Ed Hand's 2024/25 MLB Free Agency Tracker
LAST UPDATED- 11/23/2024
Current player total on tracker- 250
Signed or retired- 19
Hello and welcome to this year’s Free Agency tracker.
If you’re unfamiliar with the origin story of why I started doing this back in 2018, Yahoo Sports used to have a list of just about every MLB free agent on the market during the off-season. I looked forward to their rankings and insight every year with commentary on players from the biggest names to the most random third string catcher. For whatever reason, they no longer do the long, detailed list, instead focusing on the top fifty or so. Most mainstream publications have followed suit.
This was, of course, a very understandable decision.
After a certain point, it becomes arbitrary who is #122 and who is #133. Nonetheless, I missed the information on the more obscure players, and outlining and trying to organize them is a lot of fun for me. As has been the case every year, my goal is to get to 300 players being tracked. If someone is currently missing that you’re curious about, fear not, until we get to 300 there are more players added every day.
With that in mind, from the fall until the beginning of the 2025 season, I’ll be covering all Free Agent signings. If you like what you see, I’d recommend bookmarking it due to these daily updates. You can also follow me on Twitter at @EdHand89. Additionally, an enormous thank you to Shawn Palmer for his graphic design work.
-Ed
PS- The easiest way to find a specific player is Ctrl-F.
Tier 1A
1. Juan Soto OF
Age: 26 (as of 6/1/2025)
2024 team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 7.9
Career bWAR: 36.4
It's hard to overstate just how good Juan Soto is. He's basically the modern-day Ted Williams, showing a remarkable combination of plate discipline and power, and to top that off, he's also somehow just 26 meaning that he hasn't even entered his prime yet. His 41 homers and .288/.419/.569 line in 2024 might just be the tip of the iceberg. This is a generational player who will receive a contract accordingly.
REJECTED QUALIFYING OFFER
Roki Sasaki SP (R)
Age: 23
2024 Team: Chiba Lotte Marines
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: N/A
Last year, there were two superstar Japanese players hitting the market. This year it's just one... Maybe. Roki Sasaki is the kind of free agent you dream on due to his youth, controllability, and talent. He's been one of the best pitchers in Japan since debuting in 2021, earning the nickname "the Monster of the Reiwa Era" while making two All-Star teams and even pitching a perfect game in 2022. His arsenal includes a fastball that has been clocked at 102.5 MPH and averages 98.4, as well as a curveball, slider, and his best offspeed pitch- a forkball. An absolute stud that will without a doubt be sought after by every serious team in the league. If he gets posted, that is, at this point no guarantee.
Tier 1B
3. Max Fried SP (L)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: 3.5
Career bWAR: 24.1
Another strong season for the tall lefty, Max Fried hasn't been injured as much as some make it seem like really only missing significant time in 2023 while still pitching effectively when healthy. In 2024, he posted a 3.25 ERA backed by a 3.33 FIP to go with 166 K/57 BB and a 1.164 WHIP over 174.1 innings. There aren't many frontline starters in this year's free agency class but Fried is emphatically one of them and someone very helpful to any team with championship aspirations.
REJECTED QUALIFYING OFFER
4. Corbin Burnes SP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: 3.4
Career bWAR: 17.2
The best right-handed pitcher on the market this year. An honest to God workhorse but is he an ace? The numbers say "maybe" but he is most certainly a #1 starter. The difference between an ace and a #1 are vague and unsatisfying, but Burnes's 2024 season was nothing short of excellent as he posted a solid 2.92 ERA over 194.1 innings with 181 K/48 BB and a 1.096 WHIP. His strikeouts went down but so did his walks, indicating either a greater willingness to throw strikes or a detraction in his swing-and-miss stuff. Either way he was awesome at getting out and is without question the best pitcher on the market.
REJECTED QUALIFYING OFFER
5. Alex Bregman 3B
Age: 31
2024 Team: Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: 4.1
Career bWAR: 39.6
Quietly a potential Hall of Famer, Bregman is someone without any major flaw in his game. Strong enough defensively to play shortstop if needed, he's easy to pencil in for a full season of games. His bat has deteriorated from the level it was at for years previously in that he struck out more than he walked for the first time since 2021, but a down season for Bregman still saw him slash .260/.315/.453 (.768 OPS). Compare that to his career .848 OPS and it is perfectly reasonable to believe 2024 was an outlier, or at the very least his high floor.
REJECTED QUALIFYING OFFER
6. Willy Adames SS
Age: 29
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: 3.1
Career bWAR: 21.5
Adames had a solid but somewhat disappointing run with the Brew Crew since they acquired him from Tampa back in 2021, unable to replicate his hot first season in 2022 and 2023 but in 2024 he found his way again, slashing .251/.331/.462 with a career high 32 home runs, 33 doubles, 112 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 161 games. This durability meshed with his relatively young age and ability to play a premium position make him the top shortstop target in this year's class.
REJECTED QUALIFYING OFFER
7. Blake Snell SP (L)
Age: 32
2024 Team: San Francisco Giants
2024 bWAR: 2.1
Career bWAR: 23.4
Despite winning the 2023 NL Cy Young, there wasn't as much interest in giving Snell a long-term deal. He ended up signing late in Spring Training and got off to a slow start before finishing on a very strong run. When all was said and done, he posted a 3.12 ERA with a 1.048 WHIP, and 145 K/44 BB over 104 IP. A 2.43 FIP says he had some bad luck as well. The age and fact that he's only made more than 30 starts twice in his nine-year career makes him less of a workhorse than one would like given the money he'll be owed but all the same, there's a reason he's won two Cy Young awards in that time too.
8. Jack Flaherty SP (R)
Age: 29
2024 Team: Detroit Tigers + Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 bWAR: 3.1
Career bWAR: 13.2
Came into 2024 a reclamation project with the Tigers. Ended it as a potential frontline starter with the Dodgers. Flaherty has always had good stuff but injuries and a disastrous 2023 forced him to rehabilitate his reputation on a one-year deal. Boy did that work well. He was the best pitcher traded at the deadline and continued to perform well with his new team in the NL West. When the dust cleared, the big righty had a 3.17 ERA over 162 innings with 194 strikeouts to just 38 walks and a 1.068 WHIP. There will always be injury concerns (as is true of all pitchers) but it looks like Flaherty figured something out. Given his comparatively young age and front of the rotation stuff he's probably in line for a nice, long nine-figure deal.
Tier 2
9. Teoscar Hernandez OF
Age: 32
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 bWAR: 4.3
Career bWAR: 17.1
Couldn't get a multi-year deal so he settled for a $24 million/1 year with the Dodgers and made it well worth their while by posting a .840 OPS with 33 homers and 99 RBI. Will likely look for more security via that elusive multiyear deal now that he's proven he can still mash now that he's escaped from the hitter's hellhole that is Seattle. Advantage he has over similar RH bats is that he can also play his position competently.
RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER
10. Anthony Santander OF
Age: 30
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: 2.9
Career bWAR: 11.1
Switch-hitting outfielder has been the veteran glue of the young Orioles offense. While there are certainly questions regarding the defensive aspect of his game, the power is unquestionable. Santander mashed a career high 44 home runs and 102 RBI while slashing .235/.308/.506 over 665 PA and made the first All-Star team of his career. The Venezuelan known also as "Tony Taters" has been very consistent, playing in 150 or more games the last three seasons. As reliable and easy to plug into the middle of your batting order as you'll see.
RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER
11. Pete Alonso 1B
Age: 30
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 2.5
Career bWAR: 19.8
Known mostly for his prodigious power, the Polar Bear played in all 162 games for the Mets but somehow also hit the least amount of home runs (34) and RBI (88) in a full season for his career. All things considered, it was a perfectly solid season- he slashed .240/.329/.459 with a career high 31 doubles. The defense leaves a lot to be desired but this is as consistent, dependable, premium RH power as you're ever going to find and a true middle of the order bat.
RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER
12. Gleyber Torres- 2B
Age: 28
2024 Team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 1.8
Career bWAR: 16.1
Hasn't lived up to the excellent performances he put up at ages 21 and 22 but was still an above average second baseman with the bat. His 2024 was his worst full season as a pro but he still hit .257/.330/.378 (.709 OPS) with 15 homers and 63 RBI and owns a career .774 OPS, well above average for a second baseman and still right in the middle of what should be his prime. Much stronger second half indicates that some bad luck may have been involved in addition to the pressures of playing in an intense market like New York. Well worth a gamble for a team in need of a second baseman.
13. Michael Wacha SP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: 3.5
Career bWAR: 16.6
After reviving his career in Boston back in 2022, Wacha has shown that it wasn't a fluke first with a solid season for the Padres in 2023, then with an even better follow-up in 2024 for the Royals. The big righty's changeup is an absolute weapon, and he utilized it en route to a 13-8 record with a 3.35 ERA, 1.194 WHIP, and 145 K/45 BB over 166.2 IP (29 starts). It was the most innings he's thrown since 2015 when he was still a 23-year-old with the Cardinals. Solid middle of the rotation veteran, though probably not someone to depend on as a workhorse.
RE-SIGNED: Kansas City Royals, $51 million/3 years + 1 year option ($72 million max), 11/3
14. Nathan Eovaldi SP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 2.2
Career bWAR: 21.0
Despite two Tommy John Surgeries earlier in his career, Eovaldi had a really nice end to his run in Boston followed by two very useful seasons with Texas that included an All-Star game, and a World Series title. Injuries are always going to be a concern for him but he actually had a fairly workhorse-like season in 2024, contributing 170.2 innings over 29 starts with a 3.80 ERA, 1.107 WHIP, and 166 K/42 BB. A solid veteran middle of the rotation piece for a contender who is aging but has shown he can still step up in the brightest spotlights.
15. Shane Bieber SP (R)
Age: 29
2024 Team: Cleveland Guardians
2024 bWAR: 0.7
Career bWAR: 17.7
2020 Cy Young winner made two starts in 2024 and then needed TJS. Velo had been down pretty noticeably, so this is hardly a surprising outcome. When healthy, this is a true frontline starter, but it's still hard to gauge how someone is going to look after not pitching for 18 months. Will likely get some kind of "prove it" deal from a team with a strong pitching program. Medium risk/high reward.
16. Christian Walker 1B
Age: 34
2024 Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: 2.6
Career bWAR: 15.1
Power hitter has been one of the steadier players at the position over the last three seasons averaging .250/.332/.481 with 32 homers and 94 RBI in that time while also winning a pair of Gold Gloves. In 2024, he was limited to 130 games, something to keep an eye on as he enters his mid-thirties, but this is a safe bet for power and defense at first base.
RECEIVED QUALIFYING OFFER
17. Ha-Seong Kim SS/2B
Age: 29
2024 Team: San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 2.6
Career bWAR: 15.3
Kim is an elite defender that holds his own with the bat and on the basepaths. In 2024, he slashed .233/.330/.370 with 11 homers, 47 RBI, 22 stolen bases, and 58 BB/77 K over 470 PA. A solid player with a wide range of skills but shoulder surgery at the end of the season makes him a riskier player than would have been expected at the beginning of the season.
18. Sean Manaea SP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 3.0
Career bWAR: 15.2
A back-of-the rotation starter for much of his career, Manaea found something in New York and will cash that in for a solid deal. The veteran lefty posted the best season of his career with a 12-6 record, 3.47 ERA, and 1.084 WHIP over 181.2 innings to go with 184 K/63 BB. As solid a lefty workhorse as you're going to find in this year's batch.
REJECTED QUALIFYING OFFER
19. Nick Martinez SP/RP (R)
2024 Team: Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: 4.0
Career bWAR: 8.7
For the third straight season was successful pitching as both a starter and a reliever. What differs for 2024 is that he started more (16 starts to 9 and 10 the previous two seasons) and had a career lowest ERA (3.10) and WHIP (1.026) in career high innings (142.1), with a career high in strikeouts (116) and a career low in walks (18) including a season where he only pitched 38.2 innings. Who knew not walking people would have such positive results? He'll almost certainly be paid to be a starter. The question now becomes can his arm handle the workload for a full season?
ACCEPTED QUALIFYING OFFER
20. Jurickson Profar OF
Age: 32
2024 Team: San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 3.7
Career bWAR: 8.5
Former top prospect in baseball brought his declining career back from the brink with far and away the best season of his career- .280/.380/.459 with 24 homers, 10 stolen bases, and 85 RBI to go with 76 BB/101 K. Not much with the glove and it's hard to imagine him having this level of success with a team other than the Padres but if a team thinks he can repeat something similar elsewhere, he'll command a nice salary worthy of a middle of the order bat.
