Friday at 8 p.m. ET marks the deadline for teams to tender a contract for 2026 to players under club control who haven’t already signed contracts for the upcoming season.
If the club opts not to do so, it “non-tenders” the player, who becomes a free agent and then can sign with any team.
Some notable players who were non-tendered in 2024 include Kyle Finnegan (Nationals), Austin Hays (Phillies), Griffin Canning (Braves), Jordan Romano (Blue Jays), Gavin Sheets (White Sox) and Mike Tauchman (Cubs). All of those players went on to join other teams except Finnegan, who re-signed with the Nats in February.
With input from MLB.com senior national reporter Mark Feinsand, here is a list of some of the more interesting non-tender candidates to watch ahead of Friday’s deadline.
(Note: This list doesn’t include non-tender candidates who were designated for assignment prior to Tuesday’s deadline for teams to set 40-man rosters, such as first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, third baseman Ramón Urías, outfielder JJ Bleday and utility man Christopher Morel.)
Jake Bauers, 1B, Brewers
The Brewers cut Bauers loose last offseason before re-signing him to a Minor League deal, so even if they non-tender him, it’s possible they’ll look to bring him back again later. He posted career highs in batting average (.235), on-base percentage (.353) and OPS (.752) over 86 games this past season and appeared in six playoff games with a .973 OPS.
Luis Campusano, C, Padres
The Padres have cycled through a long list of veteran catchers in recent years, never giving Campusano an extended look as their starting backstop. The former MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospect owns a .666 OPS over 592 career plate appearances in the Majors, though he did put up a .336/.441/.595 slash with 25 homers over 105 games for Triple-A El Paso in 2025.
Adolis García, OF, Rangers
García will always hold a special place in Rangers history for what he did during the team’s run to the 2023 World Series title, recording eight homers with 22 RBIs (an MLB postseason record) and a 1.108 OPS in those playoffs. He also put up 39 homers, 107 RBIs and an .836 OPS in the regular season that year, winning a Gold Glove Award for good measure. However, García’s downfall has been swift — he had a .684 OPS in 2024 and was even worse in ’25 (.665).
Luis García Jr., 2B, Nationals
García had a solid year as a 24-year-old in 2024, hitting .282 with 18 homers, 22 steals, a .762 OPS and 5 Outs Above Average, but he regressed in ’25 (.701 OPS, -7 OAA). The Nationals’ new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni must now decide if García is worth keeping around at a higher price point after he earned $4.5 million in his first year of arbitration eligibility this past season. It’s also possible Washington will tender García a contract and then look to trade him. The second-base market in free agency isn’t particularly strong this year, especially after Gleyber Torres accepted the Tigers’ qualifying offer.
Jonah Heim, C, Rangers
Heim was an integral part of the Rangers’ World Series championship club in 2023, combining a solid bat (18 HR, 107 OPS+) with elite defense en route to a 4.0-WAR regular season (per FanGraphs). But in the two years since, the catcher has been worth -0.6 fWAR, declining on both sides of the ball.
Jonathan India, 2B, Royals
India won the National League Rookie of the Year Award with 21 homers, an .835 OPS and a 116 OPS+ over 150 games for the Reds in 2021, but he hasn’t been able to return to those heights. Traded from Cincinnati to Kansas City last November, the 28-year-old never got on track with his new club and finished with a career-low 89 OPS+ in 136 games. He also had a negative Outs Above Average figure at three different positions: second base (-6), third base (-4) and left field (-3).
Nolan Jones, OF, Guardians
Jones looked like a future star as a rookie in 2023, producing a 20-20 season with a .931 OPS over 106 games for the Rockies, who acquired him from the Guardians in November 2022. However, he has mustered just eight homers, 13 steals and a .618 OPS in 215 games over the past two years. Colorado traded him back to Cleveland last March for utility man Tyler Freeman.
Trevor Larnach, OF, Twins
A corner outfielder and DH who bats from the left side, Larnach went deep 32 times for the Twins over the past two years. He had his best season in 2024, recording a .771 OPS and a 116 OPS+ while rarely playing against left-handers. Larnach’s production sagged a bit in 2025 (.727 OPS) as his exposure to southpaws grew. The 28-year-old owns a lifetime .759 OPS against right-handers but just a .585 OPS against lefties.
MJ Melendez, OF, Royals
Melendez was once a highly touted catching prospect, but the presence of veteran backstop Salvador Perez in Kansas City and Melendez’s own defensive struggles behind the plate as a rookie prompted the Royals to move the Florida native to the outfield full time. His fielding woes have continued after the position switch, and he hasn’t hit enough to offset his lack of defensive value. Melendez did record at least 16 homers and 21 doubles in each of his first three seasons, but he is a lifetime .215/.297/.388 hitter with a 90 OPS+. He spent most of 2025 playing for Triple-A Omaha.
Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Orioles
Mountcastle hit 33 homers and produced a .796 OPS in his first full MLB season in 2021, but his home run total has decreased in each subsequent year. The right-handed slugger finished with seven dingers and a career-low 83 OPS+ over 89 games in 2025, missing significant time due to a right hamstring injury. With youngsters Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo expected to garner substantial playing time between DH and first base and trade acquisition Taylor Ward giving the team another right-handed power bat, it’s difficult to see where Mountcastle fits on the O’s 2026 roster.
Evan Phillips, RP, Dodgers
After a partially torn rotator cuff stalled Phillips’ scoreless 2024 playoff run and forced him to miss the World Series, the righty dealt with further injury issues in ’25. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May and will miss the start of 2026. Still, we can’t forget how effective he was for the Dodgers across 2022-24, recording a 2.21 ERA with a 10.4 K/9, a 2.3 BB/9 and 44 saves.
Jesús Sánchez, OF, Astros
Sánchez has hit six career home runs at 460 feet or farther, including a 496-foot blast at Coors Field in 2022, but his quick bat and impressive raw power have yet to translate into consistent production in the Majors. The lifetime .239/.307/.420 hitter posted a .611 OPS over 48 games after the Astros acquired him from the Marlins for three players at last season’s Trade Deadline.
