Ranking the top 50 MLB free agents for the 2026-27 offseason, plus landing spots for every player

The World Series is complete, the Milwaukee Brewers are first-time champions and MLB's offseason is already underway. It won't be long until the hot stove sizzles.

To get the winter started, CBS Sports has ranked the top 50 MLB free agents for the 2026-27 offseason. These rankings are compiled through statistical and video analysis, past market research, plus vibes and general hunches. We have included players expected to make the leap from Japan's NPB and South Korea's KBO to the big leagues, but not non-tender candidates or unexpected option decisions.

Of course, this is no normal offseason. With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1, a lockout is all but certain. How long will it last? What will baseball -- and for our purposes, contracts -- look like on the other side? Will teams and players rush to make deals before the work stoppage or delay everything until it's over? Who knows. These are the ultimate questions of the winter, and how they get answered is up to the owners and the players' union.

The two most important things to know about these rankings: First, free agency is forward-looking. What you've done in the past counts for only so much. More than ever before, teams pay players based on what they expect them to do in the future, not what they've done in their career to date. These rankings are intended to reflect that.

And second, the least important part of this exercise is the potential landing spots listed for each player. There are more than three suitors for almost every player, and it's not intended as a snub if your team isn't listed here. Here now are our top 50 free agents.

1. LHP Tarik Skubal

• The quick hook: In-his-prime ace who can front of a World Series contender's rotation
• Potential landing spots: Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets

Excluding Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was a special case as a Japanese star with no MLB track record, Skubal is the best starting pitcher to hit free agency since Gerrit Cole in 2019. He showed few long-lasting effects from the NanoScope elbow surgery in May and remains a capital-A Ace with terrific surface stats and under-the-hood performance indicators. Skubal brings four swing-and-miss pitches to the table (four-seamer, changeup, slider, curveball), a near MLB-best ability to limit exit velocity, and elite strike-throwing ability (MLB's third-lowest walk rate since 2023). Build an ace starter in a lab and he would look a lot like Skubal. He'll play the entire 2027 season at age 30, and given the things teams can do with pitchers these days, Skubal figures to remain a frontline starter for most of a long-term contract. He's the only true balance-of-power player available in free agency this offseason. Skubal can swing a division race and a postseason series all by himself. 

2. LHP Adrian Morejon

• The quick hook: Dominant reliever with a chance to be a very good starter
• Potential landing spots: Cubs, Mets, Yankees

Morejon won't turn 28 until late February and is one of the youngest free agents available. He has been one of the game's best relievers the last three years, one who can miss bats and limit hard-hit ability at near MLB-best levels, plus you need not shelter him against right-handed batters. Morejon is a bona fide late-inning reliever who happens to throw left-handed. As good as he is out of the bullpen, it seems likely an enterprising team will give him a chance to start in 2027, and Morejon doesn't just have a chance to make it work. He has a chance to be an excellent starter thanks to his premium four-pitch mix (four-seamer, sinker, slider, changeup) and the fact he sits right at 100 mph. Morejon can give some velocity back while working longer outings and still have plenty in the tank to miss bats in the strike zone. And if starting doesn't work, he can go right back to dominating as a reliever. This ranking reflects my belief in Morejon as a starter. There is one potential red flag: Morejon was not available in Games 2-4 of the NLDS with what Padres manager Craig Stammen called "stickiness" in his shoulder. Interested teams will no doubt closely scrutinize Morejon's medicals.

3. LHP Trevor Rogers

• The quick hook: Underrated lefty is a candidate for a "they gave him how much???" contract
  
• Potential landing spots: Braves, Cubs, Orioles

Rogers was never able to fully work off the early season stinkers that inflated his ERA, though this is free agency, and ERA is close to the last thing on the minds of interested teams. You're looking forward in free agency, not backward. The underlying performance indicators are very strong, specifically the ability to get chase and avoid the barrel with four pitches (four-seamer, sinker, changeup, sweeper) that light up analytical models. Rogers also has a fifth-pitch cutter and has shown the ability to hammer the strike zone the last two years. There are some lefty Zack Wheeler vibes here. When Wheeler became a free agent after 2019, he already had the analytical stamp of approval, and the belief was he could get to another level with fine-tuning and good health. That is exactly what happened. Lefty Wheeler would obviously be the best-case scenario outcome for Rogers, but the bottom line is he will play the entire 2027 season at age 29, and he throws strikes with four pitches that the pitch data models already consider above average. More than a few teams will undoubtedly see Rogers as a pitcher who is a tweak or two away from finding another gear.