21. Tanner Scott RP (L)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Miami Marlins + San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 4.0
Career bWAR: 8.6
Long one of those pitchers with tantalizing stuff but no idea where the ball was going out of his hand, Scott has figured it out over the last two seasons. In 2024 he was one of the best relievers in the game posting an impressive 1.75 ERA over 72 innings with a 1.125 WHIP and 84 K/36 BB. He also saved 22 games. This is the best reliever in the 2024 free agency class and maybe the best lefty reliever in the game.
22. Kirby Yates RP (R)
Age: 38
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 3.3
Career bWAR: 9.0
If not for Emmanuel Clase, Kirby Yates was probably the best closer in baseball, a stunning comeback for a man who needed Tommy John surgery late in his career. Along with ranking third in the AL with 33 saves, Yates had a pristine 1.17 ERA to go with a tidy 0.83 WHIP, .133 OBA, and 85 K/28 BB over 61.2 innings. Armed with a deadly splitter, the Hawaiian veteran allowed just 23 hits, only three of which were home runs. The only thing he has against him is his age. While it's probably a stretch to say he can do this again, he should be a solid ninth inning option for a contender and should easily command a two-year deal if he so desires.
Tier 3
23. Tyler O'Neill OF
Age: 29
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: 2.7
Career bWAR: 12.6
Oft-injured power hitter showed what happens when he can stay off the IL more than he's on it. When he was healthy, his power was prodigious- 31 homers in just 473 PA, although somehow, he only managed 61 RBI. As good as the power was in the big picture, the Canadian bodybuilder/outfielder went through long periods of inconsistency and dealt with multiple injuries. When the smoke cleared, he slashed .241/.336/.511 good for a .847 OPS. There are warts and risks that come with O'Neill, but the power makes him a genuine middle of the lineup home run threat. The key for him is staying healthy, something he's only managed once for a full season in his career.
24. Luis Severino SP (R)
Age: 31
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 1.6
Career bWAR: 13.4
After spending the last five years battling injuries with the Yankees, Luis Severino signed with the Mets and put together his first full season since 2018. Alongside 32 starts and 182 innings was a 3.91 ERA to go with 161 K/60 BB. Severino showed that he's still a solid middle-of-the-rotation option when healthy. The question is how long a team is willing to commit.
DECLINED QUALIFYING OFFER
25. Yusei Kikuchi SP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays + Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: 1.4
Career bWAR: 4.1
With the Blue Jays, Kikuchi was a mess. His fortunes changed with a deadline trade to the Houston Astros the results of with saw the Japanese lefty post a 2.70 ERA and 0.933 WHIP with 76 K/14 BB over 60 IP. The success revitalized his career and allowed him to finish with a respectable 4.05 ERA over 175.2 IP and 206 K/44 BB. A perfectly useful backend starter with the potential for more if the adjustments he made in Houston stick. Even if they don't, it's not like lefties that can throw high-90s heat grow on trees.
Brendan Rodgers 2B
Age: 28
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: 1.0
Career bWAR: 5.9
Stayed mostly healthy and put together a perfectly solid season- 539 PA, .267/.314/.407 (.721 OPS), 13 homers, and 54 RBI. A 31 BB/132 K ratio is a bit concerning, however. Defensively, he was the 2022 NL Gold Glove winner and still has a perfectly solid glove. One of the only viable starting second basemen in the class if he can stay healthy, a big if.
27. Joc Pederson OF
Age: 33
2024 Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: 2.9
Career bWAR: 15.1
On the one hand, he's a platoon guy who isn't often going to be seeing lefties, and lackluster defense means that he is probably best limited to DH. On the other hand, he absolutely mashed in 2024 slashing .275/.393/.515 (.908 OPS) with 23 homers over 449 PA, leading the NL with 18 HBP along the way. A veteran gamer with two World Series on his belts that does his job as well as anyone. Might not be able to repeat that OPS but there's plenty of juice in the bat regardless.
28. Carlos Estevez RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim + Philadelphia Phillies of Philadelphia
2024 bWAR: 2.1
Career bWAR: 4.8
Escaping the ERA hellscape that is Coors Field immediately paid dividends for Estevez as he made his first ever All-Star team in 2023 before getting traded to the Phillies where he helped carry their bullpen into the playoffs. The Dominican who shares a birth name with Charlie Sheen ended the season with a 2.45 ERA and 0.909 WHIP over 55 innings with 50 K/12 BB and 26 saves. The kind of reliever that can be used in a variety of roles, he should be in high demand.
29. Jeff Hoffman RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Philadelphia Phillies
2024 bWAR: 2.0
Career bWAR: 3.5
The ninth pick of the 2014 draft was lights out for the Phillies in 2023 and 2024 after bouncing around much of his career before that. This past season was the hard-throwing yet as he made the All-Star and posted a career best 2.17 ERA over 66.1 innings with 89 K/16 BB. Even earned 10 saves for good measure. One of the better setup men available with good enough stuff to be an effective closer.
30. Nick Pivetta SP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: 1.8
Career bWAR: 9.8
Inconsistent Canadian righty has excellent stuff but has never been able to put it all together for a full season. 2024 was more of the same as he posted a 4.14 ERA over 145.2 PA with 172 K/36 BB and a 1.126 WHIP. Intense and very competitive, Pivetta has proven to be a steady #4 starter but the days of dreaming for more than that may be over.
REJECTED QUALIFYING OFFER
31. Walker Buehler SP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 bWAR: -1.3
Career bWAR: 12.3
From 2018 to 2021 he was one of the best young arms in baseball, but injury and a rehab has sapped him of that shine. In 2024, he came back from his second Tommy John Surgery and the results weren't pretty- a 5.38 ERA and 1.553 WHIP over 75.1 innings. Has the kind of pedigree you don't give up on particularly given his strong postseason performance. Easy to see a world where he returns to form, easy to see a world where he gets hurt again. High risk/high reward.
32. Jose Quintana SP (L)
Age: 36
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 2.5
Career bWAR: 30.5
Crafty veteran had a big second half and continued his dominance into the playoffs for the surprising Mets. At the end of the season, the Colombian lefty's numbers were solid- 3.75 ERA over 170.1 innings with 135 K/63 BB although a 4.56 FIP indicates some luck, a 0.72 ERA over 25 innings in September shows he was able to make adjustments. Doesn't have much velocity but knows how to pitch and uses an assortment of breaking pitches to keep hitters off balance, something that somewhat alleviates concerns when it comes to his age. Has long been an under-the-radar solid starting pitcher but his second half did a lot to help his case for another multi-year contract.
Hyeseong Kim 2B
Age: 26
2024 Team: Kiwoom Heroes
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: N/A
The Korean infielder has won three Gold Glove equivalents and projects best at second base. He's a career .304/.364/.458 hitter in KBO and in 2024 posted a career high 11 homers and 75 RBI. Plenty of speed- he's stolen 20 or more bases in every season of his career. Tough to gauge how the bat will translate to the States, but he appears to have a fundamentally sound floor.
34. Tomoyuki Sugano SP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Yomiuri Giants
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: N/A
Veteran Japanese starter may be on the older side, but he was still absolutely nasty in 2024 going 15-3 with a 1.67 ERA, 0.945 WHIP, and 111 K/16 BB over 156.2 IP for the Yomiuri Giants. More of a pitch to contact armed with a fastball that tops out at 93 MPH, a slider, curveball, and fork ball. Excellent control should translate well stateside but tough to say if he'll be able to get by with mediocre velocity.
35. Jose Iglesias 2B/SS
Age: 35
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 3.1
Career bWAR: 14.8
Left for dead after a lost 2023, Iglesias rose from the ashes to help the Mets chase a pennant and along with the Grimace's first pitch, his ascension was perhaps the biggest turning moment of the Mets season, dazzling fans with his musical talents just as much as his bat. That wasn't a joke- he slashed .337/.381/.448 over 291 PA while providing steadfast defense mostly at second base but also shortstop and third base. Its a weak
36. Michael Lorenzen SP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Texas Rangers + Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: 2.6
Career bWAR: 11.9
For a guy that didn't sign until just before the Spring Training started, he sure pitched like a legitimate rotation piece. His 2023 was a mixed bag that saw him make an All-Star team but botch the landing at the end of the season. In 2024, he posted an impressive 3.31 ERA over 130.1 innings, but his 97 K/60 BB ratio is concerning, and a 4.89 FIP indicates quite a bit of luck. Nonetheless, he'll likely get another chance to prove the haters wrong. Prime option for a noncontender that wants a veteran to flip for prospects at the trade deadline- he's been used that way in each of the last two seasons.
37. Jesse Winker OF
Age: 31
2024 Team: Washington Nationals + New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 2.0
Career bWAR: 6.5
Left-handed bat first outfielder saved his career with a strong run with the rebuilding Nationals before being traded to the Mets for their playoff run. The end result was a good but not great .253/.360/.405 slash line with 14 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and 58 RBI. A far cry from the .949 OPS he put up in 2021 but still a useful player who can perform admirably as the greater half of a platoon.
38. Alex Verdugo OF
Age: 28
2024 Team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: 12.0
Did anyone light more money on fire this season with their performance than the talented but frustrating Alex Verdugo? Good fielder and makes plenty of contact but the power just hasn't come and despite (or perhaps because of) stints with three of the highest profile baseball teams in the league. 2024 was the worst offensive season of his professional career as he slashed a meager .233/.291/356 with 13 homers over 621 PA. He was mostly unable to take advantage of Yankee Stadium's short right field fence. His run with the Red Sox in which he averaged .281/.338/.424 is probably a better representation of his ability, and there's something to be said for his ability to remain on the field, but there are serious concerns about his maturity and professionalism.
39. Blake Treinan RP (R)
Age: 36
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 bWAR: 1.4
Career bWAR: 12.4
Missed most of 2022 and the entire 2023 season due to various injuries including surgery for a torn labrum and rotator cuff. Missed the first month of the 2024 season with a bruised lung but when he returned in early May, he picked up right where he left off- 46.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.943 WHIP, 11 BB/56 K. A medium risk/high reward pick coming off a strong pennant run. Excellent late inning reliever but does come with legitimate injury risk.
40. Clay Holmes RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 0.7
Career bWAR: 4.2
Lost his job as Yankee closer and probably quite a bit of money on the open market as a result in 2024 but just looking at the stats, he wasn't as bad as one might think reading New York media- 3.14 ERA, 3.02 FIP, 1.302 WHIP, 68 K/22 BB, 30 saves, 63 IP. There will be a team that looks at that and thinks that either his demise was exaggerated or that they can fix him. And they might be right.
41. David Robertson RP (R)
Age: 40
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 1.8
Career bWAR: 21.7
After effectively returning from the dead in 2021, Robertson revived his career and has been one of the better setup men, something he continued into 2024 with the Rangers by posting a 3.00 ERA over 72 innings with 99 K/27 BB and a 1.11 WHIP. He was limited to a mere two saves, but this is in part due to Kirby Yates stepping in as closer and somehow being even more effective. While the age is a concern, 2.65 FIP says he actually pitched even better than his ERA says.
42. Kenley Jansen RP (R)
Age: 37
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: 1.3
Career bWAR: 22
Pitched through a mixture of injuries and general frustration with his team's front office to do more of what we've become accustomed to- 3.29 ERA, 62 K/20 BB, 27 saves, 1.061 WHIP. Relied mostly on a cutter in 2024. Velocity has dropped a bit but he can still turn up the heat when he has to. Wasn't great outside of save situations so teams are probably best served to sign him with the intention of handing him the ninth inning. Potential Hall of Famer, the Curacao native is currently #4 all-time in career saves behind Lee Smith, a pitcher who is actually a very nice comparison.
Tier 4
43. Matt Boyd SP (L)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Cleveland Guardians
2024 bWAR: 0.7
Career bWAR: 9.9
At one time a highly regarded potential foundation piece for the Tigers, Boyd potentially saved his career after three straight years of injury with a strong finish to the 2024 season for the Guardians- 8 starts, 39.2 IP, 2.72 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 1.134 WHIP, 46 K/13 BB. He was a valuable part of their rotation in the postseason as well. That'll play, although he may have to settle for a one year "prove it" deal given how injuries have been such an issue over the years.
44. Trevor Williams SP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Washington Nationals
2024 bWAR: 2.6
Career bWAR: 8.7
Never considered an especially exciting pitcher, Williams was a monster in 2024 posting a 2.03 ERA and 1.035 WHIP which were supported by a 2.79 FIP indicating that while some luck was involved, he was nonetheless impressive. The downside? He only made 13 starts (66.2 innings) as he dealt with a righty flexor strain that kept him on the IL from late June until late September. Probably won't get anywhere close to repeating that, but if healthy he has the floor of an innings eater with the upside of a #3 starter.
