Top 25 MLB midseason free-agent rankings: Juan Soto leads a group heavy on power hitters

The season is halfway through, so let’s take a look at how the impending free agents are performing before we reach the All-Star break in two weeks. Some players have made big jumps in the list while some new players have entered the top 25 and others have dropped out of the list completely.

Note: Whenever you see a number, a slash, and other numbers, it is a reference to contract years and total earnings. For example, Bryce Harper’s 11-year, $330 million deal would be abbreviated “11/330”.

The ages listed are for the 2025 season.

Soto’s on-base percentage since June 1 is .495. He and Mookie Betts are the only qualified hitters with more walks than strikeouts. Only six batters have had more long balls than Soto. The icing on top? Soto’s outfield defense, which was absolutely terrible last season, has fallen to around league average, according to advanced metrics. As long as he doesn’t get space jammed, he will remain the top free agent in the class.

3. Max Fried, Braves SP, age 31

Both of these aces kept going in June and are still solidly the 1A and 1B pitchers for this free agent class. You could argue for Fried instead of Burns because (1) Fried strikes out more hitters and (2) throws with his left hand. But most people in the game would put O’s aces at the top because (1) he has a track-record of dependability and (2) walks fewer batters than Fried.

Bregman started the year anticlimactic, but things have stepped up over the past month and a half as the Astros have clawed their way back into the playoff picture. Adams snapped an 0-for-27 skid with three hits on Monday, but other than that cold stretch he has generally maintained his level of play. One could argue for one of these players over the other. Adams plays a premium position, but has a less spectacular offensive resume than Bregman.

6. Ha-Seong Kim (opt out), Padres IF, age 29

Kim ranks ahead of Bellinger and Alonso on our list thanks to his consistent offensive production. The Korean shortstop’s strikeout-to-walk ratio has remained the same since May 1. Excellent infield defense and on-base ability combined with his unique power/speed combo make Kim an incredibly valuable player.

Alonso was a key part of New York’s volcanically hot month of June, posting an .868 OPS and six dingers. Unfortunately, Polar Bear is still working against the reality of his profile as a right-handed hitting first baseman. Unless he performed well throughout the second half of the season, he would not get more points than the 6/162 given to Freddie Freeman.

The switch-hitting Sanchez has been in Fuego since June 1; His 13 homers in that span are tied with Shohei Ohtani for the most in baseball. He offers practically no value defensively or on the basepaths, but there are very few offensive players with that kind of track record on either side of the dish. He’s making cash with every extra homer.

It’s been a very disappointing 2024 so far for Bellinger, who completely redesigned his game in 2023, going from a big-swinging power threat to a more contact-oriented hitter. But his overall profile has taken a step back this year, with his offensive numbers diminished due to more swings and balls with less optimal launch angles. Bellinger’s stellar outfield defense and relative youth still give him a high floor.

Hernandez has continued to make progress and should be an All-Star. He slipped one place just because Granada is two years younger and much better. A team is expected to sign Teo to a multi-year deal.

The fellowship is Christian Walker and the Christian Walker is the fellowship. There’s not much else to say about the 34-year-old who is picking up the slack despite a disappointing season for the Diamondbacks.

Lowe missed most of April and May due to an oblique issue, but has mostly been his typical below-average, high-power form since returning. Injuries have limited Lowe since his sensational 2021 season, when he slugged 31 homers and finished 10th in AL MVP voting. He’s still about to turn 30, he’s an everyday second baseman, so he has value here.

13. Tyler O’Neill, Red Sox OF, age 30

Popeye lives! O’Neal had to be on the IL for a short time in late May due to a knee problem, but he bounced back quickly and spent most of June with the Hurricanes. He has the 16th-highest OPS among sluggers worldwide in baseball this season. The injury history is a legitimate threat and he’s still throwing a ton of punches, but there aren’t many hitters with this type of power ability.

