MLB teams are preparing for exciting pennant races during this final month of the regular season, as well as looking forward to what should be an amazing postseason. At the same time, front offices are focusing on the upcoming free-agent class. Executives, analysts and scouts throughout the sport are spending the final few weeks of the regular season finalizing their valuations and target lists and ranking the potential free agents in the 2026-2027 class.
This winter’s class is headlined by starting pitching, led by the Dodgers’ Tarik Skubal, the Padres’ Casey Mize and Michael King, the Orioles’ Trevor Rogers and the Cubs’ Clay Holmes. This class also includes three elite relievers, Yankees closer David Bednar, Braves closer Raisel Iglesias and Padres set-up man Adrian Morejon.
The position player side of the class is not nearly as strong as the pitching side. The most intriguing players are Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who’s having a down year, and Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena.
Though we don’t yet know how the labor negotiations will impact this offseason, we do know that the last time there was a lockout (the 2021-22 offseason), there were still many significant free-agent signings. Here is a quick look at the cream of the expected free agent class, broken down by the top 15 pitchers and the top 15 position players:
Top 15 free agent pitchersTarik Skubal, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
After winning back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards for the Tigers, Skubal suffered an elbow injury in April that led to surgery on May 6. He missed roughly six weeks but still managed to post a 2.79 ERA in 96 2/3 innings before being dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline. He’s continued to pitch at that high level with the Dodgers and looks well positioned to enter the offseason as the premier free agent on the market.
Assuming he remains healthy, there’s no doubt that he’ll soon become the highest paid pitcher based on the average annual value. He turns 30 in November and he looks poised to continue dominating hitters for the next several years. He’s by far the best free agent in this class and I can’t wait to see what contract he and his agent Scott Boras are able to secure.
Michael King, RHP, San Diego Padres
Padres’ fans are hoping the ownership change will help them secure King to a long-term deal, as he has quietly become their ace and is the second-best starting pitcher in this year’s free-agent class. King, 31, is in the 90th percentile in pitching run value, 93rd in breaking ball run value and 97th in off-speed run value. He’s also in the 88th percentile in hard-hit% and 85th percentile in Avg Exit Velocity thanks to his special secondary offerings.
After an injury-shortened 2025 season, Michael King has been durable once again in 2026. (Sergio Estrada / Getty Images)
Perhaps most importantly, King has looked durable this season after making only 15 starts in 2025 due to injury. He’s already nearing a career-high in innings pitched and ranks among the top 10 in the National League in that category.
Clay Holmes, RHP, Chicago Cubs
One of the best moves Mets president David Stearns has made was signing Holmes before the 2025 season and moving him from the relief role he held with the Yankees to a starting role.
It was a smooth transition for Holmes last year, as he went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 165 2/3 innings. He has continued to pitch at a high level this season, though his year was interrupted by a freak injury that resulted in a fractured right fibula in May. He hasn’t missed a beat since returning from the injury. The Mets traded him to the Cubs at the deadline for top infield prospect Jefferson Rojas and Holmes will be a big part of Chicago’s push for the postseason (and potentially beyond). Teams will be lining up for his services this fall.
Adrian Morejon, LHP, San Diego Padres
Morejon is the best left-handed reliever in this class and although he is in a set-up role for the Padres, he also has the potential to be an impact closer. He has a power arsenal that features a 99-mph sinker, a 99-mph four-seam fastball, a 92-mph changeup and an 89-mph slider. He has been durable over the years and has exceeded 60 appearances in each of the past three seasons, maintaining sub-3.00 ERAs in each of those years.
Robbie Ray, LHP, San Diego Padres
Scouts are going to be keeping a close eye on the Padres’ pitching staff, as several of their top arms will be free agents this offseason. Ray is one of them after he was acquired from the Giants at the trade deadline.
Though Ray hasn’t missed a lot of bats with either team this season, he’s posted strong results and has looked durable for a second straight year after missing most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. His fastball averages 93.1 mph and his deceptive changeup is his best secondary pitch, while his slider has been solid all season long.