45. Paul Goldschmidt- 1B
Age: 37
2024 Team: St Louis Cardinals
2024 bWAR: 1.3
Career bWAR: 62.8
Goldschmidt has had an excellent career and very well may be enshrined in Cooperstown someday, but his age finally started showing in 2024 as he had easily the worst season of his career- .245/.302/.414 with 33 doubles, 22 homers, 11 stolen bases and 65 RBI. The 2022 NL MVP will certainly have suitors but it's far from certain that he can rediscover something resembling his past form. Past his prime, but not done yet.
46. Andrew Kittredge RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: St. Louis Cardinals
2024 bWAR: 1.5
Career bWAR: 4.2
Righty reliever was a beast in 2024 for the Cardinals- 70.2 IP, 2.80 ERA, 1.132 WHIP, 67 K/20 BB. Fully recovered from 2022 TJS. Had been an All-Star prior to that in 2021. hard. Legit setup arm. Biggest downside comes from his age.
47. Carlos Santana 1B
Age: 39
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: 2.5
Career bWAR: 38
Veteran switch-hitter was a steady part of the Twins offense in 2024 slashing .238/.328/.420 with 26 doubles, 23 homers, and 71 RBI while playing Gold Glove defense at first. He even went 4-for-4 in stolen bases for good measure. He's on the older side to be certain, but Santana can more than hold his own. This is the kind of one-year plug-in you use as a starter when you don't have anyone in the organization and then trade at the deadline and get a decent prospect for if your team falls out of contention.
Travis d'Arnaud C
Age: 36
2024 Team: Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: 1.1
Career bWAR: 8.4
Veteran power-hitting catcher had a solid season that saw him slash .238/.302/.436 with 15 homers and 48 RBI over 341 PA. It came as something of a surprise when the Braves didn't pick up on his option, but their loss is someone else's gain. His age obviously presents some concerns but defensively, he's fine and there aren't many catchers out there with his kind of power.
SIGNED: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, $12 million/2 years, 11/12
Clayton Kershaw SP (L)
Age: 37
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 79.4
Oft-injured future Hall of Famer is going to return to the Dodgers but as he is still technically a free agent, he needs to be included on the list.
Jorge Polanco 2B
Age: 31
2024 Team: Seattle Mariners
2024 bWAR: 1.3
Career bWAR: 18.5
Had been steadily in decline since 2022, Polanco's season in Seattle was the toughest of his career. The switch-hitting second baseman slashed a meager .213/.296/.355 with 16 home runs in 469 PA. Plenty of good hitters have imploded in Seattle and he's a perfectly fine defender so he'll get a shot somewhere, but Polanco's market value is currently at an all-time low making him a good but for a noncontender who can afford him the playing time to rebuild his stock, then flip him at the deadline for prospects.
Andrew Heaney SP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: 8.6
Unsexy but perfectly serviceable, Heaney made 31 starts (160 innings) with a 4.28 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 159 K/41 BB. He's been that level of pitcher for a few years now- a solid #4 or #5 lefty that will eat innings and stay healthy. No more but also no less.
Kyle Finnegan RP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Washington Nationals
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 3.3
Quietly earned 38 saves during a season that saw him make an All-Star team for the first time. The Texas State product had a 3.68 ERA over 63.2 IP with 60 K/24 BB. Despite a somewhat late start to his career, Finnegan has been very consistent. Probably better used in a setup role but know that he can close successfully if needed is a nice bonus.
53. Harrison Bader OF
Age: 30
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 1.1
Career bWAR: 13.2
An excellent defender, Bader's career slash line of .242/.284/.373 is very representative of his capacity as a hitter. He hit 12 homers and stole 17 bases over 437 PA in 2024. Perfectly useful as a glove first centerfield option but also not really someone to build around.
Jakob Junis RP
Age: 32
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers + Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: 1.8
Career bWAR: 8.8
Excellent season as a swingman pitching in whatever role was needed of him which is how he ended up for six starts and a save. Combined between the Brewers and the Reds he had a 2.69 ERA over 67 innings with a 0.851 WHIP and 51 K/8 BB. His 3.69 FIP points to a bit of luck but even with that, his impressive capacity for strike throwing and low WHIP make him a desirable option for many bullpens.
Yoan Moncada 3B
Age: 30
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 14.3
Former top prospect hasn't lived up to the hype though he hasn't been a total bust with strong 2019 and 2021 seasons. Since then, he's gotten hurt a lot, missing significant parts of 2022 and 2023 and most of 2024. The talent may very well still be there, but he's got to figure out how to stay on the field first and foremost if he wants to keep his career going. Getting out of the hell on earth that is the White Sox clubhouse can only help him.
Kyle Hart SP (L)
Age: 32
2024 Team: NC Dinos
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: -0.9
All but left for dead with but a small cup of coffee in 2020, Kyle Hart went to Korea and dominated the league going 13-3 with a 2.69 ERA, 1.032 WHIP and 182 K/38 BB over 157 IP. His 182 strikeouts are a KBO record. We've seen some guys return from Korea like Erick Fedde and Miles Mikolas. Can Hart be the next one?
Eloy Jimenez OF
Age: 28
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox + Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: -0.7
Career bWAR: 4.9
Let's just get this out of the way- Jimenez was terrible in 2024. Like really bad. He couldn't stay healthy, and his only real carrying tool, his power, was totally drained. The historically bad White Sox pawned him off to the Orioles at the deadline but there wasn't much of a change in performance. He ended the season slashing .238/.289/.336 over 349 PA. The reason that he's this high up is that he's still very young for a guy hitting his first season of free agency, doesn't strike out much for a guy with his power profile, and has had success in the league before including a rookie season in which he hit 31 homers, and a nice two year period from 2022-2023 where he averaged a .797 OPS with 17 HR over 408 PA. Injuries are a factor but getting him into a less dysfunctional organization where he can focus on his hitting could turn him into the 2025 equivalent of what the Red Sox did for Tyler O'Neill.
58. Max Kepler OF
Age: 32
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: 1.0
Career bWAR: 20.7
German-born outfielder bounced back in a big way in 2023 but regressed in 2024, in part due to injury. A respectable but ultimately disappointing .253/.302/.380 over 399 PA. When healthy, a solid lefty bat who provides power and strong defense. His health history makes that far from a certainty, and he's not getting any younger. Best utilized in the larger part of a platoon at this point.
59. Randal Grichuk OF
Age: 33
2024 Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: 2.2
Career bWAR: 14.6
Quietly, Grichuk put up a great season albeit in a limited role. The veteran Texan slashed an excellent .291/.348/.528 with 12 homers and 46 RBI in just 279 PA after signing late and for just $2 million with the D-Backs. Nothing special with the defense but he absolutely mashed lefties (.914 OPS over 184 PA in 2024) and did respectively enough against righties (.801 OPS) that he's the perfect fourth outfielder for a team in need of an RH bat.
60. Max Scherzer SP (R)
Age: 40
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 0.4
Career bWAR: 75.4
When he was pitching, Scherzer was perfectly serviceable for the Texas Rangers making nine starts with a 3.95 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. As you probably assumed from the amount of starts, he spent too much of the season injured to be much of an asset, particularly given how much the team was paying for him. The future Hall of Famer still has plenty to offer, the question is if his body will allow him to.
61. Lance Lynn SP (R)
Age: 38
2024 Team: St Louis Cardinals
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 30.0
Despite finishing the season on the IL it was an overall successful rebound season for Lance Lynn who after a dreadful 2023, was able to return to something that resembled his previous form as he made 23 starts posting a 3.84 ERA over 117.1 IP with 109 K/44 BB. By no means should he be expected to be the workhorse he was at times in the past but he can still be a perfectly stable #4 type veteran starter.
62. Charlie Morton SP (R)
Age: 41
2024 team: Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: 1.1
Career bWAR: 17.3
Veteran righty did what he's quietly done for most of his career which is eat a lot of quality innings. His numbers were down compared to an excellent 2023 but he still made 30 starts for the sixth season in a row (not counting the shortened 2020 season) while posting a respectable 4.19 ERA with 167 K/65 BB. Might retire if he doesn't return to Atlanta.
63. Justin Verlander SP (R)
Age: 42
2024 Team: Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 80.6
After far and away the worst season of his career, it might be the end of the line for a man who will certainly go down as one of the best pitchers of his generation. With that said, it has been said that he rushed his recovery from a neck injury and has a desire to come back and pitch in 2025 so there's still hope and considering his reputation, there will almost certainly be teams interested in his services. He's got the pedigree and isn't someone wise to underestimate. Unfortunately, neither is father time.
64. Michael Conforto OF
Age: 32
2024 Team: San Francisco Giants
2024 bWAR: 1.3
Career bWAR: 17.6
Power returned in his second season with the Giants as he slashed .237/.309/.450 with 27 doubles, 20 home runs, and 66 RBI in 488 PA. Might never get back to what he was in his mid-20s with the Mets but can still be a useful piece for a team in need of right-handed power.
Kyle Gibson SP (R)
Age: 37
2024 Team: St Louis Cardinals
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 15.7
As steady an innings eater as you're going to find, the back of his baseball card will never stand out, but he's been good for 30 starts just about every year with 150+ innings. In 2024, the Twins 2009 first round draft pick went 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA and 151 K/68 BB over 169.2 IP. About what to expect with the caveat that he's entering his late thirties. Repeating 30 starts isn't a guarantee.
Justin Turner 1B/3B
Age: 40
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays + Seattle Mariners
2024 bWAR: 1.4
Career bWAR: 38.2
Veteran RH bat is a fierce competitor with elite leadership skills. Old but crafty, he still brings a lot of value to a team. The bat's still alive, although not as impressive as his lofty career norms (.259/.354/.383, 11 HR, 55 RBI, 539 PA). He was much better, rejuvenated even, after a deadline trade from the lifeless Blue Jays to a Seattle Mariners team in the middle of a playoff drive. Though he should probably be a DH full time, he can play the corners and even second base in a pinch. Declining but not done yet.
67. AJ Minter RP (L)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: 1.1
Career bWAR: 5.7
Hard-throwing lefty had another solid season despite dealing with a pesky hip issue that caused him to shut down early. Was nonetheless effective when healthy to the tune of a 2.62 ERA over 38.1 IP with 35 K/11 BB. A higher FIP of 4.45 points to some good luck but that may be in part because of the hip injury which he has since received surgery for.
68. Donovan Solano 3B/1B
Age: 37
2024 Team: San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 7.5
Perpetually underestimated, all Donovan Solano did for the sixth straight season is sign late and perform more than admirably, this time slashing .286/.343/.417 over 309 PA with the exact same .760 OPS he posted the previous year, and a career high eight home runs for good measure. Doesn't add much defensively but can hold his own at both corners. Despite his advancing age, this is still a very useful player in the right role.
69. Frankie Montas SP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Cincinnati Reds + Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: 0.6
Career bWAR: 7.6
The best thing you can say about Montas's 2024 is that he stayed healthy for the first time since 2021. Otherwise, it was a pretty mixed bag as the Dominican righty's 4.84 ERA with 148 K/66 BB over 150.1 innings left a lot to be desired. He was a little better after a midseason trade to the Brewers but as things currently stand, it's hard to imagine him regaining his pre-shoulder surgery form and being more than a back of the rotation option.
70. Spencer Turnbull SP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Philadelphia Phillies
2024 bWAR: 1.2
Career bWAR: 5.4
Returned from the dead to pitch very effectively results in a swingman role for the Phillies on a $2 million/1 year deal- 2.65 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 1.049 WHIP, 58 K/20 BB, 54.1 IP, before going down with a lat strain in late June and missing the rest of the season. Could conceivably pitch as either a starter or reliever due to pitch mix. While the velocity was down a bit, that could pick back up if to the pen. An intriguing reclamation project.
71. Jose Leclerc RP (R)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 7.4
Hard-throwing righty was somewhat unlucky in 2024 (4.32 ERA to 3.48 FIP) but still racked up a ton of strikeouts (88 K over 66.2 IP). The control will always be a concern but a 3.27 career ERA over 360.1 career innings shows he can get guys out fairly consistently. He's also got 41 career saves, a nice bonus if he's needed in the ninth inning.
