After what will be known as one of the oddest seasons in MLB history, free agency is upon us, and there are many questions that will be answered this offseason. Due to the abnormalities that came with this baseball season, many are unsure of what to expect from teams who want to improve. Every team has almost certainly lost quite a bit of revenue due to the absence of fans during the 2020 season, and so you have to wonder how that will affect teams’ decisions to spend. How much will teams value 2020 as a measure of talent, considering it was only 60 games? Will players be forced to settle for cheaper contracts, or will they force teams to get more creative? In the coming weeks and months, there will be a clearer view as to the answer to these questions, but until then, let’s look at the top free agent at every position this offseason:
Catcher: J.T. Realmuto
Arguably the best catcher in baseball, J.T. Realmuto is set to test the open market for the first time in his career. Realmuto, who is set to be 30 near the start of next season, is undoubtedly the best option for any team in need of a catcher. He has recorded an OPS over .800 for the past three seasons while also winning two straight silver sluggers in 2018 and 2019. He has also been selected to the All-Star game in both 2018 and 2019, and you could argue he would’ve been selected again in 2020 had there been an All-Star game. Not only has he shown that he can hit, but Realmuto has also proven to be a solid defensive catcher, as he finished 2019 with 12 defensive runs saved. Even with the revenue loss from teams, I am expecting Realmuto to get a significant contract, both in years and dollars. Realmuto will undoubtedly have many suitors, but I think whichever team is willing to offer him the most money, in the end, will be able to land the superstar catcher. (That is how a lot of these things work nowadays)
Honorable Mentions: James McCann, Yadier Molina, Wilson Ramos
First-Base: Carlos Santana
After playing a majority of his career (10 seasons to be exact) with the Cleveland Indians, Carlos Santana may be playing first-base for another team come 2021. Santana broke out in 2019, in what I would consider the best year of his career, when he hit 34 home runs, drove in 93 runs, and finished with an OPS at .911. Although Santana had a bit of a disappointing 2020, his impressive discipline at the plate allows him to get on base consistently. Santana has developed a reputation of walking a lot and consistently staying healthy, which is something that is becoming more and more like a rarity. The durability that Santana provides will certainly be an attractive quality for teams looking for an upgrade at first base or even a hitter in the middle of their order. Carlos Santana is set to turn 35 in early April of next year, so it is unlikely that a team will give him a lengthy deal. Perhaps teams will offer Santana a 2 or 3-year deal, but with how this season went, I wouldn’t put anything off the table. Nevertheless, teams that aren’t interested in the biggest names on the market may turn their attention to Santana, who quietly may be one of the better offensive players available.
Honorable Mentions: Mitch Moreland, Renato Nunez, Danny Santana, Eric Thames, Ryan Zimmerman
Second Base: D.J. LeMahieu
Ranking D.J. LeMahieu as the top free agent at second base this offseason should not come as a surprise to anyone. LeMahieu is arguably the best free agent on the market and may even be considered the best 2nd baseman in baseball. Since joining the Yankees in 2019, LeMahieu has been better than anyone could have imagined for the Bronx Bombers. He finished 2nd in the batting title in 2019 and ended up winning it in 2020, with an astounding .364 average. LeMahieu finished 3rd and 4th in MVP voting, respectively, and has been by far the most consistent Yankee hitter. On a Yankee team that has consistently struggled to stay on the field, LeMahieu has done a good job staying healthy in his two seasons in the Bronx. As much as the Yankees would love to have LeMahieu back, there is no doubt many teams will be interested in his services. LeMahieu will be able to cash out on a lucrative contract this offseason, thanks to his unmatched consistency, durability, and versatility. With how crazy this year has been, it’s tough to tell when or where LeMahieu will sign this offseason, but whichever team is able to sign him will improve dramatically upon his arrival.
Honorable Mentions: Hanser Alberto, Tommy La Stella, Jonathan Schoop, Kolten Wong
Shortstop: Marcus Semien
After posting mediocre numbers for most of his career, Marcus Semien broke out in 2019. He hit 33 home runs, drove in 92 runs, and even finished 3rd in MVP voting. Even more impressive than that, Semien was able to play all 162 games of the regular season, something that fans see less and less often, seemingly each year. In my opinion, shortstop is the most loaded position in the MLB, and because of that, there are other free agents that it may be reasonable to mention. Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons are two other SS free agents that stand out, as they both will also be impact additions to any team they sign with. The downside that some teams may look at with Semien is that he had a bit of a disappointing 2020 season, but you wonder how many teams will really take a shortened season into consideration. The Athletics, of course, do not want to lose Semien this offseason, but with two other notable free agents on the market, they will be forced to make some tough decisions.
Honorable Mentions: Didi Gregorius, Ha-Seong Kim, Andrelton Simmons
Third Base: Justin Turner
Coming in as the best free agent third baseman, and in my opinion, one of the most underrated players in the MLB is Justin Turner. Turner has played for the Dodgers since 2014 and has never had a season where he hit with under a .800 OPS. The 36-year-old hit .307 in 2020, with four home runs and 23 runs driven in. Turner was also able to finish among the top 15 in MVP voting for three straight years, from 2016 to 2018. Being near the end of his career, it is hard to expect that Justin Turner will get any sort of long-term deal, but it is fair to assume he will be given the money he deserves. Personally, I don’t see Turner going anywhere else besides back to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but anything can happen during the offseason. Although his defense may have gotten questionable over the years, any team that picks him up will receive a consistent bat who could be placed in the middle of the order.
