Four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker headlines this year’s MLB free agent class. Most predictions estimate Tucker to eclipse 10 years and $400 million in free agency this winter. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)Getty Images
The MLB offseason is here, and despite the dropping temperatures outside, the Hot Stove will warm up in the coming weeks and months.
This year’s MLB free agent class is headlined by four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, Japanese starter Tatsuya Imai, proven aces Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez, two-time All-Star Bo Bichette and former MVP Cody Bellinger.
Where each player ends up remains the ultimate mystery, but the real fun is in the numbers. How much will each free agent sign for? And for how many years?
Below is a list of the top 20 MLB free agents available this winter — 10 pitchers, 10 hitters — listed with their position, age, most recent team, and contract predictions from ESPN, The Athletic, CBS Sports, and my own predictions. Plus, a short summary of their 2025 seasons and free agent market expectations.
PITCHERS
Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai is among the top MLB free agent pitchers available this winter. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)Getty Images1. Tatsuya Imai, SP, 28
2025 team: Saitama Seibu Lions (Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan)
2025 stats: 24 games pitched | 10-5 record | 1.92 ERA | 163.2 innings | 101 hits allowed | 178 strikeouts | 45 walks| 5 complete games | 3 shutouts
Contract predictions (not including $22.125 million posting fee from NPB):
8 years, $190 million – The Athletic
6 years, $135 million — ESPN
My take: 8 years, $200 million
The most hyped pitching prospect to come to MLB from Japan since … Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the guy who just won World Series MVP with a legendary postseason performance for the Dodgers.
2. Framber Valdez, SP, 32
2025 team: Houston Astros
2025 stats: 31 games | 13-11 record | 3.66 ERA | 192 IP | 171 hits allowed | 187 K | 68 BB | 2 CG (most in MLB) | 12 wild pitches (most in MLB)
Contract predictions:
7 years, $196 million — The Athletic
7 years, $189 million — CBS Sports
6 years, $168 million — ESPN
My take: 6 years, $162 million
A proven, durable ace who has made at least 28 starts each of the past four seasons, eclipsing 190 innings three times during that span.
3. Dylan Cease, SP, 30
2025 team: San Diego Padres
2025 stats: 32 games | 8-12 record | 4.55 ERA | 168 IP | 152 hits allowed | 215 K | 45 BB
Contract predictions:
6 years, $174 million — The Athletic
5 years, $145 million — ESPN
My take: 7 years, $210 million
A dominant righty with some of the best strikeout stuff in MLB, Cease led MLB with 11.5 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched in 2025. He had a down year with a 4.55 ERA, but has twice finished in the top five of National League Cy Young Award voting in 2022 and 2024.
4. Ranger Suárez, SP, 30
2025 team: Philadelphia Phillies
2025 stats: 26 games | 12-8 record | 3.20 ERA | 157.1 IP | 154 hits allowed | 151 K | 38 BB
Contract predictions:
6 years, $153 million — The Athletic
5 years, $125 million — CBS Sports
4 years, $92 million — ESPN
My take: 5 years, $120 million
After playing his first eight MLB seasons with the Phillies, Suárez hits free agency with a chance to cash out as a dependable lefty coming off his best career year.
Three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz is the top MLB free agent reliever available this offseason. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)Getty Images5. Edwin Díaz, RP, 32
2025 team: New York Mets
2025 stats: 62 games | 6-3 record | 1.63 ERA | 66.1 IP | 37 hits allowed | 98 K | 21 BB | 28 saves
Contract predictions:
4 years, $84 million — The Athletic
4 years, $60 million — ESPN
My take: 4 years, $92 million
Díaz is the best free agent relief pitcher available, bar none. The three-time All-Star is sure to be highly sought after, likely by his former Mets or another high-spending team that could use relief help like the Los Angeles Dodgers.
6. Michael King, SP, 31
2025 team: San Diego Padres
2025 stats: 15 games | 5-3 record | 3.44 ERA | 73.1 IP | 62 hits allowed | 76 K | 26 BB | 1 shutout (led MLB)
Contract predictions:
3 years, $75 million — The Athletic
3 years, $57 million – ESPN
My take: 2 years, $56 million (with an opt-out after year one)
King had an injury-riddled 2025 season, but has proven to be effective — even dominant at times — when healthy. He has a 3.24 career ERA in 161 games pitched, and could be in line for a shorter “prove-it” contract to re-establish his market.
