Ranking Top 50 MLB Free Agents: Predictions for Shohei Ohtani, More Stars

There’s one player towering above the rest in this year’s crop of free agents. Here’s how the group stacks up and where each could land.

The 2024 free-agent class is full of intriguing and impactful players. But make no mistake, this winter will revolve around one name: Shohei Ohtani.

The two-way star took several recruiting visits when he first arrived from Japan ahead of the 2018 season, and will undoubtedly take his time making his decision this time around. Tracking the movement of other available stars as we await Ohtani’s next move will provide plenty of intrigue in the meantime. As difficult as it might be, coming up with Sports Illustrated’s annual ranking of the top free agents requires zooming out from just Ohtani and taking stock of all available players. We’ve taken into account age, health, past performance and other factors in making the list of this year’s top 50 free agents. And, because we couldn’t help ourselves, we predicted the landing spot for all 50, forecasts that are sure to make us look like geniuses once all the ink dries up.

Each player’s listed age reflects how old he will be during the 2024 season. This page will be updated throughout the offseason as players sign with teams.

Following a historic three-year stretch, Ohtani is the most in-demand free agent in recent memory :: Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

1. Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH

Age: 29 | Former Team: Angels | Prediction: Dodgers

Update: Ohtani agreed to a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.

Fresh off a dominant three-year stretch the sport has never seen before, Ohtani should be able to name his price toward what is widely expected to be a record-shattering contract. After six losing seasons with the Angels, it’s presumed that he has his sights set on joining a contending club. But beyond that, where the tight-lipped Ohtani is leaning is anybody’s guess. Elbow surgery will keep him off the mound in 2024, but that shouldn’t dissuade teams from being interested in the league’s preeminent star.

2. Cody Bellinger, OF/1B

Age: 28 | Former Team: Cubs | Prediction: Yankees

Bellinger enjoyed a long-awaited bounce-back campaign with the Cubs, turning in his best year at the plate since his 2019 MVP season. The 28-year-old batted a career-best .307, ranking sixth in the majors, while collecting 26 home runs in 130 games. That’s set him up to be the most sought-after position player this winter, and he could aim to double his ’22 salary ($17.5 million) on a deal that’ll take him into his mid-30s even though he may not be able to play center field at a high level for much longer.

3. Blake Snell, SP

Age: 31 | Former Team: Padres | Prediction: Giants

Snell is the overwhelming favorite to win his second Cy Young Award after leading the majors in ERA (2.25) and hits allowed per 9 IP (5.8), but he’s not without his warts. The southpaw also led the majors with 99 walks, likely making him the first Cy Young winner to lead his league in walks since Early Wynn in 1959. That being said, he’s an ace and will be paid like one ahead of his age-31 season.

4. Aaron Nola, SP

Age: 31 | Former Team: Phillies | Prediction: Orioles

Update: Nola reportedly signed a seven-year, $172 million deal with the Phillies.

Nola is perhaps the most reliable pitcher in the league, and certainly the most dependable in this year’s class. The righthander hasn’t missed a start due to injury since 2017, making at least 32 starts in each of the last five full-length seasons. Nola’s strikeout rate dipped to 25.5%, while his home run rate spiked to a career-worst 1.49 per nine innings—somewhat concerning for a player entering his age-31 season—but any decline should be a gradual one given his consistent production throughout his career.

After a dominant run in Japan, Yamamoto will be highly sought-after by teams looking for a frontline starter :: Koji Watanabe/SAMURAI JAPAN/Getty Images

5. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP

Age: 26 | Former Team: Orix Buffaloes (NPB) | Prediction: Red Sox

Update: Yamamoto agreed to a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers.

If you don’t know who Yamamoto is yet, you will soon. The righthander has twice won the Eiji Sawamura Award—the NPB’s version of the Cy Young Award—and has a career 1.72 ERA in Japan. His fastball reaches the upper 90s, with a devastating splitter and curveball, to boot. His NPB stats top those of Kodai Senga—who got $75 million from the Mets last December—and he’ll arrive in the U.S. five years younger than Senga was a year ago.