4. 3B-ish Teruaki Sato

• The quick hook: Japan's Triple Crown winner is not quite Murakami 2.0
• Potential landing spots: Cardinals, Phillies, Yankees

The Hanshin Tigers will post Sato for MLB teams this offseason, the NPB club announced in late October. He will play the entire 2027 season at age 28 and is coming off a .306/.383/.609 slash line with 39 home runs, which won him Japan's first Triple Crown since Munetaka Murakami in 2022. Sato has a similar skill set but is not quite Murakami 2.0. He doesn't have quite as much power (but has plenty of it) and won't walk nearly as often, but he does swing and miss a bunch and is unlikely to remain at the hot corner long-term. Sato is a very aggressive hitter who ran a 66% contact rate this past season. That is below the 77% MLB average. The consensus seems to be that he will land at first base or in a corner outfield spot if not next year, then soon. Murakami successfully overcame his contact issues to slug 35 homers in only 127 games around a hamstring injury. At minimum, that will have MLB teams reconsidering how they evaluate the Japan-to-MLB transition. Like Murakami, Sato carries risk, and like Murakami, his power makes that risk worth the dice roll.

5. RHP Freddy Peralta

• The quick hook: Durable workhorse got the Rays glow-up late in 2026
• Potential landing spots: Braves, Cardinals, Cubs

It has been a roller coaster year for Peralta, who flopped with the Mets, rebounded with the Rays, then faced the Brewers (his former team) in the World Series and lost. The post-deadline stint with Tampa salvaged Peralta's free agent year. They made several adjustments, most notably raising his arm angle and getting him to pitch exclusively from the stretch, and the result was a livelier fastball and also better command. He's still five-and-fly Freddy. Even the best version of Peralta won't pitch deep into games and can be a tough watch because he nibbles and throws so many pitches per inning. They tend to be good innings, though, and the guy never misses a start. Worst case, Peralta is a mid-rotation starter you can count on to take the ball every fifth day. The best case is someone who can front a contender's rotation. Fastball Freddy was always going to be a great bounceback candidate this offseason. The Rays just beat everyone to it at the trade deadline.

6. 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.

• The quick hook: A four-tool player on the right side of 30
• Potential landing spots: Angels, Padres, Tigers

In what was his worst season as a hitter since his rookie year in 2021, Chisholm was still a league-average bat in 2026, and his top-shelf defense and baserunning still landed him at 3.5 WAR. Chisholm is a style-over-substance player who is not for everyone, but his second base defense and near-MLB-best baserunning skills give him a very high floor. He's a reasonable bet for 20-ish home runs with the potential to go 30-30, and Chisholm has improved his plate discipline enough to run walk rates north of 10% the last two years. The downside is his propensity to swing and miss. Chisholm has posted below-average in-zone contact rates throughout his career and contact rates that low always come with risk. That risk is mitigated somewhat by the secondary skills (defense, etc.) and the fact that Chisholm will play the entire 2027 season at age 29. You probably don't want him as your best or second-best player, but he's also an overqualified No. 6-7 hitter who brings so much else to the table.

7. OF Seiya Suzuki

• The quick hook: Reliable middle-of-the-order bat made defensive strides in 2026
  
• Potential landing spots: Cubs, Mariners, Phillies

The 32-year-old Suzuki is one of only four qualified hitters to post a 125 OPS+ or better each of the last four seasons. He's a right-handed hitter with unerring patience and strong ball-tracking data (exit velocity, etc.) at a time when right-handed power is in shockingly short supply. Suzuki is also sneaky fast, though don't expect him to pile up big stolen base totals. Thanks to improved jumps with the help of outfield coach Quintin Berry, Suzuki made the leap from average at best defender to legitimately excellent this season. The team that signs him will likely be the team that believes his defensive improvement is sticky. Even if it isn't, Suzuki's righty thump is a scarce commodity these days, and will land him a nice contract even as he prepares to enter his mid-30s. At worst, you'll get a power-and-patience hitter who is comfortable playing in the spotlight.