72. Jorge Lopez RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: New York Mets + Chicago Cubs
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 0.4
The 2022 All-Star has bounced around the league a bit, but 2024 was unquestionably his strangest season. Signed with the Mets and did okay with them (26.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 19 K/11 BB) only to get cut after getting ejected during a blowout and calling the Mets the "worst team in all of [expletive] MLB". The Mets went on to salvage their season, going on an exciting run and making it all the way to the NLCS. Fortunately for Lopez, that's not the ending of the story. He ended up getting signed by the Cubs and pitching his ass off for the rest of the way- 26.2 IP, 2.03 ERA, 31 K/8 BB. Combined, he posted a very nice 2.89 ERA over 53 innings with 50 K/19 BB, and four saves. Probably won't be signing with the Mets again, but this is a solid righty setup man. The kind of psycho that thrives in controversy.
73. Chris Martin RP (R)
Age: 38
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: 7.8
Missed time with mental and physical injuries but when the smoke cleared, the tall righty had put up another perfectly solid season primarily as a setup man- 3.45 ERA, 1.128 WHIP, 50 strikeouts, and perhaps most impressively, a mere two unintentional walks in 45.1 innings. Very solid piece when healthy which at this point isn't a given. Likely to retire after the 2025 season ends.
74. Aroldis Chapman RP (L)
Age: 37
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: 0.4
Career bWAR: 20.8
We all know the deal with him at this point. More of the same from him in 2024- 3.79 ERA, 98 K/39 BB, 61.2 IP, 14 saves. Probably past his prime but this is still a solid backend reliever. Unfortunately, lots of personal baggage as well to go along with that.
75. Tommy Kahnle RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: 4.1
Veteran thrower of many changeups always seems to spend a good amount of time on the IL but was nonetheless solid in a setup role in 2024 posting a 2.11 ERA over 42.2 IP with a 1.148 WHIP and 46 K/19 BB. It was actually his most innings pitched in a season since 2019.
76. Carson Kelly C
Age: 30
2024 Team: Detroit Tigers + Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 3.9
Reputation as a strong defender makes him someone very desirable as a #2 catcher. As far as his bat, Kelly slashed .238/.313/.374 with nine homers over 313 PA. Not world beating but certainly good enough particularly for a catcher.
77. Danny Jansen C
Age: 28
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays + Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: 0.7
Career bWAR: 8.8
Defensively sound backup catcher with notable RH power. Jansen probably has the ability to be a successful #1, but injury and underperformance have lowered his status a bit. Might be looking for a starting job for a lesser team to use as a trampoline into 2026. Age is his ally, but it won't last much longer. Highly motivated for a bounce back.
78. Kyle Higashioka C
Age: 35
2024 Team: San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 1.4
Career bWAR: 2.2
Massive power in his RH bat, Higashioka hit a career high 17 home runs in just 263 plate appearances in 2024. There's a lot of swing and miss in his game and not the best eye (15 BB/74 K) which led to an unbalanced .220/.263/.476 slash line that indicates he'd likely be overexposed in a full-time role. Nonetheless, the pop and solid enough defense make him a valuable second catcher for any team. Picked a good time to have the best season of his career.
79. Jacob Stallings C
Age: 35
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: 1.7
Career bWAR: 6.4
Glove-first catcher hit much better than his career norms in 2024 perhaps in part because half of his games were played at Coors Field. Regardless of the cause, the UNC product set career highs in OPS (.810) and home runs (9). Good fit as a one-year mercenary.
RE-SIGNED: Colorado Rockies, $2.5 million/1 year + 2026 $2 Million mutual option, 11/20
Ramon Laureano OF
Age: 30
2024 Team: Cleveland Guardians + Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: 1.3
Career bWAR: 13.9
Bat took a step forward after joining the Braves as he slashed .296/.327/.505 with 10 home runs over 226 PA. Unsightly 8 BB/64 K implies regression, but the defense is still solid and should do enough to be a useful fourth outfielder.
Elias Diaz C
Age: 34
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies + San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 1.3
Career bWAR: 5.7
The 2023 All-Star MVP was unceremoniously released by the dysfunctional, bottom-dwelling Rockies despite a perfectly solid season for a catcher. He caught on with the Padres and ended the season slashing.265/.313/.382 with 20 doubles and six homers over 351 PA. A solid defensive catcher who won't hurt you with the bat.
82. Gary Sanchez C
Age: 32
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: 15.0
Power hitting catcher doesn't have much of a hit tool but has improved his defense over the years and can help just about any team at a position that often leaves a lot to be desired offensively. More of the same for him in 2025- a mercenary catcher that can also DH when needed.
83. Michael Soroka SP (R)
Age: 27
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: 0.6
Career bWAR: 6.2
2019 NL Rookie of the Year Runner-up was traded to the White Sox after multiple seasons of injury and underperformance. While both of those trends continued, the Canadian righty's fastball showed a little bit more oomph to it and his strikeout rate improved to the highest of his career. Unfortunately, his walk rate increased as well and injuries took their toll. He posted a 4.74 ERA with 84 K/44 BB over 79.2 IP, far and away the best season he's had since that rookie campaign. A project to be certain but he's reversed his trajectory. Good target for a rebuilding team on a one-year deal.
84. Enrique Hernandez UT
Age: 33
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 bWAR: 1.3
Career bWAR: 17.7
Postseason hero was a monster for the Dodgers in October where he has thrived over his career. With the exception of 2021, his 2024 regular season was fairly standard for him- 393 PA, .229/.281/.373 slash line, 12 homers, 42 RBI. Lots of defensive versatility, he spent the most time at 3B in 2024 and also pitched 4.1 innings in blowouts posting a 4.15 ERA. A quality utility player with the bonus of excellent postseason play for whatever reason.
Andrew Chafin RP (L)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Detroit Tigers + Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 7.3
A nice rebound for Chafin after a rough 2023. The well-mustached lefty had a 3.51 ERA over 56.1 IP with 70 K/31 BB and supported by a 3.54 FIP. What you see is what you get from him which is a perfectly solid veteran lefty.
Austin Hays OF
Age: 29
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles + Philadelphia Phillies
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: 9.1
Injuries derailed his 2024 after an All-Star 2023 campaign including a strained calf and a kidney infection. He was unceremoniously traded to the Phillies and then non-tendered. The hitting was uninspiring when he was on the field (.255/.303/.396 with five home runs over 255 PA) and his defense regressed badly. Maybe it was all injury related. Someone will take a bet on that.
87. Alex Cobb SP (R)
Age: 37
2024 Team: San Francisco Giants + Cleveland Guardians
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 19.5
Veteran righty was traded to the Guardians before getting into a single game with the Giants, pitched fairly effectively in three starts in Cleveland, then got hurt again and was shut down until making a start in game 3 of the ALDS. While 2024 was a lost season, there's still some talent here and surely, he'll have opportunities if he so desires to continue playing. A perfectly valid rehabilitation pitcher with medium risk, medium reward.
88. Paul Sewald RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: 3.2
It was a rough season for Las Vegas native Sewald. After having a nice run in Seattle that saw him become their closer, he was initially very effective with the Diamondbacks. Perhaps the extra work of a pennant run tired him out but after starting the season hurt, he never really got it all together, losing his closer role by the end of the season and posting a disappointing 4.31 ERA over 39.2 innings with 43 K/10 BB and a 1.134 WHIP to go with 16 saves. Good buy-low candidate for a noncontender in need of a veteran bullpen presence they can potentially move at the deadline for prospects.
Hoby Milner RP (L)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 1.7
Lefty with a funky delivery had an excellent 2023 but fell back to earth the next season
2023: 64.1 IP, 1.82 ERA, 59 K/13 BB, 0.964 WHIP, 3.13 FIP
2024: 64.2 IP, 4.73 ERA, 64 K/14 BB, 1.191 WHIP, 3.14 FIP
Relievers sure are a volatile bunch! A few more hits fall and their ERA skyrockets. FIP was consistent and says his 2025 should be somewhere between the two.
90. Amed Rosario UT
Age: 29
2024 Team: Tampa Bay Rays + Los Angeles Dodgers + Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 10.2
Despite being around eight seasons, he's still in his 20s and still more-or-less the same hitter he's always been albeit with slightly less power. He was much better with Tampa and kind of floundered after a trade to the Dodgers and subsequent acquisition by the Reds. Combined, he slashed .280/.306/.380 with 18 doubles, three homers, and 13 stolen bases over 346 PA. Not sexy but not bad either.
Colin Rea SP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: 1.2
Career bWAR: 1.4
Solid innings eater in 2024- 12-6 W/L, 167.2 innings, 4.29 ERA, 1.264 WHIP, 4.75 FIP, 135 K/43 BB. He even picked up a save in one of the five games he worked out of the bullpen. Isn't going to overpower anyone but he has six pitches to keep hitters off balance and throws plenty of strikes. Back of the rotation option.
Colin Poche RP (L)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Tampa Bay Rays
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 2.1
Another Tampa pitching factory success story. After an excellent 2023, his 2024 wasn't as good. He dealt with back and shoulder injuries that limited him to 37.1 innings and his ERA skyrocketed from 2.23 to 3.86. Will look to show he's healthy again in 2025.
93. Kevin Newman UT
Age: 31
2024 Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: 2.2
Career bWAR: 4.8
Under-the-radar put up a solid season with the Diamondbacks, albeit with minimal power. Good defender. Showed there was still a little life left in the bat by slashing .278/.311/.375 with 17 doubles, three homers and eight stolen bases over 311 PA. Probably best if a bench option, but he holds his own.
SIGNED: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, TBD/1 year + 2026 club option, 11/14
94. Danny Coulombe RP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 3.8
Veteran lefty was hurt for a good portion of 2024 but very effective when healthy (0.674 WHIP, 2.12 ERA, 32 K, 29.2 IP). Ended the season in good form. Perfectly solid second lefty in an MLB pen. Late bloomer.
95. Buck Farmer RP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: 1.7
Career bWAR: 4.3
His name is Buck and he's here to f- party. The veteran righty has quietly put together a nice run with the Reds but 2024 was easily the best season of his career as he put together a reliable 3.04 ERA with 70 K/29 BB over 71 innings. His 4.00 FIP indicates some good luck, but he's shown himself to be a dependable middle innings option.
96. Andrew McCutchen OF
Age: 38
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: 49.3
It'll be a shocker if Cutch signs anywhere but Pittsburgh. Nonetheless, he's still technically a free agent and must be included on the list.
Cal Quantrill SP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: 1.6
Career bWAR: 8.2
Survived a season at Coors Field, no easy feat particularly for someone that doesn't miss many bats, even if the numbers were underwhelming- 148.1 innings over 29 starts, 4.98 ERA, 110 K/68 BB (the walks led the NL), 5.32 FIP, 1.517 WHIP. Something to be said for staying healthy, just don't expect anything better than a back of the rotation performance.
98. Yimi Garcia RP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays + Seattle Mariners
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 2.7
Quietly a solid setup man for a few years now, Garcia was good for the Blue Jays (2.70 ERA, 30 IP, 42 K/ 8 BB, 5 saves) before getting dealt to Seattle, pitching poorly (6.00 ERA, 9 IP) and going on the IL with elbow inflammation to unceremoniously end his season in late August. Should be a good bet to get a nice MLB deal but might only get one year and middle reliever money based on how his season ended. Useful all the same.
Phil Maton RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Tampa Bay Rays + New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 0.8
Mediocre in Tampa, a trade to the Mets did wonders for Maton as he became a key part of their bullpen down the stretch. When all was said and done, the Louisiana Tech alum had a 3.66 ERA over 64 innings with 60 K/24 BB. Steady veteran best utilized in middle relief.
Josh Rojas 3B/2B
Age: 31
2024 Team: Seattle Mariners
2024 bWAR: 2.1
Career bWAR: 6.0
Strong defender doesn't have a great bat but does take his share of walks and has just enough pop. Reliable veteran bench piece that hopefully doesn’t need to be more than that.
101. Ryan Yarborough RP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers + Toronto Blue Jays
2024 bWAR: 1.2
Career bWAR: 4.5
Soft tossing lefty pitches like your dad playing wiffle ball but manages to get guys out all the same. Was excellent in a long relief role in 2024- 98.2 IP, 3.19 ERA, 1.034 WHIP, 65 K/32 BB. Stuff isn't overpowering so he has to rely on command and inducing bad contact. We could very well be looking at this generation's Rich Hill or Jamie Moyer, not in his ceiling but in his ability to get guys out well into his 40s.
