The following players project to become free agents after the 2025 season. The player’s 2026 age is in parentheses.
Updated 8-4-25
Catchers
Austin Barnes (36)
Victor Caratini (32)
Elias Diaz (35) – $7MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Austin Hedges (33)
Danny Jansen (31) – $12MM mutual option with a $500K buyout
Luke Maile (35)
Martin Maldonado (39)
James McCann (36)
Tom Murphy (35) – $4MM club option with a $250K buyout
Tomas Nido (32)
Salvador Perez (36) – $13.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
J.T. Realmuto (35)
Gary Sanchez (33)
Jacob Stallings (36)
Christian Vazquez (35)
First Basemen
Pete Alonso (31) – can opt out of remaining one year and $24MM
Luis Arraez (29)
Josh Bell (33)
Yandy Diaz (34) – $12MM club option (no buyout)
Wilmer Flores (34)
Ty France (31)
Paul Goldschmidt (38)
Rhys Hoskins (33) – $18MM mutual option with a $4MM buyout
Josh Naylor (29)
Ryan O’Hearn (32)
Salvador Perez (36) – $13.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Carlos Santana (40)
Dominic Smith (31)
Donovan Solano (38)
Rowdy Tellez (31)
Justin Turner (41) – $10MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
LaMonte Wade Jr. (32)
Second Basemen
Ozzie Albies (29) – $7MM club option with a $4MM buyout
Cavan Biggio (31)
Kyle Farmer (34) – $4MM mutual option with a $750K buyout
Adam Frazier (34)
Jose Iglesias (36)
Nicky Lopez (31)
Brandon Lowe (31) – $11.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jorge Mateo (31)
Jorge Polanco (32) – $8MM mutual option with a $750K buyout (converts to a $6MM player option at 450 plate appearances)
Luis Rengifo (29)
Brendan Rodgers (29)
Amed Rosario (30)
Gleyber Torres (29)
Shortstops
Tim Anderson (33)
Orlando Arcia (31) – $2MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Bo Bichette (28)
Willi Castro (29)
Ha-Seong Kim (30) – can opt out of remaining one year and $16MM
Isiah Kiner-Falefa (31)
Dylan Moore (33)
Kevin Newman (32) – $2.5MM club option with a $250K buyout
Miguel Rojas (37)
Trevor Story (33) – can opt out of remaining two years and $55MM
Third Basemen
Jon Berti (36)
Alex Bregman (32) – can opt out
Paul DeJong (32)
Enrique Hernandez (34)
Yoan Moncada (31)
Max Muncy (35) – $10MM club option
Luis Rengifo (29)
Eugenio Suarez (34)
Luis Urias (29)
Gio Urshela (34)
Ildemaro Vargas (34)
Tyler Wade (31) – $1MM club option with no buyout
Left Fielders
Miguel Andujar (31)
Mark Canha (37)
Michael Conforto (33)
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (32) – $18MM player option
Austin Hays (30) – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Tyler O’Neill (31) – can opt out of final two years, $33MM
Tommy Pham (38)
Rob Refsnyder (35)
Chris Taylor (35)
Alex Verdugo (30)
Jesse Winker (32)
Center Fielders
Harrison Bader (32) – $10MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout
Trent Grisham (29)
Garrett Hampson (31)
Travis Jankowski (35)
Manuel Margot (31)
Cedric Mullins (31)
Luis Robert Jr. (28) – $20MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Michael A. Taylor (35)
Right Fielders
Cody Bellinger (30) – $25MM player option with a $5MM buyout
Adam Frazier (34)
Randal Grichuk (34) – $5MM mutual option with a $3MM buyout
Jason Heyward (36)
Max Kepler (33)
Ramon Laureano (31) – $6.5MM club option
Starling Marte (37)
Tyler O’Neill (31) – can opt out
Hunter Renfroe (34)
Austin Slater (33)
Lane Thomas (30)
Kyle Tucker (29)
Mike Yastrzemski (35)
Designated Hitters
Mitch Garver (35) – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Rhys Hoskins (33) – $18MM mutual option with a $4MM buyout
Andrew McCutchen (39)
Ryan O’Hearn (32)
Marcell Ozuna (35)