6. Josh Hader, RP

Age: 30 | Former Team: Padres | Prediction: Phillies

The most enticing relief pitcher available by a wide margin, Hader will be aiming to top Edwin Diaz’s five-year, $102 million deal signed last offseason, a record for relievers. He’s been to every All-Star Game since becoming a closer in 2018 and had a stellar rebound campaign in San Diego this year (1.28 ERA, 85 strikeouts, 32 hits in 56⅓ IP) after a disastrous couple of months there to end the ’22 season. 

7. Matt Chapman, 3B

Age: 31 | Former Team: Blue Jays | Prediction: Diamondbacks

From 2018 to ’19, Chapman had the look of a budding superstar, blending all-world defense with elite power and enough contact to reach base at a .348 clip. Since then, though, the bat has taken a step or two back, though the defense remains stellar. Add it all up, and you still get unquestionably the best third baseman in this year’s class. Chapman’s bat is better than league average, with a 110 wRC+ over the past three seasons. Factor in his durability (his 140 games last year were his fewest in a 162-game season since his rookie year), and he should be in store for a hefty payday.

8. Sonny Gray, SP

Age: 34 | Former Team: Twins | Prediction: Braves

Update: Gray signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Cardinals.

Among pitchers who have logged at least 300 innings over the last two years, only two—Justin Verlander and Blake Snell—posted ERAs lower than Gray’s 2.90. The righthander has been extremely productive over the past several years, though last season marked just the second time since 2017 that he tallied more than 140 innings. Given his age (34), expecting him to repeat his 32 starts from a year ago might be wishful thinking, but he’s a safe bet to put up results when he is able to take the mound.

9. Jordan Montgomery, SP

Age: 31 | Former Team: Rangers | Prediction: Dodgers

After being dealt at the trade deadline in each of the last two years, first by the Yankees and then by the Cardinals, the highest-profile free agent of the World Series champion Rangers has pitched well enough over the past three years to earn some long-term security. The crafty lefthander doesn’t strike out that many hitters (8.4 career K/9), but he hasn’t recorded a FIP below 4.00 since 2018, a reflection of his low walk and home run rates, and boosted his postseason credentials by winning three road games for Texas en route to the title.

10. Eduardo Rodriguez, SP

Age: 31 | Former Team: Tigers | Prediction: Reds

Update: Rodriguez agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal with the Diamondbacks.

Rodriguez opted out of the final three years and $49 million of his contract with the Tigers after producing a career-best 3.30 ERA in 26 starts. His profile is very similar to Montgomery’s: They’re both 30-year-old lefthanders with below-average fastball velocity and strikeout rates who thrive on inducing soft contact and won’t have qualifying offers attached to them this winter, meaning the teams that sign them won’t have to sacrifice any draft picks to sign them. They even both own a World Series ring. E-Rod, however, does have a more checkered injury history.

11. Rhys Hoskins, 1B

Age: 31 | Former Team: Phillies | Prediction: Rockies

Hoskins missed the entire regular season with a torn ACL, but his prototypical slugging profile will ensure he has plenty of suitors this offseason. He’s averaged more than 30 homers over his last four full seasons, and he also possesses an elite batter’s eye, as he’s never posted a walk rate below 10%.

12. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF

Age: 30 | Former Team: Diamondbacks | Prediction: Marlins

Update: Gurriel agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal to re-sign with Arizona.

Yuli Gurriel’s younger brother may not make an All-Star team again as he did this summer for the Diamondbacks after a torrid first couple of months, but he’s a solid all-around outfielder with 20–25 home run power who doesn’t strike out often and boasts a much better arm than most left fielders.

13. Shōta Imanaga, SP

Age: 30 | Former Team: Yokohama DeNA BayStars (NPB) | Prediction: Yankees

Update: Imanaga has agreed to a multi-year deal with the Cubs.

A 30-year-old lefthander who started and earned the win for Japan in the World Baseball Classic championship against the U.S., Imanaga relies on command and strong secondary offerings in his four-pitch mix rather than an overpowering fastball. He’s projected to be a mid-rotation starter after striking out nearly 11 batters per nine innings and logging an excellent 7.83 K/BB ratio in his home country last season.