102. Paul Dejong INF
Age: 31
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox + Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 13.5
Something of a comeback season. Dejong signed quickly with the White Sox and performed well enough to get traded to the Royals where he fared much better defensively, spending most of his time at third base rather than shortstop. The overall line wasn't great (.227/.276/.427) and his 23 BB/156 K ration is downright ugly, but the 24 homers over 482 PA and ability to play up the middle gives him a degree of value.
Bryan De La Cruz OF
Age: 28
2024 Team: Miami Marlins + Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: -1.5
Career bWAR:
Regressed badly in 2024 after showing steady growth early in his career. Over 622 PA he slashed .233/.271/.384 with 21 homers, 68 RBI, and 29 BB/170 K. Struck out too much and barely walked. Power was fine enough, and he stays on the field which is important. Unfortunately, his defense is a problem. Was more mediocre than bad before a trade to the Pirates saw his season implode. A good buy-low pick for a non-contender that can be flipped at the deadline if he turns it around.
Bryse Wilson RP (R)
Age: 27
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 0.9
Followed up his excellent 2023 with a more generic 2024 in which he worked as a swingman making nine starts (34 appearances) and putting up a 4.04 ERA over 104.2 innings with a 1.271 WHIP, and 82 K/31 BB although his 5.09 FIP points to quite a bit of luck. The regression was expected given his 4.13 FIP from a 2.58 ERA in 2023. We'll see if he regresses further given a similar ERA/FIP differential.
105. JD Martinez DH
Age: 37
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 30.5
Still has a little juice in the bat but his .235/.320/.406 slash line with just 16 homers and 69 RBI over 495 PA was the worst he's had since 2013. Mix that with his age and lack of defense and it's hard to imagine a lot of teams chomping at the bit for his services. Nonetheless, his reputation as basically being an additional hitting coach and past success will likely land him another opportunity if he wants it. Wouldn't count him out just yet.
106. Gio Urshela UT
Age: 33
2024 Team: Detroit Tigers + Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: 0.6
Career bWAR: 9.6
Strong defender was mediocre with the Tigers (.619 OPS) but after Austin Riley went down, the Braves picked him up and he filled in admirably (.711 OPS). When all was said and done, he slashed .250/.286/.361 with nine homers and 52 RBI over 461 PA. Useful veteran bench piece that can start in a pinch, but the value comes more from his glove than his bat.
107. Josh Bell 1B
Age: 32
2024 Team: Miami Marlins + Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 8.7
Switch-hitting veteran was below mediocre the first half of the season before turning it on after a deadline trade to the Diamondbacks. When all was said and done, he had slashed .249/.319/.405 with 19 homers and 71 RBI. A useful enough player because of his professional bat and ability to stay on the field but there's a reason he's been traded in each of the last three seasons. Expect more of the same.
108. Hector Neris RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Chicago Cubs + Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 10.1
Happy Hector has had a fine career but 2024 was not his best season. The Dominican righty followed up a career best 2023 with something of a stinker- a 4.10 ERA over 59.1 innings, 64/28 BB, and 18 saves doesn't sound putrid in a vacuum. The fact was that he went into the season as the Cubs closer and ended up released before the middle of August. A disappointing year, but his history will certainly get him another opportunity and deservedly so.
109. Martin Perez SP (L)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates + San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 14.5
More of the same from Perez in 2024 who very much is what he is at this point. The Venezuelan lefty made 26 starts and posted a 4.53 ERA over 135 innings with 107 K/49 BB. He was a bit better after a deadline trade to the Padres though his FIP between both teams were basically the same, so some luck was likely involved. Expect more of the same in 2025 for the pitch-to-bad-contact innings eater. The poor man's Andrew Heaney.
Dylan Carlson OF
Age: 26
2024 Team: St Louis Cardinals + Tampa Bay Rays
2024 bWAR: -1.2
Career bWAR: 4.3
Switch-hitting former top prospect hit a wall after 3.1 bWAR rookie campaign and hasn't recovered. 2024 was his worst season yet as his defense fell off and his bat got even worse. Still young enough to bounce back but needs an opportunity. A lot to prove, a lot to lose if he can't.
111. Thairo Estrada UT
Age: 29
2024 Team: San Francisco Giants
2024: bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 4.4
Very solid in 2022 and 2023 averaging .266/.319/.408 with 14 homers and 22 stolen bases over 536 PA. This was not the case in 2024 as the Venezuelan infielder regressed to .217/.247/.343 as well as his fielding go kaput. An interesting buy-low reclamation project given the weak middle infield group in this year's class. At the very least, he provides some positional versatility. Best case scenario, he re-finds his form and is a starting second baseman.
112. James McCann C
Age: 35
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: 0.7
Career bWAR: 8.1
A 2019 All-Star, McCann got a nice fat contract with the Mets in 2021 and promptly forgot how to hit. He's been a little better since joining the Orioles slashing .228/.274/.382 with 14 homers over 459 PA in his last two seasons. That's fine for a glove first #2 catcher.
Genesis Cabrera RP (L)
Age: 28
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: -0.3
Badass name aside, he had a pretty darn solid season pitching out of the Toronto pen, posting a 3.59 ERA over 62.2 innings and even picking up a couple of saves. Unfortunately, his other metrics aren't so good- 1.468 WHIP, 5.13 FIP, 50 K/29 BB. Young, live arm but there's reason to expect some regression.
Austin Voth RP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Seattle Mariners
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 1.2
Good season as a middle reliever- 61 IP, 3.69 ERA, 61 K/18 BB, 1.049 WHIP, 4.12 FIP. Gave up nine homers which explains the ERA not being better. Useful and experienced big league pen piece though not well suited for leverage innings as things currently stand.
115. Yasmani Grandal C
Age: 36
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: 0.6
Career bWAR: 20.3
The switch-hitting catcher missed a lot of time with injury but put together a good enough season when healthy- 243 PA, .228/.304/.400, nine homers, 24 RBI. Hard to expect a full return to the form that made him a two-time All-Star given his age, but Grandal can still get the job done in a backup role.
116. Whit Merrifield UT
Age: 36
2024 Team: Philadelphia Phillies + Atlanta Braves
2024: bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 18.2
Two-hit Whit had a resurgent 2023 but flopped badly in 2024 posting a pitiful .572 OPS over 174 PA before unceremoniously being let go. It looked like it could be the end for the three-time All-Star but he was one of the many benefactors of Atlanta's injury woes, performing to a much more respectable .684 OPS in 161 PA. While he's clearly no longer a starter, his ability to put bat to ball, steal bases (17 for 20 in 2024), and play multiple positions make him a useful bench option.
117. Mark Canha- OF/1B
Age: 36
2024 Team: Detroit Tigers + San Francisco Giants
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 15.2
Veteran RH bat probably isn't a starter anymore but he's the kind of professional hitter who's useful off the bench due to his ability to get on-base and play 1B and the outfield competently. Very good at getting hit by pitches.
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Age: 35
2024 Team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: 39.8
Rough season. Rizzo fractured his right forearm in June and was out until September. Then he got hit by a pitch in September and broke two fingers. When he wasn't dealing with broken bones, he was struggling at the plate. The previously steady hitter slashed a disappointing .228/.301/.335 with 8 homers in about half a season. Appears to be in the twilight of his career.
119. Adam Ottavino RP (R)
Age: 39
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 14.9
Veteran slider merchant was perfectly fine for the Mets. Despite throwing 5.2 more innings in 2023, his strikeouts were up (from 62 to 70) were down (29 to 23) but unfortunately his ERA also went up (3.21 to 4.34) while his FIP went down (4.52 to 3.67). What this all means is that he was basically the same pitcher in 2024 that he was in 2023 but was a bit unluckier. No reason not to expect more of the same unless he decides to retire, always a possibility given his age.
120. Tim Hill RP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox + New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 0.4
Career bWAR: 0.1
Lefty with a funky delivery. Sucked with the White Sox (who didn't?) but was pretty solid after joining the Yankees. Barely strikes anyone out but the aforementioned funky delivery helps initiate weak contact. When all was said and done, he'd posted a 3.36 ERA over 67 innings with 19 BB/31 K. Worth noting that his post-trade numbers were a much better 2.05 ERA over 44 IP. His FIP flip flopped between bad luck in Chicago and good luck in New York. While he obviously doesn't miss many bats, Hill is a perfectly useful #2 lefty in a major league bullpen.
Drew Smyly RP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Chicago Cubs
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 12.0
Veteran lefty moved to the bullpen fulltime and did a perfectly fine job at a distance- 58.2 IP, 3.84 ERA, 1.398 WHIP, 56 K/25 BB. The peripherals are a bit less encouraging as he walked batters at a higher rate, struck out less, and had a 4.91 FIP.
122. Hunter Strickland RP (R)
Age: 36
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: 1.0
Career bWAR: 5.8
Veteran righty didn't pitch a single MLB game in 2023 but threw 73.1 mostly quality innings for the Angels bullpen, reviving his career with a 3.31 ERA and 1.091 WHIP. His 24 BB/57 K ratio says he's turned into a pitch-to-contact type and 4.45 FIP speaks to significant luck but he's a veteran who showed he can still play a valuable role in an MLB bullpen eating up middle innings.
Caleb Ferguson RP (L)
Age: 28
2024 Team: New York Yankees + Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 0.7
Ferguson pitched with a pair of American League division winners in 2024. While he wasn't outstanding, he held his own posting a 4.64 ERA with 67 K/25 BB and a 1.491 WHIP over 54.1 innings. A 3.74 FIP indicates some poor luck and that he improved after a trade to Astros gives him some nice positive momentum.
124. Dylan Floro RP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Washington Nationals + Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: 4.9
Was really good with the Nationals (2.06 ERA, 2.63 FIP, 1.053 WHIP, 40 K/13 BB, 52.1 IP). Was really, really bad after a deadline trade to the Diamondbacks (9.37 ERA, 6.29 FIP, 1.653 WHIP, 8 K/4 BB, 16.1 IP) to the point that he got released in the middle of a playoff race. Didn't appear to be any injury so it's hard to say what happened in Phoenix. Will look for another opportunity similar to the one he signed with the Nationals last year.
125. David Peralta OF
Age: 37
2024 Team: San Diego Padres
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: 16.4
Had a nice little season for the Padres as a bench outfielder that saw him slash .267/.335/.415 with eight home runs over 260 PA. Doesn't hit against lefties and isn't a starter anymore but provides a nice bit of veteran leadership off the bench.
126. Scott Alexander RP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Oakland A's
2024 bWAR: 1.2
Career bWAR: 5.6
The lefty veteran had a nice little season in a specialist role working 38.1 innings in 45 appearances and posting a 2.56 ERA with 31 K/15 BB. Not technically a LOOGY but he's as close to one as you're gonna get in today's game. To his credit, he's pretty good at it.
Shinnosuke Ogasawara SP (R)
Age: 27
2024 Team: Chunichi Dragons
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: N/A
Young righty lacks the kind of velocity teams covet, his fastball topping out at 95 but mostly sitting in the low nineties. He instead depends on his control and command as well as a deceptive changeup and slow curveball. Ogasawara posted a nice 3.12 ERA over 144.1 innings with 82 K/22 BB. Had never been a great strikeout guy previously but it dropped pretty significantly in 2024. Difficult guy to project.
128. Jason Heyward OF
Age: 35
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers + Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: 1.2 bWAR
Career bWAR: 41.8
Didn't have as good of a year as his 2023 renaissance but still played his customary strong defense and belted 10 homers in 258 PA. A perfectly fine veteran bench outfielder.
Ty France 1B
Age: 30
2024 Team: Seattle Mariners + Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 8.2
Has fallen off quite a bit since his All-Star 2022 season. His 2024 was so underwhelming that Seattle unceremoniously DFA'd him. He hit a little better after the Reds picked him up, but his .234/.305/.365 line isn't what you'd want out of your first baseman. Could right the ship but the opportunity to do so is far from a guarantee.
130. Jalen Beeks RP (L)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies + Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: 0.8
Made the most of some save opportunities for the first time in his career, collecting ten of them but his value was more in his innings total (70) than anything else as he posted a pedestrian 4.50 ERA with 55 K/27 BB and a 1.486 WHIP. To his credit, the majority of his innings were with the notoriously pitching unfriendly Colorado Rockies and after a trade to Pittsburgh, he did a bit better. A legitimate middle relief option.
Nicky Lopez SS/2B
Age: 30
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: 6.1
Very little power but excellent defensively and fast. Shouldn't be a starter but the glove, ability to put bat to ball, and his legs make him a useful bench player.