Joc Pederson (34) – $18.5MM player option (if Pederson opts out, Rangers can void by exercising two-year, $37MM club option)
Kyle Schwarber (33)
Justin Turner (41) – $10MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Jesse Winker (32)
Starting Pitchers
Tyler Anderson (36)
Chris Bassitt (37)
Shane Bieber (31) – $16MM player option with a $4MM buyout
Paul Blackburn (32)
JT Brubaker (32)
Walker Buehler (31) – $25MM mutual option with a $3MM buyout
Griffin Canning (30)
Carlos Carrasco (39)
Dylan Cease (30)
Aaron Civale (31)
Alex Cobb (38)
Patrick Corbin (36)
Nestor Cortes (31)
Anthony DeSclafani (36)
Zach Eflin (32)
Erick Fedde (33)
Jack Flaherty (30) – $20MM player option
Chris Flexen (31)
Zac Gallen (30)
Lucas Giolito (30) – $14MM club option (becomes $19MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout if he pitches 140 innings in 2025)
Austin Gomber (32)
Jon Gray (34)
Kyle Hart (33) – $5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Andrew Heaney (35)
Kyle Hendricks (36)
Adrian Houser (33)
Shota Imanaga (32) – $57MM club option for 2026-28 or $15MM player option for 2026
Jakob Junis (33)
Merrill Kelly (37)
Clayton Kershaw (38)
Michael King (31) – $15MM mutual option with a $3.75MM buyout
Zack Littell (30)
Michael Lorenzen (34) – $12MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout if team declines its end
Kenta Maeda (38)
Tyler Mahle (31)
German Marquez (31)
Nick Martinez (35)
Steven Matz (35)
Dustin May (28)
John Means (33) – $6MM club option with no buyout
Miles Mikolas (37)
Wade Miley (39)
Frankie Montas (33) – can opt out of remaining one year and $17MM
Jordan Montgomery (33)
Charlie Morton (42)
Chris Paddack (30)
Freddy Peralta (30) – $8MM club option with no buyout
Martin Perez (35) – $10MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout
Cal Quantrill (31)
Jose Quintana (37) – $15MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Colin Rea (35) – $6MM club option with a $750K buyout
Chris Sale (37) – $18MM club option
Max Scherzer (41)
Michael Soroka (28)
Marcus Stroman (35)
Ranger Suarez (30)
Tomoyuki Sugano (36)
Jose Ureña (34)
Jose Urquidy (31) – $4MM club option
Framber Valdez (32)
Justin Verlander (43)
Brandon Woodruff (32) – $20MM mutual option with a $10MM buyout
Right-Handed Relievers
Shawn Armstrong (35)
Scott Barlow (33) – $6.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Ryan Brasier (38)
John Brebbia (36)
Chris Devenski (35)
Edwin Diaz (32) – $18.5MM player option
Seranthony Dominguez (31)
Pete Fairbanks (32) – $7MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Kyle Finnegan (34)
Chris Flexen (31)
Luis Garcia (39)
Kendall Graveman (35) – $5MM mutual option with a $100K buyout
Chad Green (35)
Hunter Harvey (31)
Ryan Helsley (31)
Liam Hendriks (36) – $12MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Raisel Iglesias (36)
Luke Jackson (32)
Kenley Jansen (38)
Pierce Johnson (35) – $7MM club option with a $250K buyout
Jakob Junis (33)
Tommy Kahnle (35)
Brad Keller (30)
Tyler Kinley (35) – $5MM club option with a $750K buyout
Andrew Kittredge (36) – $9MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Michael Kopech (30)
Jose Leclerc (32)
Jonathan Loaisiga (31) – $5MM club option with no buyout
Jorge Lopez (33)
Chris Martin (40)
Nick Martinez (35)
Phil Maton (33)
Shelby Miller (35)
Rafael Montero (35)
Andres Muñoz (27) – $6MM club option
Hector Neris (37)
Adam Ottavino (40)
Emilio Pagan (35)
Ryan Pressly (37)
Tanner Rainey (33)
Erasmo Ramirez (36)
Tyler Rogers (35)
Jordan Romano (33)
Joe Ross (33)
Paul Sewald (36) – $10MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Lucas Sims (32)
Drew Smith (32) – $2MM club option
Ryne Stanek (34)
