MLB free-agency rankings 2025-26: Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso still the top 3 at season's halfway point

1. Kyle Tucker, Cubs OF, age 29 (May rank: 1)

After a mediocre May, Tucker turned in a scorching June. He has a .969 OPS over the past month, and his .435 OBP ranks eighth in MLB over that span. This dude rakes. However, it must be noted that his outfield play has been disappointing this year. By Outs Above Average (OAA), Tucker was a league-average defender in 2024, but he has graded out in the 11th percentile so far in 2025. Perhaps this stems from an understandable desire on Tucker’s part to avoid injury; his sprint speed and throwing arm are in line with career norms. Either way, think of this like a small scratch on a Lamborghini; Tucker remains a generationally talented bat reaching free agency at a uniquely young age.

2. Alex Bregman (opt-out), Red Sox 3B, age 32 (2)

Bregman, on the IL due to a quad issue, has not played since May 23. Red Sox reporter Tim Healey of the Boston Globe relayed that Bregman will likely remain on the shelf through the All-Star break. If the third baseman comes back before August and continues hitting upon his return, the IL time won’t meaningfully change the calculus of his free agency. The likeliest scenario, despite the two years and $80 million left on Bregman’s deal, is an opt-out. Recent reports have indicated that the Red Sox, eager to appease a frustrated fan base in the wake of the Rafael Devers trade, are open to a longer extension with the former Astro. Still, it probably behooves Bregman to test the open market if he’s looking for the highest possible dollar figure.

3. Pete Alonso (opt-out), Mets 1B, age 31 (3)

The past few weeks have been rough sledding for the Polar Bear, who has a .616 OPS and just one home run since June 10. He’s chasing much more over that span, leading to a predictable spike in his strikeout rate. But it’s likely just a blip in what has been a sensational season for Alonso. As a hitter, he looks markedly better than he did last season, when he turned in the most underwhelming numbers of his career. Alonso is a guarantee to opt-out and test the market again. Some team will surely give him something more than the measly pillow contract the Mets handed him last winter; Alonso has proven he deserves it.

4. Framber Valdez, Astros SP, age 32 (5)
5. Dylan Cease, Padres SP, age 30 (6)

On April 14, Valdez got cranked by the Cardinals for seven earned runs across four dreadful innings. Since then, he has been brilliant, with a 2.33 ERA across 12 starts. For whatever reason, his changeup has been less effective than in seasons past, but Valdez’s sinker-curveball combo is still formidable enough to get opposite-handed hitters out. He is one of MLB’s true workhorses, the rare ground-ball artist who can also compile strikeouts. If Framber keeps Framber-ing, he could earn a contract in the $150 million range.

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Cease, meanwhile, has been the unluckiest pitcher in baseball this year. No qualified starter has a larger gap between his expected and actual stats, based upon batted-ball data. Yes, his current ERA (4.43) is nearly a run higher than his 2024 ERA (3.47), but all the underlying metrics scream that Cease is just as good as ever. Very few pitchers have his combo of durability and strikeout stuff. And given his young age, Cease could challenge Valdez for the biggest pitcher contract of the winter, even though the surface-level numbers aren’t sexy.

6. Kyle Schwarber, Phillies DH, age 33 (4)

For whatever reason, Schwarber has historically been magnificent in June. But this year, that hasn’t been the case, as the sturdy DH has coasted to a league-average line this month. That’s mainly a product of (1) relatively poor batted-ball luck and (2) more swing-and-miss on pitches in the zone. This slight slide doesn’t dampen his free agency by any means, but it’s a reminder that Schwarber’s bat-only profile comes with more volatility than the average position player. Don’t be shocked if he blasts 12 homers in July to shoot back up this list.

7. Bo Bichette, Blue Jays SS, age 28 (10)
8. Gleyber Torres, Tigers 2B, age 29 (11)

Bo is back, baby. With each line-drive single, Bichette’s horrific 2024 looks more and more like a blip. Three more months of this (.288/.330/.463), and the formerly long-haired shortstop should command a nice free-agent deal. He has been pretty unlucky, too; Bichette leads baseball in hard-hit outs (40!). Now, his glove is still pretty blah, so a good team might be interested in signing him as a second baseman, but either way, Bichette is pretty close to regaining his pre-2024 value.

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Torres has a higher on-base percentage this year than stars such as Cal Raleigh, Freddie Freeman and Pete Alonso! He has chased less than every qualified hitter in MLB except Juan Soto! He has the second-highest OPS on the best team in the American League! He’s almost certainly going to start the All-Star Game at second base! His defense still absolutely stinks! Gleyber Torres, everybody!