Foster Griffin, LHP, Cleveland Guardians
Though he made his MLB debut in 2020, until this season, Griffin had made only seven MLB appearances with the Royals and Blue Jays. Before the 2023 season, he signed with Yomiuri of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. After three stellar seasons in Japan, Griffin returned to the U.S. this offseason as a free agent. He was one of the best value signings, inking a one-year, $5.5-million deal with the Nationals. After he had a great first half, the Nationals tried to extend Griffin before the trade deadline. When they couldn’t get it done, they traded him to the Guardians.
After spending time in Japan, Foster Griffin returned to MLB with the Nationals this year and established himself as a valuable starter. (Jamie Sabau / Getty Images)
His return to MLB has been sensational, as he’s gone 15-4 with a 3.21 ERA in 154 1/3 innings. His seven-pitch mix has been impressive, as he throws a four-seamer, cutter, two-seamer, sweeper, changeup, curveball and split-finger. At age-31, he’s now a solid mid-rotation starter.
Casey Mize, RHP, San Diego Padres
Mize, 29, was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft. Although he’s never lived up to that billing and has had to overcome several injuries, he’s finally healthy and a solid mid-rotation starter. After posting a 3.87 ERA in 149 innings last season, he has a 3.64 ERA in 113 2/3 innings this year with the Tigers and the Padres. His four-seam fastball has been the most effective it’s been in years, with much improved command and finish.
David Bednar, RHP, New York Yankees
Bednar, who will turn 32 in October, is the best closer in this class, as he’s pitched extremely well under the bright lights of New York City since being acquired from the Pirates at the deadline last season. Since 2021, he’s posted an ERA under 2.70 every season except 2024, when he had a down year. Nearly two years removed from those struggles, that 2024 season looks like a significant outlier and he’s well-positioned to be a coveted free agent.
Raisel Iglesias, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Iglesias has recorded 125 saves since joining the Braves during the 2022 season and has a career ERA of 2.89 in 12 MLB seasons. The 36-year-old continues to dominate with his changeup and is able to get hitters to chase out of the strike zone. He loves the big moments and excels in them.
Trevor Rogers, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
Rogers had the best year of his career in 2025 when he had a 1.81 ERA over 18 starts. He’s not been able to match that success this year but still has been solid overall, with a 4.30 ERA and 132 strike outs in 144 1/3 innings. After a very slow start in April and May, Rogers, who turns 29 during the offseason, has looked much more like the guy who dominated in 2025. If he can continue his strong finish through September, he’ll be in a good spot as one of the top mid-rotation starters on the market.
Nick Martinez, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
After struggling in a hybrid role with the Reds last season, Martinez, 36, signed a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027 with the Rays. He’s made it count, going 13-4 with a 2.99 ERA and 3.92 FIP. Martinez made his major-league debut in 2014 and spent four years in Japan. During his MLB career, he’s moved between the bullpen and the rotation, making 155 starts and 151 relief appearances.
His ability to pitch in any role increases his value, but after the year he’s had, he’ll be signed as a starter this offseason. He’s in the 90th percentile in pitching run value, with his off-speed run value in the 99th percentile. The Rays’ pitching room has really helped improve his pitch usage.
Freddy Peralta, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
No starter has lost more free-agent value than Peralta this season. Last year, Peralta won 17 games with a 2.70 ERA and finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. He was traded to the Mets in the offseason and posted a dismal 4.99 ERA in New York. The Mets dealt him at the deadline to the Rays, where he hasn’t been much better (4.86 ERA). However, his last two starts have been impressive, allowing one run in 12 combined innings.
If he can continue to pitch like that, his value should improve dramatically. Otherwise, the 30-year-old will be likely in the market for a short-term, prove-it deal in free agency.
Shota Imanaga, LHP, Chicago Cubs
Imanaga, 33, has made 27 starts for the Cubs this year, posting a 4.01 ERA with 148 strikeouts in 150 1/3 innings. He’s been inconsistent but does at least post. He has allowed a league-leading 35 home runs, which is concerning, and his performance has taken a step back in each of the last three years.