132. Ryne Stanek RP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Seattle Mariners + New York Mets
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 3.7
Hard throwing righty doesn't always know where the ball is going but picks up strikeouts in leverage spots all the same. Unimpressive 2024 season (4.88 ERA, 1.319 WHIP, 67 K/25 BB, 55.1 IP) but his high-octane stuff, experience, and reputation will still grant him plenty of suitors.
133. Manny Margot OF
Age: 30
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 11.5
Doesn't have much power but plays good enough defense at all three outfield spots, runs well, and makes a ton of contact. Fourth outfielder type.
134. Chris Flexen SP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: 1.6
Career bWAR: 3.0
Unheralded righty ate a lot of innings for the record-breakingly bad Chicago White Sox and should be applauded for somehow starting 30 games for them, 3-15 record be damned. All things considered, his 4.95 ERA over 160 innings with 123 K/60 BB and a 1.519 WHIP could have been a lot worse. I'm not saying anything about this season should be celebrated but considering the context, Flexen at least proved he can still eat innings as an MLB starter and has a high tolerance for punishment.
TJ McFarland RP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Oakland A's
2024 bWAR: 0.6
Career bWAR: 0.6
Led baseball in appearances with 79 but only pitched 56.2 innings making him as much of a LOOGY as you're gonna see in today's game. Posted a 3.81 ERA supported by a 3.82 FIP with a 1.235 WHIP and 39 K/17 BB. Perfectly solid #2 lefty in an MLB bullpen.
RE-SIGNED: A’s, Terms TBD, 11/7
Shawn Armstrong RP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Tampa Bay Rays + St Louis Cardinals + Chicago Cubs
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 2.4
Fell back to earth after career best 2023 pitching for three different teams in 2024, ultimately posting a 4.86 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 66.2 innings with 66 K/25 BB. Lots of blue on his savant page. Slight avg velocity dip of 1 mph did not do him any favors. Silver lining: his 3.57 FIP indicates quite a bit of bad luck.
James Karinchak RP (R)
Age: 29
2024 Team: Cleveland Guardians
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 3.0
Missed most of 2024 with a shoulder injury and never made it past a Triple-A rehab assignment in September. Has a really tantalizing leverage arm when healthy but shoulder injuries are very tricky.
138. Tommy Pham OF
Age: 37
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox + St. Louis Cardinals + Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: 17.9
Veteran mercenary with a right-handed bat. Can do a little bit of everything but best utilized off a bench at this point in his surprisingly long career. Over 478 PA with three different teams, he slashed .248/.305/.368 with nine homers and seven stolen bases which is exactly what one should expect from him at this stage of his career.
139. Jose Urena P (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 0.6
Career bWAR: 1.7
Was a perfectly serviceable swingman in 2024 posting a 3.80 ERA over 109 innings (nine starts) with 70 K/39 BB. A 4.62 FIP and 1.321 WHIP indicate quite a bit of luck but there is value in a veteran who can gobble up MLB innings without embarrassing himself and make a spot start or two when needed.
140. Patrick Corbin SP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Washington Nationals
2024 bWAR: -0.9
Career bWAR 14.7
Was terrible in all but the first season of his six-year run with the Nationals, leading the league in losses, hits, and earned runs three times. Nonetheless, he showed up to the stadium every fifth day and made all of his starts every season, a rarity in today's game, and even took home a World Series ring in that first season. Maybe he gets another shot. You can basically pitch til you're dead if you're left-handed. If he does decide to hang it up though, he certainly has nothing to prove- two All-Star appearances, a World Series win, and millions of dollars is plenty to hang your hat proudly on.
Luis Urias UT
Age: 28
2024 Team: Seattle Mariners
2024 bWAR: 0.4
Career bWAR: 7.4
On the positive side, Urias's glove is decent, he has a good eye and even a little pop in his bat for an infielder, and he's still relatively young. On the negative side, he gets hurt a lot despite his relatively young age and doesn't make much contact.
142. Matt Moore RP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 8.4
Fell back to earth significantly after a late career bullpen renaissance with an unsightly 5.03 ERA (6.17 FIP). A left forearm injury ended his season in late-August. Journeyman will be looking for an opportunity to prove he's not cooked.
143. Lucas Sims RP (R)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Cincinnati Reds + Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 3.1
Got hurt after a trade to Boston which derailed an otherwise solid season- 49.1 IP, 4.38 ERA, 49 K/30 BB. A 5.23 FIP indicates some luck. The 30 walks in 49.1 innings says he's gotta throw more strikes to be anything more than a dude who eats middle innings out of the pen.
Jordan Romano RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 7.7
Blue Jays closer since 2021 and an All-Star in 2022 and 2023 hurt his elbow in early July, requiring arthroscopic surgery and ending his season. Hard to know if he'll be back at full strength. Lots of risk here.
145. Michael A. Taylor OF
Age: 33
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: 0.9
Career bWAR: 12.2
Had perhaps the worst offensive season of his career in 2024 but still posted a positive bWAR due to his impressive glove and ability to steal bases. That's not going to get you a starting job. Past performance and defensive excellence may still land him an MLB gig as a backup.
Dick Lovelady RP (L)
Age: 29
2024 Team: Chicago Cubs + Tampa Bay Rays
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: 0.4
Hall of Fame name along the likes of Charlie Furbush and Jon Coutlangus. Pitched kind of okay over 34.1 innings- 4.46 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 26 K/11 BB. Pitched better once he moved to Tampa. Remains to be seen if the improvements will stick.
Marco Gonzales SP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: 0.5
Career bWAR: 9.0
Pitched reasonably well when healthy but that he only made seven starts says all you need to know about how frequently that was. A steady part of the Mariners rotation for a while, Gonzalez just hasn't been able to stay on the field the last two years and isn't getting any younger.
Caleb Theilbar RP (L)
Age: 38
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 4.5
Wasn't as bad as his 5.32 ERA and 1.593 WHIP would suggest as indicated by a 4.10 FIP and 53 K/24 BB over 47.1 innings. Too many walks. Still may have something to offer after some bad luck but he'll have to get his control back in order.
149. Joe Kelly RP (R)
Age: 36
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: 5.4
Still has a big fastball but missed a lot of time with shoulder injuries in 2024 and had the poor results to prove it. Too early to count him out but the injury history and rising age cannot be ignored
150. Kendall Graveman RP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 9.7
Was a very good reliever for a few years but missing the entire 2024 season after shoulder surgery casts a large shadow over his future. Some guys pull it off in their mid-thirties but it is far from a sure thing. Massive wildcard because if he's close to his old self, he's a legitimate leverage arm.
151. Craig Kimbrel RP (R)
Age: 36
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: -1.1
Career bWAR: 22.3
Potential Hall of Famer was unceremoniously released by the Orioles near the end of the season. Something of a journeyman mercenary for hire at this stage of his career. Saved 23 games and struck out 73 batters in his 2024 campaign but also walked 31 and posted a 5.33 ERA over 52.1 IP. A FIP of 4.18 indicates he wasn't quite that bad but there's nothing to indicate he's anything resembling the closer he once was. Will likely get an opportunity due to reputation and he's bounced back from the brink before so there's hope. Nonetheless teams will likely proceed with caution.
152. Abraham Toro 3B/2B/1B
Age: 28
2024 Team: Oakland A's
2024 bWAR: 0.6
Career bWAR: 1.6
Got a decent opportunity for playing time in Oakland and while he didn't embarrass himself, he didn't exactly run away with it either, slashing .240/.293/.350 with six home runs over 364 PA. It might have been his last shot at a starting gig, but he did show he can play some second base in addition to the corners and even got a game in left field. Pairing that defensive versatility with his ability to switch-hit and relatively young age for a free agent could make him an appealing bench option.
153. Cole Irvin SP (L)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles + Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: -0.9
Career bWAR: 2.3
It was a challenging season for Swirvin' Cole Irvin to say the least. He bounced around between the rotation and bullpen to mixed results, making 16 starts (111 IP) with a 5.11 ERA, 1.450 WHIP, 78 K/29 BB. Previously a steady albeit unspectacular innings eater, he just didn't miss any bats. Might need a move to the bullpen to keep his MLB career going in a meaningful way.
SIGNED: Doosan Bears (Korea), $1 Million, 11/15
Christian Bethancourt C
Age: 33
2024 Team: Miami Marlins + Chicago Cubs
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 1.1
Looked like his career might be over after the Marlins DFA'd him, but the Cub needed a catcher, and he responded by slashing .281/.305/.509 over 59 PA with three homers and 15 RBI. Former pitcher has a strong arm and is a capable defender. Just don't look up his numbers from Miami.
Garrett Hampson UT
Age: 30
2024 Team: Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: 0.4
Career bWAR: 1.9
Got most of his time in the outfield this season but can still handle the infield well enough. The defense is strong. The bat not so much- he slashed an empty .230/.275/.300 (.576 OPS) over 231 PA in 2024.
Steven Okert RP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 2.2
Unexciting and mediocre season with the Twins but given he's a lefty and has had some past success, he'll get a minor league deal with plenty of opportunities to return to the majors.
SIGNED: Houston Astros, MiLB deal, 11/5
157. Jake Bauers 1B/OF
Age: 29
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: -1.9
Played a surprising amount for the NL Central champion Brewers mostly at first base but also in the outfield corners. Pitched four innings in mop-up work. The power in his bat was nice as he blasted 12 homers over 346 PA but a .662 OPS isn't something to be excited about. Ideally the 26th man on a roster that lacks power elsewhere.
Austin Slater OF
Age: 32
2024 Team: San Francisco Giants + Cincinnati Reds + Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 4.5
Solid defender who hits lefties well had a very rough go of things in 2024 but his stint with the Orioles to end the season showed there was still perhaps something left in a bench role.
SIGNED: Chicago White Sox, $1.75 million + 500K incentives/1 year, 11/18
Adam Frazier 2B/OF
Age: 33
2024 Team: Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 14.2
The 2021 All-Star signed a one-year deal with the Royals and was an above-average defender playing mostly 2B and OF but saw a few innings at third and first too. Didn't hit much (.576 OPS in 294 PA) and probably limited to a bench role at this stage of his career.
160. Carson Fulmer SP (R)
Age: 31
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: -0.2
It was a quietly a nice little season for Fulmer, the eighth pick of the 2024 draft out of Vanderbilt. Certainly, the best of a career that has been overwhelmingly disappointing. Over 86.2 innings (easily a career high) including eight starts, he posted a 4.15 ERA with 80 K/40 BB and a 1.396 WHIP. Nothing to write home about but certainly an improvement. He'll wait for another opportunity to build on it, presumably on an MiLB deal.
161. Alex Wood LHP
Age: 34
2024 Team: Oakland A's
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 13.5
Shoulder injuries limited Wood to just nine starts in 2024. Injuries have long been a problem for him. Given his unorthodox windup, it might be time to switch to the bullpen if he wants to continue his career.
162. Kyle Hendricks SP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Chicago Cubs
2024 bWAR: -1.6
Career bWAR: 21.5
Soft tossing, cerebral righty had an awful, awful 2024 and very well might be cooked. Never had much velocity to begin with and is now squarely in his mid-thirties. He bounced back from 2023 to 2024 though so maybe if he finds the right pitching coach he can get back on course. Question is if anyone comes knocking with an opportunity.
SIGNED: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, $2.5 Million/1 Year, 11/6
163. Austin Hedges C
Age: 32
2024 Team: Cleveland Guardians
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: -1.6
Defensive wizard who calls a great game but simply cannot hit anywhere close to an acceptable MLB level. Only a catcher can get away with this skill set. Will play until he's 40 if he wants to, will never be a good hitter.
RE-SIGNED: Cleveland Guardians, $4 Million/1 Year, 11/6
164. Jake Cave OF
Age: 32
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: -0.7
Career bWAR: 1.3
Did an admirable job for the bottom-dweller Rockies in 2024 getting the most MLB playing time of his career (123 games, 346 PA) at all three outfield spots (though mostly the corners). His .251/.290/.396 slash line (.686 OPS) is a good representation of his overall ability. A steady LH bench outfielder.
165. Adam Duvall OF
Age: 36
2024 Team: Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: -1.4
Career bWAR: 10.5
Veteran power hitter returned to Atlanta after a solid 2023 in Boston and it was pretty much an unmitigated disaster from the get-go. Still managed to hit 11 home runs in 330 PA but slashed a pitiful .182/.245/.323 and his previously solid defensive metrics fell off as well. Still can be a useful veteran bench outfielder that plays against lefties but his days of having a prominent role are likely behind him.
