TSN's Top 50 MLB Free Agents

After a season like no other, it's time for an off-season just as strange.

TSN Blue Jays Reporter Scott Mitchell and TSN Baseball Insider Steve Phillips rank the top 50 free agents, predict their landing spots and examine what sort of payday they might be looking at. Here are the top 50 players on the market from around the MLB:

 

1—SP Trevor Bauer (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 4   
MITCHELL: 1

2020 stats: 73.0 IP, 5-4, 1.73 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 2.7 WAR

Signs With: Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract: 3 Years, $102 million (opt-outs after each year)

 

2—C J.T. Realmuto (Philadelphia Phillies)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 1
MITCHELL: 2

2020 stats: .266 BA, 11 HR, 32 RBI, .840 OPS, 1.2 WAR

Signs with: Philadelphia Phillies

Contract: 5 Years, $115.5 million

 

3—OF George Springer (Toronto Blue Jays)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 3
MITCHELL: 3

2020 Stats: .265 BA, 14 HR, 32 RBI, .899 OPS, 1.9 WAR

Signs With: Toronto Blue Jays

Contract: 6 Years, $150 million

 

4—2B DJ LeMahieu (New York Yankees)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 2
MITCHELL: 4

2020 Stats: .364, 10 HR, 27 RBI, 1.011 OPS, 2.8 WAR

Signs with: New York Yankees

Contract: 6 Years, $90 million

 

5—OF Marcell Ozuna

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 5
MITCHELL: 6

2020 Stats: .338 BA, 18 HR, 56 RBI, 1.067 OPS, 2.3 WAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Marcell Ozuna is a middle of the lineup slugger who delivers in the clutch. He can protect a big bat in the lineup as he did with Freddie Freeman for the Braves this season. Ozuna can play left field but is becoming more of a designated hitter. His value is his bat. The Braves, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Rangers and Red Sox could all be fits for him. Ozuna bet on himself taking a one-year deal with Atlanta last season and it worked. He signs with the Cardinals for four years and $72 million.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: No player did more for their stock this summer than Ozuna, who signed a one-year, $18-million pact with the Braves. All the 29-year-old did was go out and lead the league in homers with 18 and set career highs in virtually every offensive category, slashing a gaudy .338/.431/.636. The Blue Jays have kicked tires on Ozuna in previous winters, but they employ two very similar — and cheaper — players in Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez, so there would have to be a trade for him to be seen as a fit this winter.

 

6—SS Marcus Semien (Toronto Blue Jays)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 6
MITCHELL: 9

2020 Stats: .223 BA, 7 HR, 23 RBI, .679 OPS, 0.3 WAR

Signs with: Toronto Blue Jays

Contract: 1 Year, $18 million

 

7—SS Didi Gregorius (Philadelphia Phillies)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 10
MITCHELL: 10

2020 Stats: .284 BA, 10 HR, 40 RBI, .827 OPS, 0.9 WAR

Signs With: Philadelphia Phillies

Contract: 2 Years, $28 million

 

8—SS Ha-Seong Kim (San Diego Padres)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 26
MITCHELL: 7

2020 Stats: .308 BA, 30 HR, 109 RBI, .926 OPS (KBO)

Signs with: San Diego Padres

Contract: N/A

 

9—OF Michael Brantley (Houston Astros)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 7
MITCHELL: 14

2020 Stats: .300 BA, 5 HR, 22 RBI, .840 OPS, 1.5 WAR

Signs With: Houston Astros

Contract: 2 Years, $32 million

 

10—SP James Paxton

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 15
MITCHELL: 5

2020 Stats: 20.1 IP, 1-1, 6.64 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, -0.4 WAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: James Paxton has front of the rotation stuff, but injuries have hampered his availability and effectiveness in recent years. He is worth a risk, but because of his unpredictability, clubs will need depth to protect him. He is 32 years old which could limit the length of any deal. The Yankees, Blue Jays, Phillies, Astros, Mets, Red Sox, Giants, Rangers and Twins will be in on Paxton. The Blue Jays will sign Paxton to a two-year $18 million deal plus incentives.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: If the upside with Masahiro Tanaka is limited, knowing what he is, it’s the complete opposite with Paxton, who the Jays drafted with the 37th overall pick in 2009. Even though he’ll be heading into his age-32 season in 2021, the Ladner, B.C., native has shown flashes of brilliance over his four seasons with 20-plus starts, but all too often health issues have followed. This year, it was off-season back surgery and then an elbow strain in August. The lefty has maxed out at 160.1 innings, but there are already four seasons of 3.5-plus fWAR, including a career year of 4.4 in 2017 that came along with a 2.98 ERA in just 24 starts. The risk here is extreme, but the upside is as high as anyone on this list if Paxton can finally stay healthy and put it all together.

 

11—3B Justin Turner

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 11
MITCHELL: 13

2020 Stats: .307 BA, 4 HR, 23 RBI, .860 OPS, 1.3 WAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Justin Turner is a professional clutch hitter who can hit for average and power. He is still a good defender at third base but his range is limited by knee issues. His patient approach can also rub off on young players. The Dodgers, Blue Jays, Nationals, Braves, Mets, and Cardinals could use Turner. The Nationals sign him for two years at $26 million.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: There’s an infield shuffle coming for the Jays at some point, but the versatility of Cavan Biggio gives them some options. With top prospects Jordan Groshans and 2020 fifth-overall pick Austin Martin on the way, a short-term improvement on Travis Shaw would be ideal and Turner would fit that bill, but it’s very unlikely a two-year deal for a 36-year-old would be plan A, B or C.