8. RHP Michael King

• The quick hook: Affable righty keeps outperforming his peripherals
  
• Potential landing spots: Blue Jays, Mets, Padres

King has reportedly already opted out of the final two years and $58 million remaining on his contract and he should have no trouble beating that this offseason, even if it is more total dollars over more years but at a lower annual salary. King is a five-pitch righty with an extreme east/west attack -- the movement on King's sinker, sweeper, and changeup border on cartoonish -- who makes his living by limiting hard contact more than he does missing bats and blowing hitters away. He has consistently outperformed the various ERA estimators (FIP, xERA, etc.) throughout his career, and when you do it over hundreds of innings, it's a skill, not a fluke. King will turn 32 in May and his fastball is getting hit a little harder with each passing year. There is some blow-up potential here. Still, King is a high-end No. 2 starter and he's regarded as a Grade-A clubhouse guy, which is not nothing. He's instantly become a fan favorite wherever he's played.

9. OF Randy Arozarena

• The quick hook: Handsome Randy had a career year at the right time
  
• Potential landing spots: Mariners, Rangers, Red Sox

Always a strong hitter, Arozarena had a career-best season in 2026, during which he hit offspeed pitches (changeups, splitters, etc.) better than ever. His superpower has always been his ability to punish fastballs and breaking balls at above-average rates. Now he added the "hit soft stuff" club to his bag. Arozarena will play the entire 2027 season at age 32 and he offers righty thump at a time when it's very hard to find, plus he's shown time and time again that he is unafraid of big moments. He'll also chip in 20-plus steals despite a lack of blazing speed. The downside is Arozarena is basically a DH at this point in his career. Poor jumps, poor routes, poor range, poor arm. He's a liability in the outfield and whichever team signs him would be wise to DH him exclusively.

10. C Ryan Jeffers

• The quick hook: The best catcher available brings offense, but not much defense
  
• Potential landing spots: Orioles, Padres, Yankees

Over the last four seasons, Jeffers has reduced his strikeout rate from 27.8% to 20.2% to 19.6% to an excellent 17.9% in 2026. He opened his stance a little and moved further back in the box a few years ago, felt good about it, and has continued to open and widen his stance a tiny bit more with each passing year. Jeffers offers right-handed pull power and strong plate discipline to go with his continually improving contact skills. The downside is his defense behind the plate, which grades out poorly every which way. Blocking, throwing, framing, etc. The offensive bar at catcher is on the floor. Jeffers clears it with plenty of room to spare, enough that teams will overlook the shaky glovework. He will turn 30 in June and is the best catcher to hit free agency since Willson Contreras in 2022.

11. 2B Luis Arraez

• The quick hook: Bat-to-ball wizard made enormous defensive strides in 2026
  
• Potential landing spots: Giants, Phillies, Rangers

Arraez continues to hum along, posting Dead Ball Era contact rates while making fans of every team wish they had him. Offensively, he's the same player he's always been. Arraez is the game's best bat-to-ball guy. He'll contend for a batting title, hit single-digit home runs, and rarely walk because he so easily puts the ball in play. How much do you buy into his improvement in the field? Arraez might have been the single worst defensive player in baseball prior to 2026, then he worked with infield guru Ron Washington with the Giants and became a legitimately above-average defender at second base. Above average according to both the eye test and the numbers, which isn't always the case with defense. If you think that defensive improvement is real, you see a 4-WAR player who will turn only 30 soon after Opening Day. If you don't, you see a one-tool player who barely scraped 1 WAR in 2024 and 2025. Don't be surprised if Arraez again has trouble drumming up interest as a free agent.

