strong years deep into their 30's and beyond.

Prince Fielder

Fielder is by far the biggest name on the market. There's nothing to not like about a guy that consistently hits 30-plus HRs, drives in 100 or more runs and will only be 28 next season. 

His weight can be a concern, but I am not buying it.

For one, Fielder has always been a big guy. We've seen guys like Pablo Sandoval really struggle with extra weight, and then return to form when it was shed again. But Fielder's weight has been there all throughout his career. 

Fielder also consistently draws walks. Sandoval's problems were around his weight and free-swinging nature. 

But ultimately, Fielder is a masher of the ball. Power is the last thing to leave a hitter, so Fielder will be good for quite some time. He'll be a game changer for whatever team gets him.