166. Kyle Farmer UT
Age: 34
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career: 4.6
Had been a perfectly fine utility infielder for three years but in 2024, he just sort of a lackluster .214/.293/.353 and only getting 242 PA despite playing in 107 games. Some of this was injury related, and he's said to possess strong intangibles but considering his age and skill set even when performing well, a guaranteed MLB deal shouldn't be expected.
SIGNED: Colorado Rockies, MLB 1 year deal + option, 11/22
167. Andrew Knizner C
Age: 30
2024 Team: Texas Rangers + Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: -0.8
Career bWAR: 0.7
After years of being Yadier Molina's caddy, he did an admirable job in 2023 and used that momentum for a deal with the Rangers. Things went badly (as most things did for the 2024 Rangers) and he ended up DFA'd and on to an MiLB deal with Arizona to finish the season. Will seek a similar deal for redemption in 2025 which he'll get as he's a perfectly fine defensive catcher, with a solid pedigree who has shown flashes of offense in the past.
168. John Means SP (L)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: 0.7
Career bWAR: 10.5
Made four starts in 2024 with excellent results before getting hurt again and will miss most if not all of 2025 after his second TJS. When healthy, an effective starter, but the health risk is high, and while useful he's more of a middle of the rotation guy even at his best. Still might be something there but he's not getting any younger.
169. Dom Smith 1B
Age: 29
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox + Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 1.0
Had a nice little run as Triston Casas's injury replacement with the Red Sox for half a season. Well-liked in the clubhouse, doesn't do anything on the field exceptionally well but won't embarrass you either and the glove is steady. His bat would be acceptable as a second baseman but not so much at first and he's not a versatile defender which limits his value.
Jose Urquidy SP (R)
Age: 29
2024 Team: Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 4.5
Missed the 2024 season after elbow surgery. Return date is uncertain although the fact that he rejected an assignment to Triple-A opting for free agency instead says the Mexican righty thinks there's an opportunity with a new team out there. Whether that's in 2025 or later remains to be seen. When healthy, he was a useful back-of-the-rotation starter. Unfortunately, he has not been healthy for much of his career.
171. Robbie Grossman OF
Age: 35
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox + Texas Rangers + Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR:
Career bWAR:
Switch-hitting veteran is what he is. The defense is meh at best and he's not gonna win a batting title anytime soon but what he does as well as just about anyone else is draw walks and there's genuine value in that.
172. Nick Ahmed SS
Age: 35
2024 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers + San Diego Padres + San Francisco Giants
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 11.9
Strong defensive veteran shortstop who unfortunately cannot hit a lick.
173. Rowdy Tellez 1B
Age: 30
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: 0.4
Big Rowdy hits home runs but doesn't do much else. In 2022 he bashed 35 of them but in the two seasons after only managed 13. He got the secon7d most plate appearances of his career (421) in 2024 and slashed .243/.299/.392. Not exactly inspiring but power doesn’t grow on trees. He could earn a platoon role if the right opportunity emerges.
Justin Wilson RP (L)
Age: 37
2024 Team: Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 7.1
Veteran lefty who has been around the league for a while. Excellent early in his career but hasn't been healthy since 2018. Missed all of 2023 after TJS. His 2024 was kind of a mixed bag- 46.2 IP, 5.59 ERA, 4.73 FIP, 1.457 WHIP, 51 K/13 BB, 2 saves.
SIGNED: Boston Red Sox, $2.25 million + 75K incentives/1 year, 11/14
Jonathan Loaisiga RP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 4.0
Groundball specialist has excellent command/control but hasn't been healthy for a full season since 2021. That hit a low point in 2024 as he needed Tommy John Surgery after three appearances. There's a chance he comes back in the second half of the season.
Adbert Alzolay RP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Chicago Cubs
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 2.3
Had some success as the Cubs closer in 2023 but required TJS in 2024 and will likely miss most if not all of 2025. Two-year rehabilitation project.
Adrian Houser SP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: -0.9
Career bWAR: 2.6
Previously a back-of-the-rotation starter, Houser functioned as more of a swingman with the Mets, starting seven games in addition to making 16 appearances from the bullpen to work a total of 69.1 innings. It did not go well. The righty Oklahoman struggled to throw strikes or miss bats when he was in the zone and got hammered to a 5.84 ERA and 1.529 WHIP with 45 K/32 BB. A 4.93 FIP says that there was some luck involved but not nearly enough to change his trajectory which looks pretty grim moving forward.
Luke Jackson RP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: San Francisco Giants + Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: 2.4
First full season post-TJS didn't go too well- 53 IP, 5.09 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 1.472 WHIP, 59 K/26 BB. Velo up a little from last year but still down from pre-injury. Improved a little bit after acquisition by the Braves, particularly his strikeout totals.
179. Luis Garcia RP (R)
Age: 38
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim + Boston Red Sox of Boston
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 2.4
Veteran righty had a solid first half of the season, got traded to the Red Sox at the deadline, and promptly imploded in a spectacular mixture of injury and poor performance. Ended the season healthy but an 8.22 ERA over 15.1 innings after the trade eroded any positivity that the first half had earned him.
Scott Blewett RP (R)
Age: 29
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: 0.8
Career bWAR: 0.9
Unfortunate name for a pitcher aside, Blewett pitched pretty well over 20.1 innings for the Twins in 2024 over 20.1 innings- 1.77 ERA, 1.230 WHIP, 18 K/8 BB. A 4.00 FIP says to expect some regression. You could do a lot worse for a middle reliever.
RE-SIGNED: Minnesota Twins, MiLB Deal, 11/21
181. Trevor Richards RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays + Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: 1.9
Journeyman middle reliever is a perfectly reasonable bet to eat up some innings with an ERA in the mid-4s. No more, no less. That he was DFA'd by the Twins after they traded for him, and no one claimed him is telling.
182. Victor Gonzalez RP (L)
Age: 29
2024 Team: New York Yankees
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: 1.5
Lefty reliever wasn't missing any bats which led to the Yankees him. He wasn't claimed and finished the season with their Triple-A club. The performance wasn't bad exactly from a results standpoint- 3.86 ERA, 23.1 IP, 1.114 WHIP, but his 13 BB/11 K ratio is atrocious and a 5.95 FIP illustrates just how lucky he was not to have gotten hit harder. He was actually worse in Triple-A (4.50 ERA) but at least the BB/K rate was alright there.
183. Joey Gallo OF
Age: 31
2024 Team: Washington Nationals
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 15.4
Was an All-Star in 2019 and 2021 and was somewhat useful for the Twins in 2023 but 2024 was nothing short of a disaster. A three true outcome player, Gallo is a solid defender. Unfortunately, the home runs are becoming fewer and further between and he just doesn't do enough else to merit a guaranteed roster spot at this point.
184. Brandon Drury UT
Age: 32
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: -2.0
Career bWAR: 2.0
Completely imploded in 2024. How bad? Just look at that decidedly unsexy bWAR. Drury slashed .169/.242/.228, good for a piss-poor .469 OPS. Wasn't a small sample size either- he had 360 PA. He won a Silver Slugger back in 2022 and had a similar 2023 with a .803 OPS so maybe a good hitting coach can help him right the ship, but man did he have an ugly season.
Keynan Middleton RP (R)
Age: 31
2024 Team: St Louis Cardinals
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 2.3
Had a pretty good 2023 but missed all of 2024, needing surgery on his right flexor. Hard to say what he'll look like when he's ready to return.
186. Jacob Barnes RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Washington Nationals
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: -0.7
Wasn't even the most well-regarded reliever with the surname Barnes on the team when the season started (that was Matt) but Jacob ended up putting together his finest season since 2018, posting a 4.36 ERA and 55 K/20 BB over 66 innings. He even won 8 games along the way. A durable righty for eating middle innings. No more, no less.
187. Burch Smith RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles + Miami Marlins
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: -1.6
It's been a long and winding road for Burch Smith who twice has gone extended stretches where he hasn't pitched in the majors, first after making his MLB debut in 2013 he went from 2014 to 2017 without an MLB appearance, then again for all of 2022 and 2023 when he pitched in Japan and Korea. In 2024, he returned at the age of 34 and put together his best full season pitching 56.1 IP out of the pen with a 4.95 ERA and 46 K/12 BB with two teams. A 3.66 FIP says he got unlucky but considering the path he went through to get back to that point, Burch is probably feeling otherwise.
188. Tim Anderson SS
Age: 31
2024 Team: Miami Marlins
2024 bWAR: -1.5
Career bWAR: 14.7
What a fall from grace. From perennial batting title contender, to being KO'd by Jose Ramirez, to being unceremoniously DFA'd by the bottom dwelling Miami Marlins. Anderson will try to come back but at this point will have to settle for an MiLB deal and hope an opportunity crops up.
Sixto Sanchez SP (R)
Age: 26
2024 Team: Miami Marlins
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 1.0
The crown jewel of the JT Realmuto trade was finally able to pitch at the MLB level for the first time since 2020. It didn't go well at all but after everything he's been through, that alone is an accomplishment. Nothing else about his season is worth celebrating. Velocity down about 4 mph from when he got hurt. Can he rediscover the form that made him an elite pitching prospect or is it lost forever?
190. Jose Abreu 1B
Age: 38
2024 Team: Houston Astros
2024 bWAR: -1.7
Career bWAR: 30.3
The 2020 AL MVP flamed out in Houston, not even managing to complete the $60 million/3 year deal he signed with them. Appeared to be cooked. Will be playing in the Dominican Winter League with a stated goal of returning to the majors. Has the kind of pedigree and reputation around the league that if he can show there's anything left in the tank, he'll get another shot.
Cavan Biggio UT
Age: 30
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays + Los Angeles Dodgers + Atlanta Braves
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: 7.1
Gets on base and plays enough positions to have some value as a utility player but that's about it. Craig's son has not lived up to his Hall of Fame father's legacy.
192. Cristian Pache OF
Age: 26
2024 Team: Philadelphia Phillies + Baltimore Orioles + Miami Marlins
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: -0.8
Defense-first outfielder is a former top prospect that has thus far not figured out how to hit big league pitching even a little bit. Still relatively young and the glove is legit but has already botched enough opportunities that it's reasonable to wonder if he's running out of opportunities.
Gavin Sheets 1B/OF
Age: 29
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: -1.0
Career bWAR: -2.7
A little bit of power and the ability to play first and the outfield though not well. Decent enough contact and draws his share of walks but also strikes out a good amount and doesn't hit enough homers to justify a regular spot in the lineup. Played a lot with the White Sox in 2024 slashing .233/.303/.357 with 10 homers and 43 BB/106 K over 501 PA. Probably won't ever get that many opportunities again but could be a nice LH bench bat.
Tucker Barnhart C
Age: 34
2024 Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 6.7
National League Gold Glove winner in 2017 and 2020 is still a strong defensive catcher. Unfortunately, he simply can't hit anymore.
Joey Meneses 1B
Age: 33
2024 Team: Washington Nationals
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 0.9
Regressed severely after his surprise rise to relevance in 2022 and 2023 resulting in a midseason demotion the former International League MVP never returned from. A .593 OPS just isn't going to do it with his defensive limitations. Will he get an opportunity to turn it around?
SIGNED: New York Mets, MiLB Deal, 11/21
Will Smith RP (L)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: -0.9
Career bWAR: 5.4
Veteran lefty won three consecutive World Series with three different teams from 2021 to 2023. His good fortune didn't quite continue in 2023 as the Royals lost in the ALDS and his ERA skyrocketed to 6.53 over 41.1 innings. He also missed less bats and walked more batters, but he's a lefty with lots of past success so he'll get plenty of chances.
Luke Maile C
Age: 34
2024 Team: Cincinnati Reds
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 1.6
The poor man's Austin Hedges
Joey Lucchesi SP (L)
Age: 32
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 4.0
Pitched a couple games for the Mets in September including the last game of the season after a mediocre run in Triple-A. At least he stayed healthy.
199. Omar Narvaez C
Age: 33
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: -0.9
Career bWAR: 6.2
Crapped the bed with the Mets but he's a catcher who has had somewhat recent success, so chances are he'll get another shot if he wants it.
200. Travis Jankowski OF
Age: 33
2024 Team: Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: 0.3
Career bWAR: 4.2
Speedy and a good fielder, he actually had a solid offensive season in 2023 but fell back to earth quickly after the Rangers re-signed him. Still a good enough bench outfielder but if he can't hit, guys like that are a dime a dozen.