Chris Stratton (35)
Hunter Strickland (37)
Robert Suarez (35) – two-year, $16MM player option for 2026-27
Erik Swanson (32)
Lou Trivino (34)
Jose Ureña (34)
Luke Weaver (32)
Devin Williams (31)
Kirby Yates (39)
Left-Handed Relievers
Scott Alexander (36)
Tyler Alexander (31)
Jose Alvarado (31) – $9MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jalen Beeks (32)
Ryan Borucki (32)
Genesis Cabrera (29)
Andrew Chafin (36)
Aroldis Chapman (38)
Danny Coulombe (36)
Caleb Ferguson (29)
Tim Hill (36) – $3MM club option with a $350K buyout
Tim Mayza (34)
T.J. McFarland (37)
Hoby Milner (35)
A.J. Minter (32) – $11MM player option
Sean Newcomb (33)
Wandy Peralta (34) – $4.45MM player option (contract also contains $4.45MM player option for 2027)
Colin Poche (32)
Drew Pomeranz (37)
Taylor Rogers (35)
Gregory Soto (31)
Matt Strahm (34) – $4.5MM club option
Brent Suter (36) – $3MM club option with a $250K buyout
Caleb Thielbar (39)
Justin Wilson (38)
Ryan Yarbrough (34)
No D’arnaud?
He’s a current free agent, hard to know yet if he’ll be one after the 2025 season too
The list is for next winter. I was also fooled for a moment.
Sorry I can’t read
It’s OK, it’s probably not great timing for this list and it’s natural to be confused for a minute. But I think it’s nice to keep a running free agent list for next winter as well.
I like having the list, Tim. But I gotta say, it isn’t very impressive compared to this year’s.
I like the list, it’s important relative to team multi-year plans.
@ Tim Dierkes – Vladdy will be 26 when he hits free agency. His birth date is March 16 1999 so free agency starts just after world series ends, November ?? 2025 making him 26 entering free agency and he will not be 27 until March of 2026.
Dang it Tim make next year have better players!
Pretty weak position player year. Kyle Tucker, Vlad and a handful of good DH’s.
Strong SP class though.
Exactly — he will be in his age 27 season.
Darthyen, I must have dreamed that Vlad Guerrero Jr. signed a 14 year $500 million dollar extension back in April???? He won’t be a free agent for a long time bud.
Wadeboggs, Vlad isn’t a free agent for another 13 years.
He’s a free agent now. This list is next year.
Didn’t he sign a 2- year deal with the Angels?
Check the comment dates, article was originally posted back in October, just got updated
Where’s David Robertson, right-handed relief pitcher?
It was reported he only sognes a one year deal with the Phillies.
Or how about my all-time Brave/Non-Brave Eddie Rosario?
I belive his contract was for two seasons, he can become a FA after 2026.
Looking at this free-agent list feels a bit like a baseball reunion tour — where all the players RSVP’d ‘maybe.
Does anyone think Trevor Story will opt out on 2 years/ $55 million???
The odds for a “yes” bet would be like +10000
I wonder if he’d rather make significantly less money but have a chance to play for a winning team… who knows. There’s always a chance.
If he hits .287 28 93. Then yes
There is no way he opts out.
Only if he wins the Triple Crown this year.
That would be Boston’s best case scenario… unless they can find someone to take Casas off their hands.
Vladdy hits the jackpot
ONLY if the Mets want him.
If not he’ll be looking for work in March.
Yankees & Blue Jays will need 1B
Hal will not pay $340 million for that fat load. Not happening.
Now batting for the New York Yankees: Fat Load!
Ya he’s the bell of the ball
Belle
More like “bell-shaped”.
Nobody besides the jays are giving him 350 million plus. Nobody pays loaf 1b with at best average defence huge money. Pete Alonso is in for a rude awakening this winter too.
What stocks should I buy?