After an All-Star season, Stroman opted out of a $21 million contract for 2024 :: Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports

14. Marcus Stroman, SP

Age: 33 | Former Team: Cubs | Prediction: Padres

After making the All-Star team for the second time in his career, Stroman opted out of his contract with the Cubs, eschewing a $21 million salary for 2024 in pursuit of a long-term deal this winter. A rib cartilage fracture kept Stroman sidelined for six weeks, and he returned in a limited capacity in mid-September, managing just eight innings over four appearances (two starts). Clearly, he felt confident enough in his health and ability to pass on $21 million next season.

15. Teoscar Hernández, OF

Age: 31 | Former Team: Mariners | Prediction: Red Sox

Update: Hernández has agreed to a one-year, $23.5 million deal with the Dodgers.

A two-time Silver Slugger with the Blue Jays, Hernández had a disappointing platform year after being traded to Seattle. His plate approach could stand to improve, as he routinely posts high chase rates and strikeout rates while rarely drawing a walk. The good news is when the 31-year-old does make contact, the ball typically screams off his bat—he’s consistently ranked near the top of the league in average exit velocity over the past six seasons.

16. Michael Wacha, SP

Age: 32 | Former Team: Padres | Prediction: Cardinals

Update: Wacha has agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal with the Royals.

After years battling injury and ineffectiveness, Wacha enjoyed a resurgent 2022 season with the Red Sox, then parlayed that into a four-year deal with the Padres that featured both team and player options. While San Diego floundered to a disappointing year, Wacha was not to blame, going 14–4 with a 3.22 ERA over 24 starts. The Padres decided against converting Wacha’s deal to a two-year, $32 million contract for ’24 and ’25, and Wacha subsequently declined a $6.5 million player option for next year. After two consecutive productive seasons, the 32-year-old will likely be on the lookout for a long-term deal from his next team.

17. Jeimer Candelario, 3B

Age: 30 | Former Team: Cubs | Prediction: Blue Jays

Update: Candelario has agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Reds.

Candelario was merely average for the Cubs after he was great for the Nationals before the trade deadline, but he’s nevertheless managed to compile 3.0 WAR in two of the last three seasons. His ability to switch-hit helps make up for his being more of a doubles hitter than a major home run threat, as does his potential to play first base if his already iffy fielding chops at the hot corner deteriorate. 

18. Lee Jung-Hoo, OF

Age: 25 | Former Team: Kiwoom Heroes (KBO) | Prediction: Giants

Update: Lee reportedly agreed to a six-year, $113 million deal with the Giants.

Lee was the KBO’s MVP in 2022 and has been among that league’s best hitters since turning pro. Capable of playing all three outfield spots, power is not his calling card, but getting on base is: he owns a .407 career OBP, with nearly twice as many walks (177) as strikeouts (92) over the past three years. Only 25 years old, he’s the youngest among the top outfielders on the open market.

19. Clayton Kershaw, SP

Age: 36 | Former Team: Dodgers | Prediction: Dodgers

At this point, it’s fair to wonder how much Kershaw has left in the tank. He still put up a 2.46 ERA this year, but his workhorse days are long gone. A shoulder injury kept him out six weeks, and he wasn’t the same after returning: a 2.23 ERA in eight post-IL starts was belied by a 5.40 FIP. Kershaw’s headed for Cooperstown once his playing days are done, but concern over whether he’s capable of lasting into October is warranted.

20. Lucas Giolito, SP

Age: 29 | Former Team: Guardians | Prediction: Mets

From 2019 to ’21, Giolito posted a 3.47 ERA with three top-11 finishes in the Cy Young Award voting. In two years since, the righthander has lost his way. Home runs have long been an issue for Giolito, but last season he saw his home run rate balloon to 2.0 per nine innings. As a result, he was let go by the Angels just weeks after arriving in a deadline trade. Giolito is durable, won’t turn 30 until July and is not far removed from being one of the best young pitchers in the game. Finding a team that can help him make the necessary adjustments to return to that level will be paramount this winter.