Kevin Gausman may no longer be an ace, but he’s still a reliable innings-eater, even as he reaches his late 30s. (Ed Zurga / Getty Images)
Kevin Gausman, RHP, Chicago Cubs
Gausman isn’t the top of the rotation starter he once was, but he still profiles as a playoff mid-rotation starter. He’s always been a big-game pitcher with 14 postseason appearances dating back to 2014. Gausman turns 36 this offseason and will probably get a short-term deal, but he’s been very durable in his career and should appeal to a team looking for a veteran starter to give them innings.
Shane Bieber, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
Bieber has made only 11 starts this season due to injuries. He’s currently on the IL due to right teres major inflammation and he missed significant time earlier in the season with lingering forearm and elbow issues. He returned late last season after rehabbing Tommy John surgery he incurred in 2024.
Before Bieber’s latest injury, he had been pitching well, allowing two runs or less in three of his last four starts. His medicals will be key when teams are weighing whether to pursue him in the offseason.
Top 15 free agent position playersJazz Chisholm Jr., 2B, New York Yankees
Chisholm, who will turn 29 in February, has been the most disappointing free-agent position player with his value dipping dramatically due to a down season. During spring training, he said his goal was to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases and although he said it tongue and cheek, he also expected much better production in his walk year.
That said, even in a down season, he’s on the doorstep of a 20 HR/40 SB campaign, though his OPS+ is just 98, down from 122 last year and 131 the year before. He’s still an asset defensively, with his outs above average in the 96th percentile for second baseman. He might have to sign a short-term deal to give himself an opportunity to build his value back up.
Randy Arozarena, LF, Seattle Mariners
This is the sixth consecutive year that Arozarena has hit at least 20 homers and stolen at least 20 bases. It’s also been the best season of his career, with career highs in WAR (4.4), OBP (.370) and OPS+ 141, even as virtually everyone else in the Mariners’ lineup has struggled around him. This performance couldn’t have come at a better time for Arozarena, who will turn 32 in February as he enters free agency for the first time as a big leaguer.
After five seasons in Chicago, will Seiya Suzuki find a new MLB home in 2027? (Sage Zipeto / Getty Images)
Seiya Suzuki, RF, Chicago Cubs
Suzuki, 32, is in the middle of the best season in his MLB career. He has a career-best .855 OPS and he has a shot at his first 5 WAR season. Suzuki has been a consistent power threat since coming to MLB, with at least 20 home runs in each of the last four seasons and he’s always been able to draw his share of walks. He’s much improved defensively in right field this season, ranking in the 85th percentile in fielding value and 94th percentile in arm value.
Brandon Lowe, 2B, Pittsburgh Pirates
Acquired in a trade with the Rays last offseason, Lowe has jumpstarted the Pirates’ offense, leading the team in home runs and RBIs. He’s had issues with injuries during his career, but when healthy Lowe has been one of the best power-hitting second baseman in the game.
He’s been able to stay on the field this year and it’s the second year in a row he’s played in at least 130 games which is significant since it’s only the third time he’s been able to do it over his nine-year career. Lowe has never been known for his glove, but he’s in the 97th percentile in range this season, though his arm strength is in the 10th percentile.
Ian Happ, LF, Chicago Cubs
Happ, 32, is in his 10th season with the Cubs. He’s won four consecutive Gold Glove Awards in left field and is on pace to add a fifth this November. At the plate, he’s put together the worst season of his career but he’s still managed to exceed 20 homers for the fourth straight season and the sixth time in his career.
Jake Bauers, OF/1B, Milwaukee Brewers
Bauers had never been a full-time player until this year and had never hit more than 12 home runs in a season. This season, he’s moved into a full-time role with the Brewers and has thrived, already establishing career-highs in games played, home runs, RBIs and walks. His .876 OPS is by far the best of his career. He will turn 31 in October.
Bauers is limited to first base and the corner outfield defensively and isn’t particularly strong at any of those positions, but the power and patience combination at the plate should garner plenty of interest this offseason.