@ThatsIT? Have to admit, it’s gratifying to see greed and ignorance punished so expensively.
Wonder how Perez will be treated by the Royals?
They’ll bring him back on the team option for 2026 short of total collapse.
The signing was mocked at the time, but it turned out nicely for KC.
Bye bye Jose Alvarado
Didn’t the Red Sox and Refsnyder get together on another year last week?
Sox exercised their club option for 2025. This list is for the 2026 season.
You just confused me. If the Red Sox exercised an option in 2025, he will not be a free agent at season’s end.
Unless they just agreed to pay him for this year last week.
Can’t tell if this is going to be a weak free agent class, or if we’ve just had some historically great classes in the last few years.
Good as any of late. With so many 1 year deals options player opt outs it’s some of the same guys. Pitching is strong and deep. Position players a lil thin but not much of decline from this year. Tucker Vlad big names but not Judge Ohtani Soto.
Get ’em while you can.
Strong pitching this year.
Great list to have.
Weak class. I’m only counting 4 100 million dollar players.
Vlad- the show stopper probs get 350-400 mill
Luis araze- BA is a mirage but could get 9 figs
Gallen-
Cease- both top 150 mill
Wild cards- bo bichettes returns to his pre 24 norms lands a 200 mil deal
Japanese star munetaka Murakami has a season like 2022 again and gets 150 mill
You missed Kyle Tucker.
I did miss Kyle tucker, with a healthy 25 he can get to the 250-300 mil range
@Albert That’s low on Tucker. Cubbies would sign up for that extension immediately. He has the highest annual WAR in a light class with a more complete profile than Vlad. 10/400 is probably the aim.
With a good season even $ 400 could be low.
Tucker will get around 10/400.
He can lay down a bunt. In yesterday’s game, Tucker was called on to lay down a sac bunt with a runner on second and nobody out. It was righty Brandon Young on the mound. Lefties have hit .335/.400/.550 off Young this season. Tucker laid that bunt down to perfection and moved the runner to third.
Craig Council is letting the Brewers know that he too can play small ball.
It’s hilarious you think Tucker is worth less than vladdy.
Vladdy is younger and has a ton more upside offensively.
He has a ton. I will give you that.
Tucker. Gold glove. Pretty close to a 5 tool player. Guerrero has 2 great seasons. Tucker is a model of consistency at the plate. He’s athletic, as opposed to fat and inconsistent. Get real.
Junior is two years younger than Tuck (that’s c. 80-100m right there.) but he’s far less consistent, and his upside is only about a win better when the total players are compared
Vlad’s stock crashes with another 2 win season.
Also Cease, King & Woodruff. Bieber & Buehler could get big contracts with good years. Yandy Diaz could capitalize on a weak market. Very good year if your team wants pitching.
Cease will get a good contract even with a bad year.
Framber and Naylor as a long shot.
In that order. Wonder if the pitching heavy spending continues next year
I don’t think Gallen gets 150 mil.
Yeah I’m surprised people think Gallen will get a lot. He’s been terrible this year. Not sure what team will be looking for his talents at anywhere close to the numbers people have said.
WTH is wrong w/you people, Guerrero signed a $500M deal this spring. Ahahahahahahaha!
NYCR…honestly!! I’m reading the comments and thinking Vladdy isn’t a free agent until 2040….and nobody noticed.
Edwin Diaz? Didn’t he sign a 5 year deal? Wasn’t aware of opt-outs
Opt out after year 3.
Top FAs
Vlad,naylor,bichette,tucker, possibly luis robert,ozuna, schwarber,gallen, michael king,devin williams, Helsley
I’ll take cease and Valdez
Atrocious.
“Ozzie Albies (29) – $7MM club option with a $4MM buyout”
ROFLOL!
He’s not going anywhere. Another $7m option for 2027 too.
DUMBrowski gave Whit Merrifield one year for $8mil
Every other year is bad.
Still, you have to wonder if he dreams of strangling his agent.
Ozzie Albies won’t be a free agent as the Braves will exercise their 26 and 27 clause for a ridiculous $7M each. Dude got screwed by the Braves signing that contract and is basically an indentured servant to the Braves.