12. 1B Jake Bauers

• The quick hook: Offseason adjustments fueled his postseason star turn
  
• Potential landing spots: Brewers, Mets, Twins

Rake Bauers (finally) lived up to the nickname this year and carried it over into the postseason, particularly during the NLCS. Long an exit velocity and hard-hit rate darling, Bauers fully tapped into his power in 2026 thanks to a more open stance and moving back in the box and further off the plate. That allowed him to see the ball better and get his bat into the hitting position on time more consistently. I'm not 100% sold on those adjustments solving his career-long issues with lefties, though at least there is a tangible reason to believe in his great left-on-left performance this season. Bauers can be an adventure in the field (he has played outfield in the past) and he just turned 31. A few teams will look for the next Jake Bauers rather than pay the actual Jake Bauers.

13. 2B Brandon Lowe

• The quick hook: 30-homer middle infielder with suddenly improved defense
• Potential landing spots: Pirates, Rangers, Red Sox

There is no doubting Lowe's power. He's hit well over 30 homers per 600 plate appearances throughout his career. There simply aren't many middle infielders who hit the ball over the fence that consistently, and those who can are infrequently available. Prior to 2026, Lowe was close to a one-tool player, but he made huge gains in the field thanks to Pittsburgh's coaching staff. How huge? Lowe went from -14 outs above average in 2025 to +15 in 2026. It's the largest year-over-year improvement in Statcast history. The power has always been real and the defensive improvement is encouraging. The downsides are near-bottom-of-the-league contact rates, a declining walk rate, a lengthy injury history, and the fact that Lowe is already 32. That all adds up to an uncomfortable amount of collapse risk.

14. RHP Sonny Gray

• The quick hook: Veteran innings guy is still a postseason-caliber starter
  
• Potential landing spots: Blue Jays, Braves, Twins

Gray has reportedly mulled retirement over the last few offseasons, but he intends to pitch in 2027. He's as crafty as ever, using six pitches regularly and giving hitters every look. Hard, soft, sharp break, big movement, etc. Gray's stuff works in such a way that he seems to get a quick first or second pitch out every inning, allowing him to pitch deep into games. He completed six innings 22 times in his 29 starts this past season, which makes him a workhorse by 2026 standards. Gray will pitch the entire 2027 season at age 37 and he's lost enough velocity to shrink his margin of error meaningfully, which creates some over-the-cliff risk. Still, the 14-year veteran is not out of place as the No. 2 starter in a postseason rotation. 

15. RHP David Bednar

• The quick hook: Veteran closer remains at the top of his game
  
• Potential landing spots: Cubs, White Sox, Yankees

Being boring is an underrated closer trait and Bednar, 32, has it. He won't beat himself with walks, he limits hard contact, he misses bats, he's effective against righties and lefties, and he proved he's built for the postseason and big markets during his time in New York. His low-90s splitter is an equalizer that seems impossible to square up. Furthermore, Bednar is a low-maintenance pitcher who's shown a willingness to go multiple innings and work as a setup man. He won't make a stink about his role. There has been some age-related velocity loss and he had to abandon his curveball at times this past season because he had so much trouble commanding it. Otherwise, Bednar is a plug-and-play high-leverage reliever.

16. UTIL Mauricio Dubón

• The quick hook: Super utility man would have a role on any roster
  
• Potential landing spots: Blue Jays, Braves, Tigers

Every contender could use a player like Dubón. He's a true super utility guy who can play every position except catcher -- and play it well. Offensively, Dubón is an aggressive bat-to-ball player with a knack for ideal launch angles, which, in English, means he's a line drive hitter. He obliterated his previous career high in games played and plate appearances this past season and handled the workload well. Dubón is older than you may realize (he turns 33 in July), but he's been valuable everywhere he's played, and he's the kind of player every manager loves. The ability to play everywhere, put the ball in play, and be relentlessly upbeat is the ideal modern utility man.

17. OF Ian Happ

• The quick hook: Walks and defense prop up the erstwhile longest-tenured Cub
  
• Potential landing spots: Cubs, Orioles, Pirates

Offensively, Happ has "old player skills." He has always walked a lot, which keeps his on-base percentage respectable even as his batting average has taken a hit. You can also pencil him in for 20-25 homers. Dingers and discipline typically age well. Defensively, Happ remains Gold Glove-caliber thanks to a great first step and a strong arm. He won't wow you with highlight reel catches, but he will catch everything he's supposed to catch and then some. Happ will play most of next season at age 32 and there has been enough slippage in his contact rates and exit velocity that I'm comfortable calling them worrisome. Age-related decline might be right around the corner, though the skill set suggests a gentle decline rather than a complete collapse. I have more faith in Happ being a steady contributor over the next one or two years than some position players ranked above him. There's just less upside.