21. Mitch Garver, C/DH

Age: 33 | Former Team: Rangers | Prediction: Rays

Update: Garver agreed to a two-year, $24 million deal with the Mariners.

Free agency has not been kind to catchers in recent years. Since 2020, only 14 free-agent backstops have signed multiyear contracts, and just nine secured deals totaling more than $10 million. Garver’s bat (career 123 OPS+) gives him a chance to join that list, though his durability is an issue: He’s never reached 360 plate appearances in a season and hasn’t made 55 or more starts at catcher since ’19.

22. Craig Kimbrel, RP

Age: 36 | Former Team: Phillies | Prediction: Royals

Update: Kimbrel agreed to a one-year, $13 million deal with the Orioles.

Kimbrel had an ugly start to his tenure in Philadelphia but rebounded to take over the Phillies’ closer role midseason and make his ninth All-Star team while showing he can still rack up strikeouts at the back end of the bullpen—though he allows more hard contact and home runs than he used to. With 417 career saves, eighth-most all time, he’d surpass Billy Wagner, John Franco and Francisco Rodríguez on the career leaderboard if he matched his season total of 23 saves again in 2024. 

23. J.D. Martinez, DH

Age: 36 | Former Team: Dodgers | Prediction: Giants

Designated hitters in their mid-30s aren’t typically sought-after free agents, but Martinez is an exception. The six-time All-Star posted his most home runs (33) and best OPS+ (134) since 2019, becoming a crucial lineup anchor for the 100-win Dodgers. Martinez still does plenty of damage when he makes contact, but his career-worst 31.1% strikeout rate might give certain teams some pause. He’s still in a good position to improve on the one-year, $10 million contract he got last winter.

Soler enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2023, launching 36 homers to earn his first All-Star nod :: Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports

24. Jorge Soler, OF/DH

Age: 32 | Former Team: Marlins | Prediction: Brewers

The 2021 World Series MVP was named to his first All-Star team this summer en route to mashing 36 home runs, the second-best total in his 10-year MLB career, as he helped the Marlins to a rare playoff berth. He probably won’t be back in Miami after declining a $13 million player option. Any team that signs him should plan to give him the vast majority of his playing time at DH, as he was one of the sport’s worst outfielders at age 31 this season.

25. Jordan Hicks, RP

Age: 27 | Former Team: Blue Jays | Prediction: Astros

The Cardinals had long earmarked their closer role for Hicks, but a 2019 Tommy John surgery set him off course for several years. In posting a career-best 11.1 K/9 rate with 13 holds and 12 saves for St. Louis and Toronto this year, he looked ready to front a bullpen once again while reemerging as baseball’s hardest thrower. Hicks is an exceptionally young free agent as next year will mark his age-27 season. His enticing combination of triple-digit heat, elite ground-ball rates and batted-ball metrics will likely help him get the second-largest contract among relievers this offseason, though his inconsistency may scare off some contenders.

26. Kenta Maeda, SP

Age: 35 | Former Team: Twins | Prediction: Rays

Update: Maeda agreed to a two-year, $24 million deal with the Tigers.

Maeda returned from Tommy John surgery this year and looked much like the pitcher we last saw in 2021—a solid mid-rotation option who utilizes a deep arsenal of pitches with varying movements to rack up a surprising amount of whiffs. No pitcher with a fastball as slow as Maeda’s (91 mph) had a better strikeout rate (10.1 K/9) this season. The 35-year-old was passed over for a spot in the Twins’ playoff rotation despite pitching well in September, and may be pressed to find a two-year deal given his age.

27. Reynaldo López, RP

Age: 30 | Former Team: Guardians | Prediction: Twins

Update: López signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Braves.

After ups and downs to start 2023 with the White Sox, López thrived after trades to the Angels and Guardians. Across 25 games following his departure from Chicago, he had a 1.50 ERA with a 31% strikeout rate and .198 batting average allowed. He’ll be 30 next year and looks primed to anchor the back end of a bullpen.

