But which players are the cream of the crop at their respective positions? Here’s a look at the top player at each spot – an All-Free-Agent Team, of sorts – plus some other alternatives at each position.
C: J.T. Realmuto
Realmuto tops a catching market that is thin in terms of everyday starters, so while the 34-year-old has regressed offensively over the past few seasons, he is still the best option available. Realmuto has seen his OPS drop in each of the past three years, but he remains elite at controlling the run game from behind the plate (95th percentile in CS Above Average and 99th percentile in Pop Time).
Best of the rest: Victor Caratini, Danny Jansen, Christian Vázquez, Elias Díaz, Reese McGuire, Austin Barnes, Gary Sánchez
1B: Pete Alonso
One of the two premier power hitters in free agency, Alonso returns to the open market for a second straight season – this time without the weight of a qualifying offer attached to him. Alonso had a bounceback year in 2025, belting 38 home runs with 126 RBIs, an .871 OPS and a league-high 41 doubles, playing 162 games for a second straight season.
Best of the rest: Ryan O’Hearn, Carlos Santana, Nathaniel Lowe, Luis Arraez, Paul Goldschmidt, Rhys Hoskins, Justin Turner, Donovan Solano, Dominic Smith, Josh Bell
2B: Jorge Polanco
Speaking of significant rebounds, Polanco had his best offensive season since 2021, hitting 26 home runs with 78 RBIs and an .821 OPS in 138 games. The 32-year-old came up with some huge hits in October to help the Mariners reach the ALCS for the first time since 2001, but he declined his $6 million player option, instead hoping to parlay his strong season into a multi-year deal.
Best of the rest: Willi Castro, Jose Iglesias, Dylan Moore, Ramón Urías, Luis Rengifo, Amed Rosario
SS: Bo Bichette
Bichette suffered through an injury-riddled 2024 that saw him hit only four home runs with a .598 OPS in 81 games. His free-agent season was quite a different story, however, as he slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 homers and 94 RBIs in 139 games. He missed the first two rounds of the postseason with a knee injury, but he returned for the World Series, going 8-for-23 (.348) with a home run and six RBIs while playing second base.
Best of the rest: Miguel Rojas, Ha-Seong Kim, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Jorge Mateo, Orlando Arcia
3B: Alex Bregman
Like Alonso, Bregman returns to the free-agent market for a second straight winter, this time without a qualifying offer. The 31-year-old was a solid fit in Boston both on and off the field, hitting 18 home runs with 62 RBIs and an .821 OPS in 114 games. He opted out of the final two years and $80 million ($40 million of which was deferred) in search of a long-term deal, though third base is one of the few positions with other legitimate options for clubs to consider.
Best of the rest: Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, Eugenio Suárez, Paul DeJong, Yoán Moncada, Kiké Hernández, Andy Ibáñez, Luis Urías, Gio Urshela
LF: Cody Bellinger
Bellinger could have fit into a number of spots on this team, as he plays all three outfield positions as well as first base. We’ll go with him in left field, where he played the majority of his games in 2025, though potential suitors could view him as a better option in center. Bellinger hit 29 home runs with 98 RBIs – his highest totals since his 2019 NL MVP season – with an .813 OPS. His versatility will be a big selling point, as he offers above-average defense at multiple positions.
Best of the rest: Rob Refsnyder, Miguel Andujar, Austin Hays, Jesse Winker, Michael Conforto, Mark Canha, Tommy Pham
CF: Harrison Bader
Bader had the best offensive season of his career, reaching career highs in home runs (17), RBIs (54), OPS (.796) and OPS+ (117). But Bader’s glove is his best asset, as he ranked in the 92nd percentile with 7 Outs Above Average and the 84th percentile in Arm Strength. Bader still strikes out too much, but he did boost his walk rate from 4.8 to 7.8 percent this season.
Best of the rest: Cedric Mullins, JJ Bleday, Garrett Hampson, Alexander Canario
RF: Kyle Tucker
The consensus No. 1 free agent on this year’s market, Tucker is the most consistent hitter available, posting an fWAR between 4.2 and 4.9 in each of the past five seasons. Tucker got off to a great start in 2025, though a hairline fracture in his hand impacted him at the plate throughout the summer, while a calf strain cost him more than three weeks in September.
Best of the rest: Mike Yastrzemski, Mike Tauchman, Max Kepler, Jake Fraley, Starling Marte, Randal Grichuk, Lane Thomas, Adolis García, Will Brennan, Jason Heyward
DH: Kyle Schwarber
The biggest power bat on the free-agent market, Schwarber slugged 56 home runs with 132 RBIs last season, establishing career highs in both categories. In his four years with the Phillies, Schwarber has averaged more than 46 home runs, 108 RBIs and 106 walks per season, though he’s also struck out an average of 202 times. Schwarber will instantly make any lineup he joins better.
Best of the rest: Marcell Ozuna, Andrew McCutchen, Eloy Jiménez
RH starting pitcher: Dylan Cease
Cease leads a relatively deep group of starters on this year’s market, but his free-agent season (8-12, 4.55 ERA in 32 starts) didn’t go as well as he had hoped it would. Still, Cease’s durability – he hasn’t missed a turn in the rotation during his six full years in the Majors – is appealing, and he’s averaged 176 2/3 innings and 221 strikeouts over the past five seasons.
Best of the rest: Tatsuya Imai, Michael King, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, Nick Martinez, Zack Littell, Tyler Mahle, Cody Ponce, Justin Verlander, Zach Eflin, Walker Buehler, Max Scherzer
LH starting pitcher: Framber Valdez
Valdez has been a steady presence since joining the Astros’ rotation in 2020, throwing 973 innings; only four pitchers have thrown more during that stretch, and Valdez’s 3.23 ERA is lower than all but one in that group (Zack Wheeler). His 73 wins since the start of 2020 are tied with Max Fried for the most in the Majors. Valdez struggled down the stretch in 2025 (2-7, 6.05 ERA in his final 10 starts), but his lengthy track record should help him land a solid deal.
Best of the rest: Ranger Suárez, Tyler Anderson, Foster Griffin, Patrick Corbin, Jose Quintana, Andrew Heaney, Nestor Cortes
RH relief pitcher: Edwin Díaz
Díaz had another excellent season in 2025, posting a 1.63 ERA with 28 saves in 31 opportunities while striking out 98 batters in 66 1/3 innings. Díaz ranked near the top of the league in whiff percentage, strikeout percentage and barrel percentage, and after opting out of the final two years and $37 million of his contract, the 31-year-old will be seeking another long-term deal after setting a record three years ago for the biggest relief-pitching deal ($102 million) in history.
Best of the rest: Robert Suarez, Pete Fairbanks, Ryan Helsley, Brad Keller, Emilio Pagán, Tyler Rogers, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Shawn Armstrong, Seranthony Domínguez, Kyle Finnegan, Kenley Jansen
LH relief pitcher: Sean Newcomb
There are no left-handed closers available this winter, but Newcomb proved to be a valuable arm for the Athletics after joining them in late-May. He posted a 1.75 ERA in 36 appearances (51 1/3 innings), ranking in the 74th percentile with a 47.5% ground-ball rate.
Best of the rest: Hoby Milner, Tyler Alexander, Danny Coulombe, Steven Matz, Jalen Beeks, Andrew Chafin, Caleb Ferguson, Taylor Rogers, Gregory Soto, Brent Suter, Justin Wilson