9. Michael King (2026 mutual option), Padres SP, age 31 (6)

King has not pitched since May 18 after waking up from a bad night’s sleep with a nerve issue in his throwing shoulder. A return before the All-Star break is unlikely, though he did play light catch this week. When exactly King returns — and how he looks once he gets back — will determine the type of deal he gets this winter.

10. Cody Bellinger (opt-out), Yankees OF, age 30 (9)

Are you confused by Bellinger the ballplayer? Get in line. Honestly, given the look that’s always on his face, Bellinger might be a tad confused, too. Year one in the Bronx has generally gone pretty well, even if the glazy-eyed outfielder hasn’t recaptured the power stroke that earned him an MVP award. At this point, he’s a strong outfield defender who rarely whiffs. Is that an exciting enough profile for Bellinger to opt out of the one year and $27.5 million left on his deal? It’ll be a close call.

11. Josh Naylor, D-backs 1B, age 29 (14)

The fierce first baseman has bounced back from a crummy May with a nice June that’s more in line with his career norms. Naylor’s 12.8% strikeout rate is currently 15th in MLB, which is impressive considering he has also hit for power (.479 SLG). He’s a solid first baseman, a piece you can win with, but not necessarily one you can depend on to move the needle on his own. Teams will be wary of his first-base-only profile and worry about how his thick frame might age into his 30s, but Naylor hits, and dudes like him don’t grow on trees.

12. Luis Arraez, Padres 1B, age 28 (15)

Need more batting average, pal! Get those numbers up! Arraez has been fine this year, a reduced, uninspiring version of his weirdo self. He still has, far and away, the lowest strikeout rate in baseball, at a microscopic 1.9%. But fewer of his batted balls are finding grass. For Arraez to be a truly valuable player, one who commands a big-boy contract, he needs the batting average to be north of .300.

13. Marcell Ozuna, Braves DH, age 35 (8)

The “Big Bear” is just 20-for-120 with two homers over the past month. A tear in his hip, an issue that Ozuna plans to play through all season, has undoubtedly dampened his offensive output. It’s unclear whether team or player would consider an IL stint to rest/rehab the issue, but this subdued version of Ozuna is simply not a high-level player. That matters for this winter. I think Atlanta will end up bringing its DH back, but the combo of this injury and the ascension of Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (who could use DH at-bats) makes Ozuna’s future more hazy than it was a month ago.

14. Chris Bassitt, Blue Jays SP, age 37 (18)
15. Tyler Mahle, Rangers SP, age 32 (17)

Bassitt, right now, is a better pitcher than Mahle but is ranked behind Mahle based on the five-year age gap between them.

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If April Cy Young were an award, Mahle might’ve won it; the veteran righty had a 1.14 ERA through his first six starts. Things have, expectedly, come back to Earth since then. More concerningly, Mahle is currently on the IL due to vaguely described “shoulder fatigue.” That’s no bueno considering he has dealt with significant shoulder injuries before. Mahle’s All-Star-level April was fugazi, but when healthy, this is a totally legit mid-rotation starter.

16. Trent Grisham, Yankees OF, age 29 (19)

The floor in Grisham’s profile — center-field defense and an elite ability to not chase outside the zone — has always been there. This year, he has added what looks to be a sustainable boost of long-ball power that has propelled him up the free-agent big board. With 15 taters at the halfway mark, the mustachioed outfielder is simply hitting the ball at optimal angles more often. His .251 batting average is likely to keep tumbling down toward the .225 range, but Grisham has already earned himself a multiyear deal, something that seemed out of the question when the season began.

17. Munetaka Murakami, Yakult Swallows 3B, age 26 (12)

Murakami, the most hyped Japanese hitter in years, still hasn’t come off the injured list for the Swallows. An upper-body issue has limited his 2025 NPB season to a single game in April. Still, news came out this week that the Swallows still intend to post Murakami for MLB teams this upcoming winter, if he wishes to make the leap. Teams are still high on the powerful, broad-shouldered third baseman, but the longer he’s out, the bigger mystery he becomes, and the less MLB clubs will be willing to invest in him as a free agent.