28. Michael Lorenzen, SP

Age: 32 | Former Team: Phillies | Prediction: Phillies

Lorenzen built upon a promising 2022 campaign—his first as a full-time starter—with an even better ’23 performance. He logged 153 innings, made his first All-Star team and threw a no-hitter. Lorenzen doesn’t miss many bats, but generates enough soft contact and ground balls—while limiting free passes with a 7.5% walk rate—to be effective.

After All-Star campaigns in 2022 and ’23, Anderson endured a rough ’24 season :: Kamil Krzaczynski/USA TODAY Sports

29. Tim Anderson, SS

Age: 31 | Former Team: White Sox | Prediction: Red Sox

Anderson’s final season with the White Sox could not have gone worse. The former batting champion hit just .245 after four consecutive seasons hitting over .300 and mustered a single home run in 524 plate appearances. His fielding cratered to the point where he graded out as one of baseball’s worst shortstops. Oh, and he also bizarrely picked a mid-game fight with Guardians star José Ramírez and ended up on his back after absorbing a punch to the face. All that said, this is a guy who entered 2023 on a three-year run that produced a Silver Slugger Award and two trips to the All-Star Game. It’s hard to believe he’s suddenly one of the sport’s worst all-around players. But to prove he’s not, he may have to accept playing second base as he did for Team USA in March during the World Baseball Classic.

30. Aroldis Chapman, RP

Age: 36 | Former Team: Rangers | Prediction: Rangers

Chapman still ranks in the 99th percentile or better of fastball velocity, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage and expected opponents’ batting average. He also, however, ranks in the 5th percentile of chase rate and 2nd percentile of walk rate. Hitters basically sometimes choose to see whether Chapman’s waning control will gift them a free trip to first base. But he never blew a lead for the Rangers while serving as José Leclerc’s setup man during the playoffs, and may have earned another shot at closing somewhere. 

31. Joc Pederson, OF/DH

Age: 32 | Former Team: Giants | Prediction: Diamondbacks

Pederson can’t be trusted to hit a lick against lefties these days, but the two-time All-Star slashed .241/.351/.435 with 14 homers in 373 plate appearances against righties this year and can still hold down the heavy side of a DH platoon with some time in left field sprinkled in during times of desperation.

32. Seth Lugo, SP

Age: 34 | Former Team: Padres | Prediction: Cubs

Update: Lugo has reportedly agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Royals.

A year ago, Lugo signed with the Padres for the opportunity to be a full-time starter. He made the most of it, posting a 3.57 ERA over 146⅓ innings and setting himself up for a lucrative contract this winter. Entering his age-34 season, Lugo’s on the older side but has less mileage on his arm than most other available starters.

33. Kyle Gibson, SP

Age: 36 | Former Team: Orioles | Prediction: Diamondbacks

Update: Gibson agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal with the Cardinals.

The journeyman Gibson has quietly been among the most durable starters in the league in recent years. Since the start of 2020, only four pitchers have made more starts than Gibson, who’s pitched for three different clubs during that span. Though reliably able to take the ball each turn through the rotation, the 36-year-old has put up some spotty results, with a 4.88 ERA over the last two years. Still, dependable arms that can eat innings are hard to come by these days, which should work in Gibson’s favor.

34. Kevin Kiermaier, OF

Age: 34 | Former Team: Blue Jays | Prediction: Guardians

Update: Kiermaier has agreed to re-sign with Toronto on a one-year, $10 million deal.

Kiermaier won his fourth Gold Glove on Sunday and would have more in his trophy case if not for a persistent string of injuries throughout his career. The 33-year-old has long been lauded for his defense and is a solid option in center field for a team that doesn’t need a lot of offense from that position. There’s some risk concerning how long his body will hold up, though, and he can’t be counted on as an everyday player.

35. Nick Martinez, SP

Age: 33 | Former Team: Padres | Prediction: Twins

Update: Martinez agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal with the Reds.

Martinez has proved to be an adept bulk guy over his last two seasons in San Diego and excelled as a starter this year, recording a 2.32 ERA in nine starts and bucking an analytics trend by getting better as those games went along. He posted elite ground-ball, exit velocity and chase rates this season and could prove to be a fantastic bargain add to a rotation. 