 

12—DH Nelson Cruz (Minnesota Twins)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 8
MITCHELL: 18

2020 Stats: .303 BA, 16 HR, 33 RBI, .992 OPS, 1.6 WAR

Signs with: Minnesota Twins

Contract: 1 Year, $13 million

 

13—SP Masahiro Tanaka (NPB)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 14
MITCHELL: 11

2020 Stats: 48.0 IP, 3-3, 3.56 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 0.7 WAR

Signs with: Rakuten Golden Eagles (NPB)

 

14—SP Charlie Morton (Atlanta Braves)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 12
MITCHELL: 21

2020 Stats: 38.0 IP, 2-2, 4.74 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 0.2 WAR

Signs with: Atlanta Braves

Contract: 1 Year, $15 million 

 

15—SS Andrelton Simmons (Minnesota Twins)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 19
MITCHELL: 15

2020 Stats: .297 BA, 0 HR, 10 RBI, .702 OPS, 0.3 WAR

Signs with: Minnesota Twins

Contract: 1 Year, $10.5 million

 

16—RP Liam Hendriks (Chicago White Sox)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 9
MITCHELL: 16

2020 Stats: 25.1 IP, 3-1, 1.78 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 1.4 WAR

Signs with: Chicago White Sox

Contract: Three years, $54 million (plus a club option for year four)

 

17—OF Jackie Bradley Jr.

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 20
MITCHELL: 19

2020 Stats: .283 BA, 7 HR, 22 RBI, .814 OPS, 1.8 WAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Jackie Bradley Jr. is arguably the best defensive centre fielder in the game. He can cover ground like no other in the outfield with his great jumps and routes. His offence comes and goes. A change of scenery would do him good and might improve his offence. The Astros, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Giants, and Rockies all have interest. The Astros sign him to replace George Springer for two years at $15 million.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: JBJ, on the other hand, is a fit as hands down one of the best defensive centre fielders in baseball. No matter the defensive metric, Bradley is at or near the top, and it has helped the 30-year-old return 15.0 fWAR in his career with the Red Sox. This summer, JBJ picked a great time for his bat to come alive, slashing .283/.364/.450, but no one is going to be fooled by that surge thanks to too many groundballs. He’d hit at the bottom of the Jays’ lineup, but the defensive upgrade from Randal Grichuk to JBJ would be a significant one.

 

18—OF Joc Pederson (Chicago Cubs)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 16
MITCHELL: 20

2020 Stats: .190 BA, 7 HR, 16 RBI, .681 OPS, -0.4 WAR

Signs with: Chicago Cubs

Contract: 1 Year, $7 million

 

19—RP Brad Hand (Washington Nationals)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 22
MITCHELL: 27

2020 Stats: 22.0 IP, 2-1, 2.05 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 0.7 WAR

Signs with: Washington nationals

Contract: 1 Year, $10.5 million

 

20—2B/3B Tommy La Stella (San Francisco Giants)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 21
MITCHELL: 33

2020 Stats: .281 BA, 5 HR, 25 RBI, .819 OPS, 0.5 WAR

Signs with: San Francisco Giants

Contract: 3 Years, $19 million

 

21—2B Kolten Wong (Milwaukee Brewers)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 31
MITCHELL: 22

2020 Stats: .265 BA, 1 HR, 16 RBI, .675 OPS, 1.1 WAR

Signs with: Milwaukee Brewers

Contract: 2 Year, $18 million

 

22—SP Mike Minor (Kansas City Royals)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 17
MITCHELL: 28

2020 Stats: 56.2 IP, 1-6, 5.56 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 0.0 WAR

Signs with: Kansas City Royals

Contract: 2 Years, $18 million

 

23—SP Tomoyuki Sugano (Returns to NPB)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 28
MITCHELL: 24

2020 Stats: 127.1 IP, 13-2, 2.05 ERA, 0.89 WHIP (NPB League)

Signs with: Yomiuri Giants

 

24—SP Jose Quintana (Los Angeles Angels)

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 43
MITCHELL: 17

2020 Stats: 10.0 IP, 0-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 0.0 WAR

Signs with: Los Angeles Angels

Contract: 1 Year, $8 million

 

25—SP Taijuan Walker

Individual rankings
PHILLIPS: 30
MITCHELL: 25

2020 Stats: 53.1 IP, 4-3, 2.70 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 1.3 WAR

PHILLIPS’ FITS: Taijuan Walker had a bounce back season in 2020. After his trade to the Blue Jays, he was excellent. He works hard and is competitive. He has an arsenal better suited to face right-handers but he is a solid No. three or four starter. The Angels, Phillies, Red Sox, Mets, Blue Jays and White Sox will all have interest. The Phillies sign him for two years at $15 million.

MITCHELL’S JAYS’ VIEW: After the Jays gave Robbie Ray $8 million to return for 2021, Walker’s chances of re-signing dropped significantly as GM Ross Atkins will be aiming much higher with his next rotation acquisition. That’s not to say the Jays couldn’t circle back, but it said a lot when they decided against sending Walker to the mound in the postseason because of his trouble against left-handed hitters. Walker enjoyed a nice rebound in 2020, but you have to wonder if a full 162-game season might expose his weaknesses. He’s still a solid back-end rotation option with a touch of upside as he’s still just 28 years old.​