7. Lucas Giolito, SP, 31
2025 team: Boston Red Sox
2025 stats: 26 games | 10-4 record | 3.41 ERA | 145 IP | 131 hits allowed | 121 K | 56 BB
Contract predictions:
3 years, $57 million – The Athletic
2 years, $32 million — ESPN
My take: 3 years, $66 million
Giolito, like King, has looked dominant at times when healthy and right. After a rocky start to the 2025 season, he had a 2.51 ERA in his final 19 starts for the Red Sox.
8. Devin Williams, RP, 31
2025 team: New York Yankees
2025 stats: 67 games | 4-6 record | 4.79 ERA | 62 IP | 45 hits allowed | 90 K | 25 BB | 18 saves
Contract predictions:
3 years, $45 million – ESPN
1 years, $18 million – The Athletic
My take: 3 years, $51 million
Williams struggled in his lone season in New York, being demoted from his closer role midseason. Nonetheless, the two-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year is likely to draw interest from a number of teams in seek of relief pitchers with high ceilings.
9. Zac Gallen, SP, 30
2025 team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 stats: 33 games | 13-15 record | 4.83 ERA | 192 IP | 176 hits allowed | 175 K | 66 BB
Contract predictions:
4 years, $76 million — ESPN
2 years, $42 million – The Athletic
My take: 2 years, $45 million (with an opt-out after year one)
Gallen had his worst career year at the worst possible time as he enters free agency. He’s a former All-Star with two top-five finishes for the National League Cy Young Award. It’ll be interesting to see if he signs a shorter, bounce-back contract or cashes in on a longer term deal at age 30.
10. Merrill Kelly, SP, 37
2025 team: Arizona Diamondbacks / Texas Rangers
2025 stats: 32 games | 12-9 record | 3.52 ERA | 184 IP | 157 hits allowed | 167 K | 48 BB
Contract predictions:
2 years, $46 million – The Athletic
2 years, $35 million – ESPN
My take: 2 years, $45 million
A veteran pitcher who will add dependable length to the backend of a rotation somewhere in 2026.
HITTERS1. Kyle Tucker, OF, 29
2025 team: Chicago Cubs
2025 stats: 136 games / 500 AB / .266 BA / 22 HR / 73 RBI / .377 OBP / .464 SLG / .841 OPS
Contract predictions:
12 years, $460 million — The Athletic
11 years, $418 million — ESPN
12 years, $408 million – CBS Sports
My take: 11 years, $440 million
Tucker is the crown jewel of this year’s free agent class, and most predictions estimate he’ll break the $400 million mark. His stats took a dip at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, which is often unfriendly to hitters due to windy conditions (See: 1990 Home Run Derby). Still, Tucker is a lefty-hitting four-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner who is sure to command the largest contract of any free agent hitter by a wide margin.
Two-time All-Star Bo Bichette is beloved by Blue Jays fans. Would Toronto really let him walk as a free agent this offseason? (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)MLB Photos via Getty Images2. Bo Bichette, SS/2B, 28
2025 team: Toronto Blue Jays
2025 stats: 139 games / 582 AB / .311 BA / 18 HR / 94 RBI / .357 OBP / .483 SLG / .840 OPS
Contract predictions:
8 years, $212 million — The Athletic
7 years, $189 million — CBS Sports
5 years, $130 million – ESPN
My take: 8 years, $216 million
Bichette is a two-time All-Star who has twice led the American League in hits. Oh, and he just hit one of the biggest home runs in Toronto Blue Jays history when his three-run blast gave Toronto a 3-0 lead in Game 7 of the World Series before … Anywho, Bo is going to get paid, and it’s hard to imagine Toronto lets him walk.
3. Alex Bregman, 3B, 32
2025 team: Boston Red Sox
2025 stats: 114 games / 433 AB / .273 BA / 18 HR / 62 RBI / .360 OBP / .462 SLG / .821 OPS
Contract predictions:
6 years, $192 million — CBS Sports
6 years, $171 million — The Athletic
5 years, $160 million – ESPN
My take: 6 years, $174 million
Bregman hits free agency again after signing a shorter, opt-out contract with the Red Sox last winter. After posting an .821 OPS and earning his third career All-Star selection with Boston this season, Bregman is likely to finally cash in on a long term deal. The Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers are rumored to be among interested suitors.