18. RHP Raisel Iglesias

• The quick hook: Subtle signs of decline amid continued excellence
  
• Potential landing spots: Braves, Cubs, White Sox

It is incorrect to say Iglesias was as good as ever in 2026. He was terrific, to be sure, but the contact allowed is getting louder and he's lost two ticks off his fastball the last two years. That is a normal baseball thing for someone who has a big career workload (for a reliever) and will pitch all of next season at age 37. Iglesias has closer chops and his changeup is one of the very best pitches in the sport, and all you need as a one-inning reliever is that one great pitch. At this age, there's always a chance it all comes crashing down. Iglesias will -- and should -- continue to get well-paying one-year contracts until that happens.

19. RHP Kaima Taira

• The quick hook: Undersized righty with seven pitches, but he might be a reliever
• Potential landing spots: Dodgers, Giants, Padres

Listed at 5-foot-8, Taira gets outlier extension down the mound (close to seven feet despite his height), which creates a low release window. Hitters rarely see the ball come from where Kaira releases it. He's not a gimmick pitcher either. Taira sits mid-90s with his four-seam fastball and backs it up with a cutter, sinker, sweeper, slider, changeup, and splitter. The sweeper and slider are distinct pitches, as are the changeup and splitter. The Seibu Lions used Kaira as a reliever in 2024 and 2025, then started him in 2026, and he handled the assignment well. The breaking balls are just OK, and the fact of the matter is that pitchers this height don't often hold up under a starter's workload. I would assume the team that signs Kaira will give him a chance to start. In the long run, though, he might be a reliever, perhaps even a multi-inning setup man. Seibu is expected to post Taira early in the offseason.

20. RHP Tyler Mahle

• The quick hook: Splitter machine finally stayed healthy and put it together late in 2026
• Potential landing spots: Astros, Braves, White Sox

Long a pitch data darling, Mahle had the best stretch of his career after joining the Braves at the trade deadline. They ramped up his splitter usage and tweaked his slider a tad, and also got him to live in the shadows of the strike zone more often. Mahle will not continue posting a 1.99 ERA. No one is that good. He has always passed the analytical test, though, and he's finally healthy after arm injuries limited him to 125 innings from 2023-25. Health will always be a question. That's just the way it is with pitchers who've gotten hurt repeatedly. Mahle just turned 32, though, and we finally saw proof of concept this year. This deep into the free agent rankings, every pitcher carries some kind of risk. I like Mahle's upside more than the rest.

21. RHP Clay Holmes

• The quick hook: Ground ball specialist who can be versatile with his role
• Potential landing spots: Athletics, Cardinals, Padres

A bad luck broken leg (he was hit by a comebacker) derailed Holmes in 2026. He got hurt in May, was traded while on the injured list, then returned in August without his usual velocity. Even while working in the low 90s rather than mid-90s, Holmes remained one of the game's very best ground ball artists. His sweeper and cutter are above-average weapons according to the pitch data models, and Holmes picked up a nice kick-change with the Mets. It's not everything, but teams will like that Holmes is postseason and big-market battle-tested following his time with the two New York teams, and that he has experience as a starter and a reliever. The ground balls give Holmes a reasonably high floor. He's very likely to be useful in some capacity in 2027, and it helps that he's regarded as coachable and a strong teammate. The declining velocity, declining strikeout rate, and the fact that Holmes will pitch all of next season at age 34 will chill his market a bit. 