36. Jack Flaherty, SP

Age: 28 | Former Team: Orioles | Prediction: Angels

Update: Flaherty agreed to a one-year, $14 million deal with the Tigers.

For the first time since 2019, Flaherty made it through the season healthy, logging 144⅓ innings over 27 starts and two relief appearances. The results were mixed, as he didn’t pitch well upon being traded to Baltimore at the deadline and ultimately was sent to the bullpen to end the year. Flaherty just turned 28, and will likely draw plenty of interest after proving himself healthy for the first time in years.

37. Amed Rosario, IF

Age: 28 | Former Team: Dodgers | Prediction: Pirates

Once considered among the game’s top prospects, Rosario’s bat has held him back from ascending to the lofty star status that preceded his big league arrival. But he’s still proved to be a solid everyday player, amassing 7.3 fWAR from 2019 to ’22. Advanced defensive metrics have not painted a favorable picture of Rosario, who’s primarily played shortstop but might draw interest as a utility infielder. Entering his age-28 season, there’s still reason to hold out for improvement down the road.

Heyward enjoyed his best offensive season in years, with 15 homers in 124 games :: Rich Storry/USA TODAY Sports

38. Jason Heyward, OF

Age: 34 | Former Team: Dodgers | Prediction: Dodgers

Update: Heyward agreed to re-sign with the Dodgers on a one-year, $9 million deal.

By recording a 121 wRC+ for the Dodgers, Heyward tied his second-best mark in a full season behind only his memorable rookie campaign in 2010. His revival showed he could handle the heavy side of a platoon in right field, where the five-time Gold Glove winner still grades out as an above-average defender. The worry is if he’d look the same away from Los Angeles’s stellar player development system or revert to how he hit in Chicago—that is, poorly—for so long.

39. Hector Neris, RP

Age: 35 | Former Team: Astros | Prediction: Nationals

Neris posted a career-best 1.71 ERA during his second season in Houston but simultaneously recorded his lowest strikeout rate (10.1 K/9) since his rookie campaign in 2015 before allowing six runs (and three homers) in seven playoff appearances. The 34-year-old did, however, play a valuable role in the Astros’ ’22 World Series win over his former team and has never spent a day on the injured list in his 10-year MLB career.

40. Hunter Renfroe, OF

Age: 32 | Former Team: Reds | Prediction: White Sox

Update: Renfroe agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Royals.

Since his first year as an everyday player, Renfroe had hit at least 25 home runs in every full-length season since 2017. That streak ended last year, with Renfroe posting an underwhelming .233/.297/.416 slash line with 20 homers for the Angels and Reds. The strong-armed right fielder doesn’t offer much in the way of fielding or baserunning, so he’ll need to prove he can return to his middle-of-the-order form.

41. Wade Miley, SP

Age: 37 | Former Team: Brewers | Prediction: Cardinals

Update: Miley agreed to re-sign with Milwaukee on a one-year, $7 million deal.

Miley is the definition of a journeyman, having pitched for eight teams in his 13 years in the majors, including three NL Central teams in the last three seasons. That’s not to say he’s not valuable—he’s recorded sub-3.50 ERAs for the Reds, Cubs and Brewers during his recent run through MLB’s weakest division. But as a soft-tossing, soon-to-be 37-year-old southpaw who ranked 99th out of 102 starting pitchers (min. 120 IP) in strikeout rate, the best he can hope for is a one-year deal that’s worth marginally more than the $10 million option he declined to likely end his time in Milwaukee. Perhaps the starter-needy Cardinals will keep his Tour de NL Central going.

42. Gary Sánchez, C

Age: 31 | Former Team: Padres | Prediction: White Sox

Sánchez enjoyed his best season at the plate since his All-Star berth in 2019, and perhaps more important, was significantly better behind the plate compared to his earlier years with the Yankees for the second straight season. After his much-maligned blocking capabilities (or lack thereof) cost his team 16 runs in ’21, per Baseball Savant, his blocking cost the Padres only one run this year—ånd he also ranked as an above-average pitch framer. Depending on how teams view part-time catcher, part-time DH Mitch Garver, Sánchez could reel in a multiyear deal as the top option in a thin backstop market.