4. Cody Bellinger, OF/1B, 30
2025 team: New York Yankees
2025 stats: 152 games / 588 AB / .272 BA / 29 HR / 98 RBI / .334 OBP / .480 SLG / .813 OPS
Contract predictions:
7 years, $182 million — The Athletic
6 years, $165 million — ESPN
5 years, $125 million — CBS Sports
My take: 6 years, $162 million
Bellinger is a former MVP who, while no longer playing at that level, is still a proven middle-of-the-order hitter. He also plays stellar defense at all three outfield positions and first base. He’ll likely be Plan B for whichever teams don’t win the Kyle Tucker Sweepstakes.
5. Kyle Schwarber, DH, 33
2025 team: Philadelphia Phillies
2025 stats: 162 games / 604 AB / .240 BA / 56 HR / 132 RBI / .365 OBP / .563 SLG / .928 OPS
Contract predictions:
5 years, $145 million — The Athletic
4 years, $128 million — ESPN
4 years, $104 million — CBS Sports
My take: 4 years, $120 million
Schwarber blasted a career-high 56 home runs this season, which led the National League, and a career-high 132 RBI, which led all of MLB. The lefty masher is going to get paid. Would Philly really let Schwarber walk? He’ll have plenty of interested suitors.
6. Pete Alonso, 1B, 30
2025 team: New York Mets
2025 stats: 162 games / 624 PA / .272 BA / 38 HR / 126 RBI / .347 OBP / .524 SLG / .871 OPS
Contract predictions:
5 years, $140 million — The Athletic
4 years, $110 million — ESPN
4 years, $108 million — CBS Sports
My take: 5 years, $135 million
The Mets’ all-time franchise leader in home runs, the Polar Bear is as consistent as any power hitter in MLB. His free agency market collapsed last winter, so he signed a one-year deal to return to the Mets. But now Alonso, who led the NL with 41 doubles this season, is in a much better position to sign a long-term deal. Will it be in New York?
7. Munetaka Murakami, 3B/1B, 26
2025 team: Tokyo Yakult Swallows (Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan)
2025 stats: 69 games / 220 AB / .286 BA / 24 HR / 52 RBI / .392 OBP / .659 SLG / 1.051 OPS
Contract predictions (not including $13.875 million posting fee from NPB)
8 years, $158 million — The Athletic
6 years, $140 million — CBS Sports
5 years, $80 million — ESPN
My take: 6 years, $126 million
Murakami is known for his prodigious power as a lefty slugger. In 2022, he hit 56 home runs to break Japanese legend Sadaharu Oh’s record for most home runs in a single season by a Japanese-born player — a record that had stood since 1964.
Former Cleveland Guardians fan favorite Josh Naylor had an impressive 2025 season split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)MLB Photos via Getty Images8. Josh Naylor, 1B, 28
2025 team: Arizona Diamondbacks / Seattle Mariners
2025 stats: 147 games / 543 AB / .295 BA / 20 HR / 92 RBI / .353 OBP / .462 SLG / .816 OPS
Contract predictions:
4 years, $92 million — The Athletic
3 years, $52.5 million — ESPN
My take: 5 years, $110 million
The former Cleveland Guardians fan-favorite split this past season with the D-Backs and Mariners after being traded by Cleveland last winter. He had a career-high 30 (!!!) steals this past season, compared to 25 steals in his first six seasons in MLB. Depending on the contract length, he could command close to $100 million in free agency.
9. Trent Grisham, OF, 29
2025 team: New York Yankees
2025 stats: 143 games / 494 AB / .235 BA / 34 HR / 74 RBI / .348 OBP / .464 SLG / .811 OPS
Contract predictions:
4 years, $92 million – ESPN
3 years, $54 million – The Athletic
My take: 3 years, $60 million
Grisham is coming off a career year the plate and is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner. The Yankees offered him a one-year, $22.5 million qualifying offer, meaning any team that signs him will have to forfeit a draft pick. Time will tell how that affects his market.
10. Kazuma Okamoto, 3B/1B/OF, 29
2025 team: Yomiuri Giants
2025 stats: 77 games / 270 AB / .322 BA / 15 HR / 51 RBI / .411 OBP / .581 SLG / .992 OPS
Contract predictions (not including $6.925 million posting fee from NPB):
4 years, $78.5 million — The Athletic
3 years, $36 million — ESPN
My take: 4 years, $64 million
Okamoto was limited by injuries this season, but previously hit 30-plus homers in six different seasons in NPB. He’s a lifetime .277 BA / .261 OBP / .521 SLG / .882 OPS hitter in NPB.
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