Ranking 2024 MLB Free Agents: Top Catchers, Outfielders, and Pitchers
The 2024 MLB season might be over, but the baseball calendar stops for no one. Players on expiring contracts will become free agents the morning after the World Series ends, and they can start signing with new teams five days later.
Of course, free agency rarely plays out that quickly. The bulk of the action tends to occur around the Winter Meetings in December, while some free agents hold out into the new year for the right deal. The arms race for 2025 should be exciting, and there are some big names on the market this year.
No one will command more attention than Juan Soto, who is coming off a dominant season with the Yankees. A return to the Bronx would surprise no one, but Soto might just follow the money — and he’s going to get a massive amount of it.
Who else is hitting the open market? Here’s a look at the 25 headliners of the free agent class.
MLB free agents 2024
A handful of notable players could become free agents, pending decisions on their options for 2025, including Cody Bellinger, Ha-Seong Kim, and Michael Wacha. Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki could also be posted this offseason, but that decision hasn’t been made yet.
Here are the top 3 players guaranteed to head to free agents.
1. Juan Soto, OF, Yankees
Soto is one of the most valuable free agents in MLB history, between his Hall of Fame-caliber skillset, youth, and durability. An on-base machine, Soto blasted a career-high 41 home runs in 2024 and is set to receive at least the second-largest contract in league history in terms of total value.
2. Corbin Burnes, SP, Orioles
Burnes won the 2021 NL Cy Young Award with the Brewers and pitched like an ace for the Orioles after landing in Baltimore via trade in February. While the final weeks of his season weren’t ideal, there’s little doubt Burnes will be able to cash in on the open market.
3. Max Fried, SP, Braves
Fried has been one of the steadiest starters in baseball since 2020, carrying a 2.81 ERA over that span and winning a World Series with the Braves in 2021. The left-hander’s 3.25 ERA in 2024 was his highest since 2019, but that says more about how consistent Fried has been even while missing time with minor injuries.