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18. Eugenio Suarez, D-backs 3B, age 34 (37)

This dude rules so hard. Suarez is a grinning, gregarious, sociable ball of joy who also happens to have elite raw power. Yes, he’s streaky, and yes, the hot-corner defense is declining with age, but boy, Suarez can still crank one a mile. Only Cal Raleigh, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani have roped more long balls than this dude, who should make his first All-Star team since 2018. Some teams will be resoundingly out on an aging third baseman with swing-and-miss issues. But Geno has special juice, the kind that should earn him a multiyear pact if he keeps this up.

19. Ranger Suarez, Phillies SP, age 30 (28)

The pudgy, plucky southpaw has the third-lowest starter ERA this month. Following a late start to the season amidst chatter about a move to the bullpen, Suarez has done nothing but carve, adding yet another impact arm to a stacked Phillies rotation. He looked this dominant early last season before running out of steam come summer, but perhaps the delayed start to his 2025 will help Suarez sustain himself better this time around. He’s tracking as the second-best southpaw on the market after Valdez, and given that the Phillies can backfill his spot with highly touted pitching prospects Mick Abel and Andrew Painter, it seems likely that the crafty Venezuelan will be in a different uniform next season.

20. Ryan Helsley, Cardinals RP, age 31 (21)
21. Devin Williams, Yankees RP, age 31 (23)
22. Luke Weaver, Yankees RP, age 32 (22)
23. Robert Suarez, Padres RP, age 35 (27)

It’s been a boring month for Helsley and Williams, but boring is good for a closer. Both righties continue to pile up saves, though Helsley has been more homer-prone than you’d like for a late-inning arm. Williams was sturdy in the ninth during Luke Weaver’s time on the shelf, and the tribulations of his rocky April seem to be in the past.

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Weaver missed the first three weeks of June due to a hamstring strain and has thrown only twice since returning. Suarez has been unlucky over the past month but still has a WHIP under 1.00 and a fastball averaging 98.3 mph. The biggest knock on the Padres’ closer, relative to his fellow relievers in this stacked bullpen free-agent class, is his age.

24. Cedric Mullins, Orioles CF, age 31 (13)
25. J.T. Realmuto, Phillies C, age 35 (25)

Mullins missed a brief stretch at the beginning of June due to a hamstring problem, but that time off hasn’t helped much. Since his great April, the O’s center fielder has been abysmal at the plate. His .OPS over the past month is .545. If the Orioles decide to sell at the deadline — that’s looking more and more likely — Mullins will still be sought after for his defensive chops. But there’s real concern here as we head into free agency. Speedster outfielders who rely on their legs have a track record of aging poorly as they stretch into their mid-30s. Teams will be wary of that if Mullins can’t author an offensive bounceback.

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Realmuto, too, is staring down the barrel at Father Time. He’s still valuable as an experienced and defensively capable catcher, but his days as an impact bat are over. There are 34 backstops with at least 150 plate appearances this season; Realmuto ranks 24th in OPS and 25th in home runs.

The Next 25

1. Zac Gallen, D-backs SP, age 30 (16)

2. Griffin Canning, Mets SP, age 30 (20)

3. Jack Flaherty (opt-out), Tigers SP, age 29 (24)

4. Zach Eflin, Orioles SP, age 31 (17)

5. German Marquez, Rockies SP, age 31 (NR)

6. Ryan O’Hearn, Orioles 1B/DH, age 32 (38)

7. Dustin May, Dodgers SP, age 28 (26)

8. Brandon Woodruff (mutual option), Brewers SP, age 33 (30)

9. Willi Castro, Twins UTIL, age 29 (45)

10. Mike Yastrzemski, Giants OF, age 35 (34)

11. Merrill Kelly, D-backs SP, age 37 (NR)

12. Jose Quintana, Brewers SP, age 37 (NR)

13. Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox RP, age 38 (NR)

14. Erick Fedde, Cardinals SP, age 33 (39)

15. Rhys Hoskins, Brewers 1B, age 33 (33)

16. Paul Goldschmidt, Yankees 1B, age 38 (34)

17. Jordan Romano, Phillies RP, age 33 (43)

18. Ramón Laureano, Orioles OF, age 31 (45)

19. Harrison Bader, Twins OF, age 32 (46)

20. Kirby Yates, Dodgers RP, age 38 (42)

21. Kyle Finnegan, Nationals RP, age 34 (44)

22. Lucas Giolito, Red Sox SP, age 31 (NR)

23. Walker Buehler, Red Sox SP, age 31 (31)

24. Zack Littell, Rays SP, age 30 (NR)

25. Austin Hays, Reds OF, age 30 (32)