Here's how future free-agent classes look

November 23rd, 2024

Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, Pete Alonso, Blake Snell, Alex Bregman, Willy Adames and Max Fried are among the top players who reached free agency after the 2024 season. You can see the full list of current free agents here.

But what about future free-agent classes? Here's a look at the notable names who are set to become free agents in 2025-26 and beyond.

Note: Some of the players below could become free agents sooner than the year they are listed under depending on how earlier contract options play out.

Potential free agents after 2025 season

Catcher: J.T. Realmuto, Salvador Perez (club option), Jose Trevino, Mitch Garver (mutual option), Tom Murphy (club option), Austin Barnes, Jacob Stallings (mutual option), Christian Bethancourt, Christian Vázquez, Victor Caratini, Austin Hedges

First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Josh Naylor, Yandy Díaz (club option), Rhys Hoskins (mutual option), LaMonte Wade Jr.

Second base: Luis Arraez, Ozzie Albies (club option), Brandon Lowe (club option), Wilmer Flores, Luis Rengifo

Third base: Eugenio Suárez, Max Muncy (club option)

Shortstop: Bo Bichette, Trevor Story (opt-out), Orlando Arcia (club option), Tommy Edman, Jorge Mateo, Miguel Rojas, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Kevin Newman (club option)

Outfield: Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, Cody Bellinger (opt-out), Luis Robert Jr. (club option), Cedric Mullins, Mike Yastrzemski, Chris Taylor (club option), Starling Marte, Trent Grisham, Mitch Haniger, Hunter Renfroe, Lane Thomas, Willi Castro, Austin Slater

Designated hitter: Marcell Ozuna

Starting pitcher: Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Framber Valdez, Seth Lugo (club option), Michael King, Clayton Kershaw, Jordan Montgomery, Shota Imanaga (club option/player option), Nathan Eovaldi, Brandon Woodruff (mutual option), Zach Eflin, Kodai Senga (opt-out), Ranger Suárez, Chris Bassitt, Nestor Cortes, Jon Gray, Merrill Kelly, Dustin May, Tyler Mahle, Freddy Peralta (club option), Marcus Stroman (vesting option), Lucas Giolito, Aaron Civale, Kenta Maeda, Germán Márquez, José Urquidy, Tyler Anderson, Kyle Hendricks, Frankie Montas, Steven Matz, Miles Mikolas, Chris Paddack, Erick Fedde

Relief pitcher: Edwin Díaz (opt-out), Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Andrés Muñoz (club option), Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez (opt-out), Ryan Pressly, Liam Hendriks (mutual option), Luke Weaver, Michael Kopech, Pete Fairbanks (club option), Taylor Rogers, Tyler Rogers, José Alvarado (club option), Ryan Brasier, Andrew Chafin, Seranthony Domínguez, Jakob Junis, Brent Suter (club option), Phil Maton, Gregory Soto, Pierce Johnson (club option), Luke Jackson, Rafael Montero, Emilio Pagán, Wandy Peralta (opt-out), Matt Strahm (club/vesting option), Chris Stratton, T.J. McFarland, Justin Wilson

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The headliners here are Guerrero and Tucker -- two of the best position players in the game. Guerrero will be just 26 years old when he’s eligible for free agency at the end of the 2025 season, while Tucker will be 28.

Bichette, Schwarber, Arraez, Ozuna, Realmuto and Suárez are some of the other notable position players in this class.

The 2025-26 class also includes an intriguing crop of starting pitchers led by Cease, Gallen and Valdez, and a stacked list of relievers that could get even deeper if Díaz and Suarez opt out.

Potential free agents after 2026 season

Catcher: Salvador Perez, Jonah Heim, Alejandro Kirk, Travis d'Arnaud, Tyler Stephenson, Mitch Garver, Tom Murphy, Ryan Jeffers, Jake Rogers, Jacob Stallings

First base: Yandy Díaz, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe, Ryan Mountcastle, Andrew Vaughn, Seth Brown

Second base: Ozzie Albies (club option), Brandon Lowe, Jonathan India, Jeff McNeil (club option), Nico Hoerner, Gavin Lux, DJ LeMahieu, Mauricio Dubón

Third base: Alec Bohm, Jeimer Candelario (club option), Anthony Rendon, Ramón Urías, Edmundo Sosa