Luis Arraez, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
Arraez, 29, has won three batting titles with three different teams and has a chance to win his fourth this year with his fourth different team (or maybe fifth considering he’s split this season between two teams he’d never played for before). He doesn’t hit for power and doesn’t have much foot speed, but he’s a disruptive presence in a lineup due to his ability to make consistent contact and create traffic on the bases.
He was a free agent last winter and settled on a one-year deal, but he’s improved his stock with a solid season at the plate and much improved defense at second base.
Ryan Jeffers is a bat-first catcher with significant power. (Jason Miller / Getty Images)
Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins
Jeffers, 29, is a powerful right-handed hitting catcher who has a .276/.377/.506 slash line with 13 home runs in 300 plate appearances this season. He missed nearly two months recovering from a hamate bone fracture but has been solid since his return. He’s a below-average defender in terms of framing, pop time and stopping the run game but is above-average with his blocking ability. Teams looking for a right-handed complement to their starting left-handed hitting catcher should have plenty of interest in Jeffers.
Gleyber Torres, 2B, Detroit Tigers
Torres, who will turn 30 this offseason, has a solid slash line once against this year at .262/.365/.382, which is close to his career numbers, but his power is down. He’s a well below average defender at second base but his ability to get on-base and consistent production throughout his career helps his value.
Alec Bohm, 3B/1B, Philadelphia Phillies
Bohm, 30, is third on the Phillies with 77 RBIs, behind only Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, to go along with 14 homers. He got off to an horrendous start this season, hitting just .215 in the first half but has rebounded after the All-Star break, slashing a much-improved .314/.373/.444. Bohm has split time at the infield corners but ranks in the 11th percentile in defensive run value.
Trent Grisham, CF, New York Yankees
The Yankees surprised everyone when they made Grisham the qualifying offer last offseason. He quickly accepted the $22 million salary for this season. He’s managed only a .700 OPS on the season, though he’s hit 18 home runs, the second most for a season in his career behind last year’s 34.
He’s played center field exclusively but is in the 17th percentile for defensive run value this year. His ability to square the ball up and not chase out of the strike zone are probably his best traits. However, he’s still a below-average player overall. He turns 30 this offseason.
Taylor Ward, LF, Seattle Mariners
In 2025, Ward hit just .228 but smacked a career-high 31 doubles, 36 homers and had 103 RBIs for the Angels. The Orioles acquired him in the offseason, but his power disappeared, as he hit only seven homers in 111 games for them. He did walk 87 times, however. He was traded to the Mariners at the deadline and his production has cratered in Seattle, as he’s not only not hitting for power but also isn’t getting on base with the M’s.
Not sure what has happened to him this year, whether it’s the pressure of the free agent walk year or if at age 32 decline has arrived abruptly but it’s concerning.
Daulton Varsho is still a good center fielder but he appears to have lost a step from his Gold Glove heights. (Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
Daulton Varsho, CF, Houston Astros
Varsho, 30, is another player whose production has disappeared mysteriously during his walk year. Last year, he slugged an impressive .548 with 20 homers; this year, he’s slugging just .363 with 10 homers. The Gold Glove Award winner is still a plus defender in center field, although it looks like he’s lost a step. The Astros acquired him at the trade deadline hoping a change of scenery would help, but he’s hitting under .200 since the trade.
George Springer, DH, Toronto Blue Jays
In 2025, Springer had one of the best years of his career, slashing .309/.399/.560 with 27 doubles, 32 homers and stealing 18 bases in 19 attempts. This year, he endured early season injuries and has seen his OPS drop to .743 with 14 homers. The soon-to-be 37-year-old still has something left in the tank, but don’t expect him to be able to return to his 2025 form.
J.P. Crawford, SS/3B, Seattle Mariners
Crawford has played both shortstop and third base for the Mariners this year and didn’t complain when they moved him off shortstop to open the door for top prospect Colt Emerson, displaying a team-first attitude. He’s struggled with injuries this season, with three separate stints on the injured list. The best part of his game is that he doesn’t chase and will draw walks, but defensively he’s been a liability, ranking in the 7th percentile for defensive run value.