The deadline to extend one-year, $14.1MM qualifying offers to impending free agents has passed, and 13 players received such offers:
- Carlos Beltran
- Robinson Cano
- Shin-Soo Choo
- Nelson Cruz
- Stephen Drew
- Jacoby Ellsbury
- Curtis Granderson
- Ubaldo Jimenez
- Hiroki Kuroda
- Brian McCann
- Kendrys Morales
- Mike Napoli
- Ervin Santana
Each of these 13 players will have one week to decide whether they wish to accept or reject the offer. In order to sign a player that rejects a qualifying offer, a team will have to forfeit a top draft pick. Because the first 11 picks are protected in this year's draft, the Astros, Marlins, Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Mariners, Phillies, Rockies, Blue Jays and Mets will forfeit a second-round pick to sign a player who rejects a qualifying offer. All other teams will be forced to forfeit their first-round pick.
The player's former team does not receive the pick that is forfeited, but rather will receive a compensatory pick at the end of the first round. As it stands, the Yankees and Red Sox each have a chance to receive three extra first-round picks in 2014 should all three of their qualified free agents reject an offer and sign with a new team.
The 13 qualifying offers represent an increase over last offseason, when only nine players received the offer. None of those nine accepted the offer, though some — most notably Kyle Lohse — saw their market value heavily impacted by their ties to draft pick compensation.