Shortstop: J.P. Crawford, Orlando Arcia, Kevin Newman

Outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr. (club option), Cody Bellinger, Luis Robert Jr. (club option), Adolis García, Randy Arozarena, George Springer, Nick Castellanos, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ian Happ, Daulton Varsho, Seiya Suzuki, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (club option), Victor Robles (club option), Chas McCormick, Taylor Ward, Chris Taylor, Tyrone Taylor, Jake Fraley

Designated hitter: Jorge Soler

Starting pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Chris Sale, Kevin Gausman, Freddy Peralta, Sandy Alcantara (club option), Seth Lugo, Shota Imanaga (club option/player option), Sonny Gray (club option), Brandon Woodruff, Jesús Luzardo, Marcus Stroman, José Berríos (opt-out), Robbie Ray, Brady Singer, David Peterson, Triston McKenzie, Taijuan Walker, Jameson Taillon, Jeffrey Springs (club option), Dane Dunning, Kyle Wright, Lance McCullers Jr., Drew Rasmussen, Tony Gonsolin, Casey Mize, Garrett Whitlock (club option), Trevor Rogers, Luis Garcia

Relief pitcher: Emmanuel Clase (club option), Liam Hendriks, Bryan Abreu, Pete Fairbanks, Andrés Muñoz (club option), Jason Adam, Robert Stephenson (club option), David Bednar, José Alvarado, Alex Vesia, Matt Strahm, Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips, Yuki Matsui (opt-out), A.J. Puk, Keegan Akin, Joel Payamps, Kevin Ginkel, John Schreiber, Joe Mantiply, Joe Jiménez, Wandy Peralta (opt-out), Cionel Pérez, Aaron Bummer, Pierce Johnson, Mark Leiter Jr., Josh Sborz, JoJo Romero, Nate Pearson, Brent Suter

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Assuming Acuña's club option is picked up, Skubal will be the clear headliner in this class. The left-hander cemented himself as one of baseball's best pitchers in 2024, winning the pitching Triple Crown in the American League.

Crochet, Sale, Díaz, Arozarena, García, Crawford, Gausman, Peralta, Luzardo, Perez and Soler are among the other notable players here.

Potential free agents after 2027 season

Catcher: Adley Rutschman, William Contreras, Cal Raleigh, Willson Contreras (club option), Joey Bart

First base: Freddie Freeman, Alex Kirilloff

Second base: Ketel Marte (club option), Ozzie Albies, Jeff McNeil, Luis García Jr., Bryson Stott, Brendan Donovan

Third base: Nolan Arenado, Ryan McMahon, Isaac Paredes, Jeimer Candelario, Zach McKinstry

Shortstop: Jeremy Peña, Geraldo Perdomo, Javier Báez, Taylor Walls

Outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr. (club option), Steven Kwan, Luis Robert Jr., Masataka Yoshida, Brandon Marsh, Jung Hoo Lee (opt-out), Lars Nootbaar, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Trevor Larnach, Jesús Sánchez, Andrew Benintendi, Jake Meyers, Kyle Isbel, Matt Vierling, Jo Adell, Leody Taveras, Jose Siri, Victor Robles

Designated hitter: Brent Rooker, Giancarlo Stanton (club option)

Starting pitcher: Logan Gilbert, Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom (club option), Tyler Glasnow (club option), Joe Musgrove, Pablo López, Reynaldo López, Sonny Gray, Luis Castillo (vesting option), Kodai Senga (club option), Justin Steele, Eduardo Rodriguez (vesting option), Sandy Alcantara, Tanner Houck, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Cristian Javier, Clarke Schmidt, Jeffrey Springs, MacKenzie Gore, Nick Lodolo, Alek Manoah, Josiah Gray, Tylor Megill, Dean Kremer, Garrett Whitlock (club option), Yariel Rodríguez (player option/club option)

Relief pitcher: Edwin Díaz (club option), Emmanuel Clase (club option), Robert Suarez, Andrés Muñoz (club option), Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Trevor Megill, Camilo Doval, Will Vest, Jason Foley, Alexis Díaz, Félix Bautista, Jordan Hicks, Yuki Matsui (opt-out), Wandy Peralta, Eli Morgan, Garrett Cleavinger, Aaron Ashby (club option), Robert Stephenson

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As we look far down the road, the 2027-28 offseason could be a big one for the catching position, with Rutschman, William Contreras and Raleigh all eligible to reach free agency.

Given his age (he'll be 30 at the end of 2027), Gilbert could be the most coveted starting pitcher in this class if he continues to perform like he did from 2022-24 (3.38 ERA, 4.78 K/BB).