22. RHP Kevin Gausman

• The quick hook: The splitter is still elite, but declining velocity portends danger
• Potential landing spots: Blue Jays, Braves, Mets

Velocity is important for every pitcher and that is especially true for Gausman. He's made a living throwing fastballs almost literally down the middle to set up his all-world splitter. Hitters chase the splitter because they think it's a fastball and take the fastball for strikes because they sit on the splitter. When Gausman sat 95-96 mph at his peak, he dominated. Now that he's closer to 93-94 mph most nights, it doesn't work quite as well. He toyed with a sweeper late in the season and I would expect the team that signs him to hone in on that pitch (or some other breaking ball) to mitigate the velocity loss. Gausman will pitch the entire 2027 season at age 36 and he's as good a bet to make 32 starts next year as any pitcher in the game, which is not nothing.

23. 1B Ty France

• The quick hook: Gold Glove defender added more hard-hit ability in 2026
• Potential landing spots: Diamondbacks, Mets, Padres

France has reinvented himself a few times over the years and the current version is the best version yet. He opened his stance a bit this season and the result was much more hard contact, specifically against fastballs. France has always posted solid contact and walk rates. Now, he's getting his bat through the zone a little quicker and producing more on contact. Also, France has made himself into an excellent defensive first baseman. One of the very best in the game, in fact. His track record as a top hitter is one year, basically, and France will turn 33 next summer. The dearth of quality right-handed bats could still land him a multi-year contract.

24. RHP Casey Mize

• The quick hook: Still some upside, but it's largely pedigree over production
• Potential landing spots: Athletics, Braves, Giants

You can talk yourself into Mize, 30 in May, having untapped upside as a former No. 1 overall draft pick who pitched pretty well this past season around a series of groin injuries before being traded to San Diego at the deadline. You can also talk yourself into Mize being fool's gold because he doesn't have a plus pitch, frequents the injured list, and hasn't impressed despite pitching in pitcher-friendly ballparks his entire career. The things teams can do with pitchers these days are amazing, really. I would never rule out a prime-aged pitcher figuring things out and carving out a strong second phase to his career. Eventually, though, the shine of the "former No. 1 overall pick" thing wears off.

25. RHP Dustin May

• The quick hook: Still only 29, May's results have lagged behind his tantalizing stuff
• Potential landing spots: Angels, Athletics, Nationals 

May turned only 29 in September and he's topped 130 innings in back-to-back years after throwing 101 innings total around injuries, including UCL surgery, from 2021-24. Even after the injuries, May still lives in the mid-to-upper-90s with his sinker, and pitch data models are fond of his sweeper and curveball. It is not the best sign, though, that the Brewers, who know pitching as well as any team, couldn't fully unlock May after making him their big deadline rotation addition. Still, the combination of age and high-octane stuff makes him a nice upside play on a short-term contract, particularly for a rebuilding team that is willing to run him out there every fifth day regardless of results.

26. RHP Hiromi Itoh

• The quick hook: Back-end starter with a long track record of durability
• Potential landing spots: Angels, Giants, Padres

A down 2026 season took some of the shine off Itoh, who won the 2025 Eiji Sawamura Award (Japan's Cy Young equivalent) after throwing 196 ⅔ innings with a 2.52 ERA. To be sure, Itoh pitched well in 2026 (3.18 ERA in 172 ⅔ innings), but he was not as consistently dominant as in the past. The 5-foot-9 right-hander is a seven-pitch pitcher with a low-90s fastball and the usual array of secondary pitches (sinker, cutter, curveball, slider, sweeper, splitter), none of which stands out as a plus offering. Itoh has thrown at least 150 innings in each of the last six seasons. He's seen as a crafty back-end starter in MLB, or perhaps even a reliever (Itoh sat 96 mph out of the bullpen in the World Baseball Classic). The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters are expected to post Itoh, who turned 29 in August, this winter.

27. RHP Michael Soroka

• The quick hook: Availability continues to be the biggest question
• Potential landing spots: Cardinals, Rays, White Sox

The only question is health. Soroka's 116 innings this season were his most since his National League Rookie of the Year runner-up season in 2019. Back then, Soroka was a sinker specialist and ground ball machine. These days, he's a low-to-mid-90s four-seam fastball guy with a slurvy breaking ball that falls somewhere between a curveball and a slider. Soroka also has a cutter, a changeup, and, yep, still the sinker. The breaking ball grades out as his best pitch, though everything plays up because he tunnels well and is a good strike-thrower. I like Soroka, who will pitch most of next season at 29, more as a reliever, possibly even as a multi-inning high-leverage guy. The skill set is that of a back-end starter though, and you needn't squint too much to see upside beyond that.