201. Carlos Carrasco SP (R)
Age: 38
2024 Team: Cleveland Guardians
2024 bWAR: -1.2
Career bWAR: 19.4
To his credit, Cookie started 21 games and pitched 103.2 innings for AL Central winning Cleveland Guardians. That's where the praise ends. He was better than in 2023, but still pretty bad (5.64 ERA, 1.399 WHIP, 4.93 FIP). Says he intends to pitch in 2025. Whether or not he gets an opportunity remains to be seen.
202. Reese McGuire C
Age: 30
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: 1.9
Calls a decent enough game and makes good contact but doesn't really do much else. No more than a low-end #2 catcher, though he's still young enough to turn things around, assuming past off-field issues don't cause him to be blacklisted.
Nick Gordon OF
Age: 29
2024 Team: Miami Marlins
2024 bWAR: -1.9
Career bWAR: -0.4
Hit eight homers in 275 PA but with a slash line of .227/.258/.369 on top of some atrocious defensive metrics, he's just going to be hoping for an opportunity to prove he's not a total bust
204. Dakota Hudson SP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: -0.9
Career bWAR: 3.3
Very bad season marred by injury with the Rockies in 2024 in which he went 2-12 with a 6.17 ERA, 1.674 WHIP, and an exceptionally ugly 49 K/50 BB over 89 IP. Never someone with a premier stuff, he's running out of chances.
205. Willie Calhoun OF/1B
Age: 30
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: -2.1
U of A product had an opportunity with the hapless Angels that he initially took advantage of before cratering in the second half and unceremoniously being DFA'd. Slashed .245/.315/.380 with 16 doubles and 5 homers over 254 PA which would be fine if he was a second baseman or a catcher.
He isn't.
Actually, he doesn't really have a position he can play particularly well and hasn't shown to be a good enough hitter to justify a pure DH role which limits him to most likely being Triple-A depth (unless an opportunity outside of MLB presents itself).
206. Ross Stripling SP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Oakland A's
2024 bWAR: -1.1
Career bWAR: 6.8
Pros: Seasoned veteran. Innings eater. Has a pitch he calls a “Deathball”.
Cons: Pretty much everything else (6.01 ERA, .309 OBA, 1.54 WHIP in 2024)
Giovanny Gallegos RP (R)
Age: 33
2024 Team: St Louis Cardinals
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 4.4
Continued trend of regression. Straight up terrible season that saw him being released after six seasons with the Cardinals. Velocity drop does not bode well.
Yan Gomes C
Age: 37
2024 Team: Chicago Cubs
2024 bWAR: -0.7
Career bWAR: 18.5
Just a terrible, terrible season for the Brazilian catcher. Was unceremoniously released in late June and never returned. Might be cooked but catchers do tend to have many extra lives.
209. Anthony DeSclafani SP (R)
Age: 35
2024 team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 10.2
Missed the entire 2024 season due to flexor tendon surgery. When healthy, he was a solid middle of the rotation option but hasn't been that since 2021 and likely won't ever be again.
210. Daniel Bard RP (R)
Age: 40
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 8.4
Missed another season with injury. If anyone can bounce back, its him but not wise to bet on a 40-year-old successfully returning from surgery.
Scott McGough RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
2024 bWAR: -1.1
Career bWAR: -1.3
Rough season for the 2020 Olympian Silver medalist in his second go-around since returning from a four year stint in Japan. Walked too many guys and got lit up when he was in the strike zone as well. Not a great combination.
212. Trevor Bauer SP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Diablos Rojos del México
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 21.1
Pitched in Mexico to great results despite somehow contracting cholera at one point. Not much of a surprise given the level in that league is somewhere between High-A and Double-A. The performance wasn't tantalizing enough to attract any big-league teams even with him demonstrating a willingness to pitch for the league minimum. He's been blacklisted at this point but has no one to blame but himself for a laundry list of red flags, misdemeanors, accusations, lawsuits, and counter-lawsuits throughout the course of his career. Nonetheless, there's always the chance a team is desperate enough to take on the circus that would immediately ensue. It is doubtful whether he would be worth that risk entering his mid-thirties and having not pitched at the MLB level since 2021
213. Amir Garrett RP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 0.6
Tall lefty with a pulse. Once tried to fight the entire Pittsburgh Pirates 26-man roster.
214. Bobby Dalbec 3B/1B
Age: 29
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: -0.8
Career bWAR: -0.8
Decent fielder. Athletic. Good power. Simply cannot make enough contact with the ball to maintain an MLB job. Appears to be a Quad-A player at this point. Good candidate to play in Japan or Korea.
215. Brian Serven C
Age: 30
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: -0.3
Strong defensive catcher, terrible hitter in the majors though he's held his own in Triple-A.
Trey Mancini 1B/OF
Age: 33
2024 Team: N/A
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 8.4
Well-liked RH bat is attempting a comeback after sitting out the 2024 season.
Matt Carpenter 1B
Age: 39
2024 Team: St. Louis Cardinals
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: 28.8
Value is almost entirely in his veteran leadership at this point. Can still hit a little but has not been someone to be relied on for a while now.
Tomas Nido C
Age: 31
2024 Team: New York Mets + Chicago Cubs + Detroit Tigers
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: -1.6
Another glove-first catcher. Career .554 OPS says everything you need to know about his bat.
Matt Barnes RP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Washington Nationals
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 4.1
Wasn't even the best RH reliever named "Barnes" on the last place Nationals. Might be cooked.
220. Tucker Davidson RP (L)
Age: 29
2024 Team: Baltimore Orioles
2024 bWAR: 0.4
Career bWAR: -0.9
Pitched well in exactly one big league outing in 2024. Perfectly fine Triple-A lefty depth.
221. Chase Anderson RP (R)
Age: 37
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox + Texas Rangers
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: 7.4
Perfectly competent in the role of Human Victory Cigar/White Flag at this point in his career. Anything else, you're asking for trouble.
222. Jake Diekman RP (L)
Age: 38
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: -0.8
Career bWAR: 3.2
When he's throwing strikes, he's tough to hit. That didn't happen much in 2024. He stunk but past success and left-handedness basically guarantee him a contract somewhere if he wants it. Prime example of why you should encourage your kids to be left-handed.
223. Martin Maldonado C
Age: 38
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: -1.3
Career bWAR: 6.5
Long a glove-first catcher with a little bit of power and I guess that was technically true in 2024 but only because with a .403 OPS, the glove sort of has to come first. The defense regressed pretty badly which is a problem when you're hitting only slightly better than the average twitter user would.
Mike Clevinger SP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 17.5
Yuck.
225. Garrett Cooper 1B
Age: 34
2024 Team: Chicago Cubs + Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: -0.8
Career bWAR: 3.4
Veteran right-handed bat did okay for a month with the Cubs but not good enough to save him from a DFA which the Red Sox quickly pounced on when Triston Casas got hurt. It was a great opportunity that he was unable to take advantage of and he eventually lost all playing time to Dom Smith. Will likely have to shoot for an MiLB deal in the Spring and hope for an injury if he wants to continue his career.
Dallas Keuchel SP (L)
Age: 37
2024 Team: Minnesota Twins
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: 18.9
I genuinely thought he had retired.
227. Wade Miley SP (L)
Age: 38
2024 Team: Milwaukee Brewers
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: 18.7
Needed TJS in late-April and missed most of the season. Will likely miss most of the 2025 season as well. Never the hardest thrower and he's had a nice career, but the odds of him coming back are pretty slim.
228. Danny Mendick UT
Age: 31
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: -0.1
The Pride of Umass Lowell is a serviceable depth utilityman. No more, no less.
229. Adam Cimber RP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: -0.7
Career bWAR: 2.2
Got obliterated in 2024 (and 2023) but his funky windup and general relief pitcher volatility means there's always the chance of a revitalization.
230. Andrew Knapp C
Age: 33
2024 Team: San Francisco Giants
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: -0.9
Switch-hitting depth catcher. If he's on your MLB roster, something has gone wrong.
231. Pablo Reyes UT
Age: 31
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox + New York Mets
2024 bWAR: -0.6
Career bWAR: -0.4
Fell back to earth in a bad way after a solid 2023. Will look for another opportunity on a minor league deal but there are a lot of utility infielders with a similar skill set and he's not getting any younger.
SIGNED: New York Yankees, MiLB Deal, 11/18
232. Jamie Westbrook 2B
Age: 29
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: -0.1
Minor league journeyman finally made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2024. Not much of a defender but there's enough in the bat that he can help a team that needs to fill out the lesser end of a platoon.
233. Shintaro Fujinami RP (R)
Age: 31
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: -2.1
Beast of a man throws very, very hard but unfortunately has absolutely zero idea where the ball is going once it leaves his hand.
Charles Leblanc UT
Age: 29
2024 Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: 0.8
Generic minor league infield depth. Canadian.
SIGNED: Atlanta Braves, MiLB Deal, 11/13
235. Chasen Shreve RP (L)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: 3.5
Lefty. Pulse.
Joely Rodriguez RP (L)
Age: 33
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: -1.5
Living proof that while good vibes can keep you employed, they will not keep you in the majors if you also suck at pitching for five out of every six outings.
237. Anthony Gose RP (L)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Cleveland Guardians
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 1.9
Converted outfielder throws hard and is left-handed. Yep.
238. Yohan Ramirez RP (R)
Age: 30
2024 Team: New York Mets + Los Angeles Dodgers + Baltimore Orioles + Boston Red Sox2024
bWAR: -1.1
Career bWAR: -0.1
At this point, I'm just impressed that you're still reading.
SIGNED: Pittsburgh Pirates, MiLB Deal, 10/24
239. Daniel Vogelbach DH
Age: 32
2024 Team: Toronto Blue Jays
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: 1.3
Walking refrigerator was a decent LH bat for a while but that wasn't the case at all in 2024. Tough to imagine him finding a guaranteed gig in 2025 given his limited skillset. Overseas candidate.
Max Stassi C
Age: 34
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: 2.2
Missed all of 2024, playing just 5 games in Triple-A due to hip and hand injuries. The hip was an issue in 2023 which he also missed in its entirety. It may be the end of the line.
Rio Gomez RP (L)
Age: 30
2024 Team: Wei Chuan Dragons
2024 bWAR: N/A
Career bWAR: N/A
Son of beloved ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez, Rio made his way to Taipei and dominated the league as a swingman posting a 1.17 ERA over 92.1 innings with a 0.780 WHIP and 94 K/14 BB. Might stay in Asia but worth keeping an eye on if a pro team comes calling.
242. Jordan Lyles SP (R)
Age: 34
2024 Team: Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: 0.2
Career bWAR: -2.5
If this is the end of the road, he's had quite a long career for someone with such middling to subpar results. While he barely pitched in 2024, he did throw five scoreless innings for the Royals, which is a lot better than the 11 earned runs he gave up over 15.1 innings at Triple-A.
243. Eddy Alvarez UT
Age: 35
2024 Team: Boston Red Sox + New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 0.1
Career bWAR: -0.4
Two sport Olympian silver medalist (Baseball and Speed Skating). Serviceable utility depth with strong intangibles.
234. Rob Brantley C
Age: 35
2024 Team: Tampa Bay Rays
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: -1.5
Has catcher's glove, will travel.
245. Dan Altavilla RP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Kansas City Royals
2024 bWAR: -0.3
Career bWAR: 0.3
Most significant moment of his season was accidentally breaking Mookie Betts' wrist with an errant HBP. A 14.73 ERA over 3.2 innings tells you the rest of the story.
246. Matt Andriese RP (R)
Age: 35
2024 Team: Miami Marlins
2024 bWAR: -0.1
Career bWAR: 0.8
Did you know he pitched 6 innings in the majors in 2024? Do you care?
247. Geoff Hartlieb RP (R)Age: 31
2024 Team: Colorado Rockies
2024 bWAR: -0.4
Career bWAR: -1.5
Righty with a big fastball keeps getting opportunities due to said fastball but unfortunately has been way too hittable in all of them as indicated by a career 7.37 ERA and 1.866 career WHIP.
SIGNED: New York Yankees, MiLB Deal, 10/26
248. Joe Hudson C
Age: 34
2024 Team: New York Mets
2024 bWAR: 0.0
Career bWAR: -0.3
Journeyman catcher has gotten into 19 MLB games (33 PA) over 11 pro seasons. A credit to his likability and determination more than actual ability. Depth Triple-A catcher.
249. Domingo German SP (R)
Age: 32
2024 Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 bWAR: -0.5
Career bWAR: 4.0
Behold! Trevor Bauer only less vocal and worse at baseball!
Bryan Shaw RP (R)
Age: 37
2024 Team: Chicago White Sox
2024 bWAR: -0.2
Career bWAR: 4.9
He's still playing?
Beautifully done