The Major League Baseball free-agent market isn’t ripe with young, ascending players that are guaranteed to give their next employer great production for the duration of a contract. Instead, the list of 2014 MLB free agents is littered with question marks.
Cost concerns surround the best and most dominant stars. Durability clouds the future of past greats. Age and longevity factor in when signing a veteran to a free-agent deal. Despite all the positive scouting reports or medical records done by front office members around baseball, no free agent comes without reservation.
Yet, some are less risky than others. When assessing this particular class of game-changing players, six standout as no-brainers. In relation to their free-agent peers, the following players should provide a level of comfort to the general manager that affords them a chunk of the franchise’s budget. That’s not to say that injury or a slip in performance won’t occur, but it’s not as big of a concern with these players as some of the others on the market.
Without further ado, the six players that are the biggest no-brainers on the free-agent market.
All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.