28. LHP Foster Griffin

• The quick hook: Lefty looks to have staying power after return from Japan
• Potential landing spots: Marlins, Nationals, Rangers

The Nationals did terrific work signing Griffin to a low-cost one-year contract ($5.5 million) last offseason. He had an All-Star first half, then Washington flipped him for four prospects at the trade deadline. Griffin added about three pitches during his three years with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan and now is one of baseball's few true seven-pitch pitchers. He's an extreme strike-thrower and Griffin tunnels his pitches in such a way that his entire arsenal punches above its weight. There isn't one or two individual pitches that stand out, but they all work together well. Griffin will turn 32 in July and he's built for a full season's workload. He may not have the upside you can dream on like a few pitchers ranked ahead of him, but Griffin feels like a decent bet to be a top 75-ish starter in 2027 as long as he stays healthy. 

29. RHP Nick Martinez

• The quick hook: Veteran swingman has become a weak contact master
• Potential landing spots: Astros, Marlins, Rangers

Martinez, 36, posted the lowest strikeout rate among qualified pitchers in 2026, and also the 14th-lowest ERA. He's traded whiffs for weak contact the last few years and, frankly, I don't think you can reasonably expect him to post baseball's fourth-lowest ground ball rate and sixth-lowest home run rate again next season. Those are two things that rarely go together, even with Martinez's propensity for weak contact. His high arm angle creates an unusual look for hitters and creates tremendous downward action on his sinker and changeup. Martinez also has a cutter and a curveball. He made 31 starts and threw 180 innings for the Rays this year, so he can be a regular member of the rotation, if needed. Moving forward, Martinez might be most valuable as the high-end swingman he was from 2022-25.

30. LHP Shota Imanaga

• The quick hook: Home run issues make a big ballpark a necessity
• Potential landing spots: Angels, Padres, Rays

There are days when Imanaga looks like an ace and days when he simply can't keep the ball in the park. He's an extreme fly ball pitcher who has averaged one homer every 4 ⅔ innings or so the last two years. Imanaga regained the tick of velocity he lost in 2025, but we're still talking about a pitcher who lives in the 91-93 mph range most days. It's an upshoot fastball, meaning it gets a lot of empty swings at the top of the zone thanks to his arm angle and release height, but when Imanaga misses his spot, he pays a big price. His splitter and sweeper are good enough secondary pitches. Imanaga will pitch most of next season at age 33 and he's a pitching nerd who is willing to tinker, which perhaps gives him a chance to reshape his arsenal as he gets into his mid-30s.

Late-inning relievers

31. LHP JoJo Romero
32. RHP Jonathan Loáisiga
33. RHP Paul Blackburn
34. RHP Evan Phillips
35. LHP Alex Vesia

An appendectomy split Romero's season in two. He was great during the Brewers' postseason run and has been one of the game's better lefty relievers for four years now. His sinker/sweeper attack is plenty good enough that Romero does not have to be sheltered against righties. Loáisiga had his first healthy season in four years and got back to throwing upper-90s bowling ball sinkers. He won't miss many bats at this point in his career, but he will generate a ton of weak contact on the ground. A good defensive infield is a must behind him. Blackburn thrived in his first season as a full-time reliever and, like Loáisiga, he did it with a weak ground ball contact rate rather than strikeouts. He pitches like a starter in relief in that he uses five pitches regularly, and held up across multi-inning outings all season. Phillips ran into some home run trouble when he first returned from Tommy John surgery in July, but otherwise continued to rack up whiffs with his fastball/sweeper combo. Vesia's fastball is mostly 90-91 mph these days and he walks too many batters, but he is fearless, and he can still get his heater by hitters at the top rail thanks to the movement traits.

