Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion of the Toronto Blue Jays are not only two of the most dangerous hitters in the American League, but they are also two of the headliners of the 2017 MLB free-agent class.
“Joey Bats” is the top right fielder and Encarnacion is the scariest designated hitter, but who are the prime-time guys at all the other spots?
After digging through the recent stats—and placing the most emphasis on 2015 numbers—here’s the breakdown of the top free-agents-to-be at every position on the diamond.
In addition to singling out the biggest stars (and some deserving honorable mentions), we’ve also included logical landings spots based on which clubs have a need (and an opening) at the given positions.
After poring over MLB Trade Rumor.com’s free-agent list, there’s no question that the class of starters is looking awfully weak. However, there are still plenty of game-changing pitchers who will be up for grabs next winter.
*Note: Players with an asterisk either have a team option or an opt-out clause.