Honorable Mention: Maikel Franco
Left Field: Marcell Ozuna
Kicking off a pretty stacked outfielder market is the best left fielder available: Marcell Ozuna. This year, not only was Ozuna one of the best players in the NL, he was one of the best players in all of MLB. He hit .338 with 18 home runs and 56 runs batted in, also finishing with an above 1.000 OPS and finishing 6th in MVP voting. He finished 4th in average, 3rd in home runs, 2nd in RBI’s, and 2nd in hits. Last offseason, Ozuna signed a one year deal with the Atlanta Braves to increase his value, and I think he did just that. Any team that is interested in Ozuna will need to commit to a few years, rather than just another one year deal. The Braves will certainly be interested in bringing back the 30-year-old left fielder, but there is no doubt they will have some major competition.
Honorable Mentions: Adam Duvall, Robbie Grossman, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Kyle Schwarber
Center Field: George Springer
In a market where, as I said before, is outlined by a group of formidable forces in the outfield, I think George Springer might take the cake. Since his debut in 2014, Springer has been one of the most consistent outfielders in all of baseball, an idea that could have been left in the dark due to the whole sign-stealing scandal with the Astros. He has only finished a season with under a .800 OPS once in his career, in 2018. In 2019, George Springer really broke out as he hit 39 home runs, drove in 96 runs, and had an OPS just below 1.000 at .974. He has finished in the top 15 in MVP voting 3 of the past four years and has also made the all-star team every year from 2017-2019. Being a center-fielder, George Springer can be placed at any spot in the outfield, which certainly adds to his list of potential suitors. With the Astros having a few players hitting free agency besides Springer, it is unlikely they will resign everyone, so it makes you wonder if they will indeed be able to re-sign the 31-year-old outfielder. If he does not return to the Astros, it is possible that he chooses to sign with a team on the East coast, near his home town in Connecticut.
Honorable Mentions: Jackie Bradley Jr, David Dahl
Right Field: Michael Brantley
Although he played more games in left field with the Astros than he did in right, it was impossible for me not to mention Michael Brantley on this list. When he stays healthy, Brantley is a very productive bat in the order, as he has finished with an OPS over .800 for the past four seasons. Brantley has also hit at or above .300 for the past three seasons, which is something that is a luxury for a lot of teams to have in a day in age where so many guys can hit 30 homers a year. The 33-year-old did, in fact play a decent amount of center field in his years with the Indians, but it is more likely for him to man a corner outfield position at this point of his career. Just like Springer, Brantley is a player that the Astros would love to have back, but teams like the Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox may also aggressively pursue the outfielder.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Braun, Adam Eaton, Kevin Pillar, Yasiel Puig, Hunter Renfroe
Designated Hitter: Nelson Cruz
Okay, okay, maybe DH isn’t really a position, but it works as an excuse for me to include Nelson Cruz on this list. Nelson Cruz is frankly the best DH in the game, at least in my opinion, and at 40 years old, that feat in itself is pretty impressive. Cruz has finished with an OPS over .900 in 3 of the past five seasons and has finished in the top 15 of MVP voting in 4 of those five seasons. It almost seems like Cruz never ages as he continues to put up outstanding offensive numbers wherever he goes. This year, the 40-year-old hit .303 with 16 home runs, 33 RBI’s, and a .992 OPS. Disregarding 2020, Cruz has hit at least 30 home runs every year since 2014. The market for Nelson Cruz is still yet to be determined, as we do not yet know if there will be a DH in the National League. Nonetheless, Cruz will be looking for a 1-year-deal wherever he goes and will slide right into the 3 or 4 hole in any lineup.
Honorable Mentions: Shin-Soo Choo, Edwin Encarnacion, Matt Kemp
Starting Pitcher: Trevor Bauer
Seen as the highlight of the 2020-21 free agent class to many, it should come as no surprise that Trevor Bauer is ranked as the best SP on the market. The 2020 NL Cy Young winner is set to cash out as many analysts predict he may receive the most expensive contract among all free agents this year. Bauer finished this season with a 1.73 ERA, with 100 strikeouts, a WHIP at 0.795, and a career-high 276 ERA+. Bauer was not only excellent in the regular season for the Reds, but also had a very impressive postseason outing, where he struck out 12 batters in 7 and ⅔ innings of scoreless baseball. Trevor Bauer will be 30 by the time opening day, so many teams will likely be willing to offer him a lengthy deal if that is indeed what he wants. There are rumors that Bauer may land a deal worth 30 million a year, but there really is no way for anyone to tell. Almost every MLB team will probably show some level of interest in Bauer this offseason, but it remains to be seen who will be the most aggressive and who will satisfy the pitcher’s desires(which, again, we still are not sure of).
Honorable Mentions: Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Rich Hill, Corey Kluber, Jon Lester, Jake Odorizzi, James Paxton, Jose Quintana, Garrett Richards, Masahiro Tanaka, Adam Wainwright, Taijuan Walker
Relief Pitcher: Liam Hendriks
For the purpose of this article, I am going to combine relief pitchers and closing pitchers into one and choose Liam Hendriks as the top available free agent. Hendriks has been nothing short of dominant for the past two years, finishing with an ERA below two and a WHIP below 1 in both seasons. 2020 was undoubtedly the best year of his career, as he pitched to a 1.78 ERA, with a 0.671 WHIP, and even finished 9th in Cy Young voting and 13th in MVP voting. The Athletics bullpen relied heavily on Hendriks for the entirety of this year and last, but it may be tough for them to bring him back. The Athletics were never known to have deep pockets and face a bit of an issue with both Robbie Grossman and Marcus Semien also being on the market. It remains to be seen who will pursue Hendriks, but whoever does end up landing the 31-year-old will get an electric arm at the back of their bullpen.
Honorable Mentions: Alex Colome, Sean Dolittle, Ken Giles, Shane Greene, Brad Hand, Greg Holland, Jeremy Jeffress, Mark Melancon, Roberto Osuna, Trevor Rosenthal, Brandon Workman, Kirby Yates
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