Yeah $7M, sponsors, top notch insurance, fame, private jets, women, etc. must be rough to have hanging over your head. Poor guy. It’s all the Braves fault too. Woof.
He did it to himself. Not everyone wants to gamble like Soto.
He’s a kid from a poor country. Get some perspective. Judge less. Think more.
It was an absolute gamble. There have been a good number who have not panned out and their arb numbers never got to the point of Albies.
Everyone looks at this like he was a fool, but he was smart. He got GUARANTEED life altering money based off really a strong prospect profile and one decent season at the time. The very next year he broken his elbow just swinging at a pitch, and it could have easily altered his career.
If he stops switch-hitting he will get $300+ million in 2026. Otherwise, he is a horrible defense 2b who doesn’t hustle and can only hit from the right side. Not a super strong profile, but he will still be rich.
I think the list of guys who could possibly maybe get 9 figures with a good year and or a bounceback and or a healthy year includes:
Vlad Jr
Tucker
Bichette
Luis Robert Jr
Bellinger
Gallen
Dustin May
Walker Buehler
Shane Bieber
Dylan Cease
Michael King
Devin Williams
Ryan Helsey
I think only Vlad, Tucker, Gallen and maybe Cease are locks for 9 figures.
Aloha unglar,
Agree with your list. As a Cubs fan, I wonder if the current ownership makes a strong push to extend Tucker or he still decides to go into the FA market? After what Soto received, hard not to test free agency. Mahalo and Mele Kalikimaka!
Bellinger needs to have a physical resurgence. No matter how good he does it’s going to be looked at as luck if he doesn’t crush the ball again. And teams will see his cf days coming to a end. Bats a lil light for corner outfield and not there for 1b. Same as why pay Alonzo with so many shorter cheaper options. If Alonzo gets paid it’s only because the Mets blunder because his market is toast. If they offer him that extension contract still they are extremely nice or fools.
tucker has always said he wants to test the FA market .. that’s why astros owner crane traded him .. .. he never said he wasn’t happy with houston .. he just wants to test the FA market and see what there is .. so I’m pretty sure he is still going to want to test the FA market
Luis Robert Jr – No one wants this guy (except the people running this site). He’s a whiff machine who is always on the DL. His contract is underwater.
Vlad Jr – If the offer was $340 Canadian that is a really good deal for V lad and he should jump on it.
Vlad Jr = Kyle Schwarber.
That’s $340 million USD…
Luis Robert has a club option so if he does well he stays on whatever team he is playing for $20m.
He isn’t worth ten.
Good thing you’re not an agent. Guerrero is getting a lot more then that.
“then”
THAN
Only if your Ayehole owner gives it to him.
Other than the Mets and Toronto, Vlad’s market is well south of $340 million.
I love when people double down on dumb. The commitment is real. Keep on fighting for another year. You’ve got this!
9 figures? Wow, bichette robert and bellinger would have to have huge bouncebacks. May has been so irrelevant even w a good year I dont see 9 figures for him. Buehler and bieber i highly doubt it too. I think Framber before any of them actually.
Murakami, Tucker, and Arraez top my wish list for the Yanks as of right now for next offseason, but there’s alot that can happen between now and then so it’s hard to say. Half an offseason, a trade deadline, and who knows how performance affects anything.
Goldschmidt for me. Should have got another year or option for him. He will probably be happy and come back for fair price so not a huge deal.
I like Tucker but not if Dodgers Mets are in on him. I’d just bid him up like Soto and dump him. Bid up Vlad too.
Nah, man, you have land a big fish sometime. One and done on Goldy and move onto someone we can invest in. All of those guys work.
Vladdy and Tucker headline this group. Bichette, Cease, Gallen should do well. The rest are going to depend how they bounce back. Interesting class.
Why would bichette do well? Hes been awful and injury riddled for a year and a half. He needs a huge bounceback to even be relevant.
Why is Luis Areaez and Sal Perez listed as 1B?
Though Areaez played 2nd? And I know Sal is a catcher.
Arraez played 69 games at 1st and 42 at 2nd so 1st base fits.. He even DH more than 2b at 47.