He should have been ranked first, this is an oversight on my part, but there was legitimate reason to be skeptical of Profar’s explosive start. Once a promising player, Curaçaoan was a mediocre offensive performer for most of his career. Despite playing their home games at Coors Field just last year, their performance was very poor. But he continued to breakout and was selected to start in the All-Star Game this week. He will turn 32 this winter with just one year of excellent performance, but he is now certainly on track to receive a multi-year contract.

Perhaps the American League’s most surprising pitching breakout, Flaherty has maintained his performance, but his most recent start was abandoned due to back discomfort. If he’s healthy, Flaherty should be a big trade chip for the depleted Tigers and, ultimately, an attractive free agent pitching option to secure a multi-year deal.

Martínez missed most of April due to a back problem and his ramp-up was delayed due to the late signing. But he has been excellent for the Mets since returning. No team is going to offer the 37-year-old DH a multi-year deal, but Martínez will continue to get lucrative one-year deals until he proves he’s no longer eligible.

17. Jordan Montgomery (opt-out), Diamondbacks SP, age 32

18. Blake Snell (opt-out), Giants SP, age 32

Injuries and ineffectiveness have hampered a pair of late signing Scott Boras clients, who appear to be suffering from the difficulties of not having a normal spring training ramp up. At this point, it would be surprising to see one of them opt out of their current contract.

Torres has been better statistically over the last six weeks, but still found himself out after some lackluster swinging last weekend by Yankees skipper Aaron Boone. He’s always been a low-energy player, but it’s hard to get excited about Torres’ free-agent profile right now. It’s a shame considering his talent and age.

Kikuchi has really struggled over the past month, with a 5.73 ERA in his last seven starts. If Toronto chooses to sell, he would be a relatively high-demand trade piece, but unless he can turn around production, he is looking at a one-year deal this winter.

Goldie has gotten better as the Cardinals have gotten back into the playoff mix, but there’s no doubt he’s no longer the same hitter he used to be. I have him well below similarly aged JD Martinez, simply because Martinez has a track record of performance even at this advanced age. Whereas with Goldschmidt, it is unclear how fast the decline will continue. Still, it’s good to see that things are getting better for him.

Scott has been one of the game’s most dominant relief pitchers over the past year and a half. In 114 innings over that span, he has a 2.05 ERA with 142 strikeouts in 109 appearances. He throws with his left hand and won’t turn 30 until July 22. Some competing clubs are going to pay Scott a chunk of change.

23. Clay Holmes, Yankees RP, age 32

It was a tough month for Holmes, who posted an ERA over 5.00 in June. That’s always a possibility for a contact-oriented closer like Holmes. He looked much better this week against Cincinnati, but the sinkerballer is no longer the consensus top reliever on the market.

Hoffman is essentially a right-handed version of Scott, but a few years older. Since starting last year, the top-prospect starter-turned-reliever has a 1.93 ERA in 91 innings with 115 strikeouts. He likes life in Philadelphia, but he could get a hefty multi-year offer from another club.

The change in scenery hasn’t resulted in an offensive boost for the flamboyant outfielder. It hasn’t been embarrassingly bad yet, but Verdugo is, clearly, not a very dynamic hitter. He is a league-average player.

which fell by 25

• Danny Jensen, Blue Jays C, age 30: The Blue Jays backstop is still the top option in a very tight catching market, but he has regressed enough to fall out of the top 25.

• Rhys Hoskins, Brewers 1B, age 32: The Brewers first baseman missed a few weeks in May with a hamstring strain and has been very poor at the plate since his return. He can opt for a second year of his current contract.

• Walker Buehler, Dodgers SP, age 30: The Dodgers starter was dreadful and poor in his first eight starts this season after returning from Tommy John before going on the IL with a hip problem in late June. He has such a great track record, but teams will probably need to see some level of production before offering him a massive deal. Looks more likely to return to the Dodgers on a one-year pillow deal.

• Shane Bieber, Patron SP, age 30: He will not pitch this year due to recovery from Tommy John. It would probably be best to put it on the backburner until he returns.

• Max Kepler, twins, age 32: The Twins outfielder got off to a good start, but has looked extremely rough lately. Most worryingly, his athletic ability is declining as he approaches his 30s. Smells like a one year deal in here.