Complementary bats

36. 2B Gleyber Torres
37. C Carson Kelly
38. 1B/3B Alec Bohm
39. UTIL Edmundo Sosa
40. OF Michael Conforto  
41. DH George Springer

These days, Torres is a contact/walks guy who might hit 15 homers and provide what can charitably be described as below-average defense and baserunning. He is not out of place as a contender's leadoff hitter given his on-base ability, though it's name value more than one-field value at this point. Kelly may be ranked too low here given his last two seasons and the general lack of quality catchers in free agency. He's an above-average contact/plate discipline guy with limited hard-hit ability and an unfortunate knack for ground ball contact. Defensively, Kelly moves well below the plate but is not much of a framer or thrower. He fits best as a platoon or half-time catcher, not as the undisputed starter. Bohm has solid contact quality data and a history of hitting lefties hard. He can play first and third bases in the sense that he can stand at first and third base, but you won't like what you see. Bohm has been miscast as a middle-of-the-order hitter and everyday third baseman over the last few years. The 30-year-old has real value as a righty platoon bat, though. Sosa had a down year at the plate despite no change under the hood (exit velocity, etc.). He has a long track record of hammering lefties, plus you can put him almost anywhere on the field. Every team could use a bench guy like that. Conforto showed very promising underlying data during his miserable 2025 and turned it into results in 2026. He's a nifty lefty platoon guy at this point in his career. Springer's resurgence in 2025 did not carry over into 2026. He'll play all of next season at age 37 and there isn't much juice left in his bat. The sport's lack of quality right-handed bats could get him a job with a contender, though he needs to DH regularly to stay healthy and productive.

Upside plays

42. CF Daulton Varsho
43. RHP Nick Pivetta
44. RHP Shane Bieber
45. LHP Kris Bubic
46. C Tyler Stephenson

September wrist surgery bumps Varsho down these rankings even though he's the best defensive center fielder in free agency. The ball-tracking data (exit velocity, etc.) is below average and he is not a disciplined hitter. You can dream on Varsho returning to his 2025 form, but, with his 31st birthday coming up next year, the more likely outcome is a glove-first player who fights to a draw as a league-average hitter and posts an on-base percentage that starts with a 2. Pivetta missed most of this season with a flexor injury and that triggered a clause that gives the Padres the option to walk away from the two years and $32 remaining on his contract. I'm not 100% convinced it will happen, but it is possible. Pivetta will turn 34 in February and will need his stuff to play better than it did after the injury to make postseason starts in 2027. Injuries, including Tommy John surgery, have limited Bieber to 108 innings over the last three years, and he made only 11 wobbly starts in 2026. He will turn 32 in May and his command is so exceptional that he can survive with the low-90s velocity he showed this summer, but it is a tightrope walk these days. Bubic has an outlier fastball thanks to its rise and his unusual release point. Giving him a chance to start for the last two years was a worthwhile experiment, though the persistent arm injuries likely mean it's time to put a pin in that and turn him back into a full-time reliever. Stephenson has all-fields power and checks analytical boxes with his hard-hit data. He is in the conversation for the worst defensive catcher in the sport, though. A team with a good catching development program might convince themselves they can coach him up to average defense.

Back-end starters

47. LHP Matthew Boyd
48. LHP David Peterson
49. LHP Robbie Ray
50. LHP Patrick Sandoval

Boyd will pitch all of next season at 36 and his package of secondary pitches is unique given the movement and his arm angle. He is fearless and could maybe benefit from throwing fewer strikes. Boyd has the stuff to get chases, and his mistakes in the zone tend to leave the yard. The Cubs got Peterson's career back on the rails following a June trade. Much of that was pitch sequencing and playing in front of the best defense in baseball. The 31-year-old's upside is a No. 4-5 starter you can pencil in for 20-something starts. Ray's season went downhill after his trade to San Diego. His stuff is down several ticks from his prime and his strikeout rate has cratered now that he's in his mid-30s. If you need someone to throw 110 pitches to get 13-15 outs every fifth day, he's your guy. Sandoval did not have the smoothest return from Tommy John surgery this season, though I am curious to see what he looks like as he gets further away from surgery. He showed some good secondary pitch shapes and an ability to keep the ball on the ground. I reckon he'll outperform at least a few of the pitchers we have ranked ahead of him in 2027.