I had no idea. Why do the Padres want to possibly trade him then if he can play both 1st and 2nd. Not playe4e can do that.
Cut payroll and he has no power. Not a huge needle mover. If you can get fair value it’s best to get something in return before free agency. They are in a mess. They can’t spend with the big boys anymore. Machado is negative player. Xander much much worse. That’s a lot of payroll for their market. Darvish Musgrove contracts aren’t bad but still expensive. So who can you trade if you wanted to. Of those who helps you win the most. Where can we shed $. And we can’t afford to lose attendance and tv views. It’s a mess that could easily been avoided. I would have never given Machado a opt out. If the previous gm did I would have just let him opt out. Biggest mistake was Xander. Historically awful contract from day 1. Machado had the slimmest chance to work out. And fans like him. Xander had zero chance and no one really gives a it about him.
Dear John Henry…. Next year please remember 4B’s…….Bring Brasier Back,Boston!!!
Though not formally proclaimed, it is with the utmost certainty that one may surmise Munetaka Murakami shall imminently ascend to the distinguished echelon of free agency.
Sneaky class. Lots of great arms. A few position dependables like Bellinger and Tucker. Arraez Schwarber and Ozuna for hitters makes it a very selective off season. If you need major changes you have to hit it just right. A lot of these guys might just extend where they are.
Does a team made up of the best position player from each position even make the post season?
Not counting pitching.
Will need a good rotation and there is one in this class. But Naylor Vlad Tucker is pretty strong middle of order. A Bichette bounce back and absolutely. Lots of 700 ops guys at just about every position.
It’d be tough. After Vlad and Tucker it’s NOT loaded. 23 WAR from 9 positions, and that may be optimistic.
My 2025 budget build.
C Jansen
1b Goldschmidt
2b Rengifo
SS IKF
3b Suarez
LF Conforto my splurge
CF Mullins
RF O’Neill or Kepler
DH McCutchen age will keep some others cheap
Bored with that but pitching looks like a good class.
O’Neill is the real splurge on that one
Guerrero, Bichette, Tucker, and probably Luis Robert (no way the White Sox pick up his $20 million option) are the headliners of next winter’s free agent class and that’s still fairly weak.
The starting pitching group has no true big guns and a lot of age, but several decent mid-rotation options.
That has got to be the oldest group of free agent Catchers ever…
FYI teams, you can scratch Tucker Barnhart off your wish list. He announced his retirement 19 hours ago.
Not a lot of Brewers on this list. They really have a solid core locked up for the next few years.
Someone needs to reset the comments from 2024…
Nah, I’m here to argue with people with the benefit of another year of information. Might mean I can win an argument for the first time!!!
Took me a second to realize that most of the comments here are from last year. I was getting very confused by the vlady Jr conversations
Pitching looks thin.
Most of these guys need to be out of baseball. Retire with dignity already. Some of you are painful to watch. Some of you are nowhere near earning your contracts. Move on already. But there are stupid teams who throw stupid money at really smart players and their agents. It is just really sad to see some of these guys try to play.
It will be interesting to see if Giolito gets to 140 innings. He is at 95.6 as of August 4th with 9-10 starts left (he’s been averaging 5.6 innings per start).
If he doesn’t get there, it’s a pretty easy $14M option for the Red Sox to pick up for a solid 4/5 starter. If he hits the option, he likely declines the mutual option pockets $1.5M and becomes a FA looking for a 2-3 yr deal with a $15-18M AAV.
Great info. Thanks
When Tucker signs with the Dodgers, this board is gonna be LIT.
Future Phillie Kyle tucker mentioned
I hope you’re right, but he looks like a Yankee to me. I think Tucker’s impending free agency is the only reason the Yankees didn’t outbid the Mets for Soto.
I never noticed it before but all but 2 or 3 right/left relievers are over 30 and many 34, 35, etc. I guess it makes sense counting years of control and starters converting to the bullpen. Just what was in my head, ignore it if you want.
Yankees likely give Bellinger 6 or 7 years.
I wonder what percent of these players won’t find contracts.