43. Mike Clevinger, SP

Age: 33 | Former Team: White Sox | Prediction: Tigers

Clevinger took a step forward in his second post–Tommy John surgery campaign, going 9–9 with a 3.77 ERA over 131⅓ innings. His strikeout rate is several notches lower than it was before the procedure, down to 20% compared to its peak at 33.9% in 2019. Clevinger will likely never miss bats at that rate again, but he’s shown he can still be a useful rotation piece even with his new style.

44. Adam Duvall, OF

Age: 35 | Former Team: Red Sox | Prediction: Mariners

Duvall missed a couple of months due to a fractured left wrist, the second season in a row he suffered a significant injury to that wrist, but he ended up recording a career-best 119 OPS+ for Boston in 92 games. The 35-year-old lost a step of foot speed this year and should probably be shifted to the outfield corners on a full-time basis, but his lefty/righty career splits are virtually even and should help him get a starting gig somewhere.

45. Brandon Belt, 1B/DH

Age: 36 | Former Team: Blue Jays | Prediction: Twins

Belt thrived in his first season away from San Francisco, posting a .254/.369/.490 slash line with 19 home runs. He logged 404 plate appearances, his most since 2019, so perhaps that level of durability will help him land a multiyear deal from a team in need of a first base/DH option.

46. Justin Turner, 1B/DH

Age: 39 | Former Team: Red Sox | Prediction: Cubs

After nine outstanding seasons with the Dodgers, Turner enjoyed a successful 2023 with the Red Sox. He posted a 114 OPS+ with 23 home runs in 146 games and felt confident enough in his offseason prospects to decline his $13.4 million player option for ’24. Turner turns 39 this month, but he’s defied Father Time so far and will likely garner strong interest.

The journeyman Pham was a key part of Arizona’s run to the World Series this October :: Joe Rondone/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK

47. Tommy Pham, OF

Age: 36 | Former Team: Diamondbacks | Prediction: Braves

Pham, who’s played for four teams over the last two seasons, will certainly be looking for some stability entering his age-36 season. He may be able to latch on with a contender after registering his best OPS+ (111) since 2019. This year he also became just the ninth player since ’00 age 35 or older to have at least 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.

48. Robert Stephenson, RP

Age: 31 | Former Team: Rays | Prediction: Padres

Update: Stephenson reportedly agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal with the Angels.

As recently as June 1, Stephenson wouldn’t have been on anyone’s radar as a free agent to look out for. The former first-round pick largely struggled with the Reds, Rockies and Pirates for the first seven-plus years of his career. But Pittsburgh traded him to the Rays on June 2, and after being instructed by Tampa Bay’s all-knowing pitching development system to adjust his slider grip, he limited base runners (0.68 WHIP), prevented runs (2.35 ERA) and whiffed batters (14.1 K/9) at rates he’d never approached in 42 games for the Rays. It’ll be interesting to see how much stock teams put in Stephenson’s new leaf. 

49. Eddie Rosario, OF

Age: 32 | Former Team: Braves | Prediction: Angels

Rosario will always be beloved in Atlanta for his star turn during the 2021 NLCS, but he produced -0.5 bWAR over the following two seasons. He badly struggled in ’22 while battling vision problems and rebounded enough this year to post a league-average 100 OPS+, but contenders will be wanting more out of the left-handed side of an outfield platoon. A rebuilding team will likely sign him and flip him at the deadline to a team in the playoff race hoping to recreate Atlanta’s success with him in ’21.

50. Whit Merrifield, OF/2B

Age: 35 | Former Team: Blue Jays | Prediction: A’s

At this point in his career, Merrifield’s biggest asset is his durability. He ranks sixth in the majors in plate appearances since 2018, missing just 44 games during that span. His bat, though, has diminished: Merrifield’s posted a meager 92 OPS+ over the last three years (yet still managed two All-Star nods in that stretch). He’s still fast enough to patrol the outfield and plays a capable second base, though his services are perhaps better used at the bottom of a lineup than at the top.