As the calendar flips to 2025, it’s a good time to take stock of the free-agent market.

While the talent pool has thinned considerably, there are still some attractive options left for teams looking to address major needs before the start of Spring Training, whether it’s an impact starter, a power bat, a lights-out reliever or a standout defender.

With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of the best available players across the free-agent spectrum.

The international phenom: Roki Sasaki

Sasaki, who turned 23 on Nov. 3, is regarded as one of the most talented young pitchers in the world, with a fastball that touches 100 mph, a devastating splitter and an improving slider. The results have been just as impressive as his stuff -- over four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball in his native Japan, he has recorded a 2.02 ERA with 524 strikeouts and 91 walks in 414 2/3 innings.

The right-hander is seeking an MLB opportunity via the posting system. However, his status as an international amateur -- foreign-born players are classified as such unless they are at least 25 years of age and have played as a professional in a foreign league recognized by Major League Baseball for a minimum of six seasons -- means he is subject to international bonus pool restrictions. As a result, money is not expected to be a leading factor in his decision.

To this point, Sasaki and his representatives have reportedly had in-person meetings with six known teams: the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Rangers and Giants. The Padres are also considered a serious contender to sign Sasaki, but it's unknown if they have a meeting scheduled with the coveted hurler yet.

The star position players: Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, Jurickson Profar

While Juan Soto (Mets), Willy Adames (Giants), Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers) and Christian Walker (Astros) have all signed, the free-agent market still offers several big-name hitters for teams looking to bolster their lineups.

This group includes two premier power hitters, one on the infield (Alonso) and one in the outfield (Santander). Since his debut in 2019, Alonso has hit more homers (226) than everyone besides Aaron Judge (232). Santander ranked third in MLB behind Judge (58) and Shohei Ohtani (54) with 44 homers in a breakout 2024 season.

Bregman won a Gold Glove Award in 2024 and is coming off his third straight season with at least 20 homers and a 115 OPS+. The 30-year-old third baseman enjoyed a decorated nine-season run with the Astros that included two World Series rings, two All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger and the one Gold Glove. However, his time with Houston has likely come to an end after the team signed Walker and acquired another corner infielder, Isaac Paredes, from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade.

Profar, meanwhile, had a career year for the Padres after a decade of mostly modest production, notching personal bests in homers (24), RBIs (85), batting average (.280) and OPS (.839) in 2024.

The best remaining MLB starters: Jack Flaherty, Nick Pivetta

The elite MLB starters -- Corbin Burnes (D-backs), Blake Snell (Dodgers) and Max Fried (Yankees) -- are off the board. Many of the leading mid-tier options are gone as well, including Nathan Eovaldi (Rangers), Yusei Kikuchi (Angels), Sean Manaea (Mets), Walker Buehler (Red Sox) and Luis Severino (Athletics).

As a result, the free-agent pool offers limited choices for clubs seeking a starting pitcher capable of elevating their rotation, with Flaherty and Pivetta standing out as the best remaining arms.

A free agent for the second straight offseason, Flaherty dramatically improved his stock in 2024, registering a 3.17 ERA with a 5.11 K/BB over 28 starts between the Tigers and Dodgers. Another plus for Flaherty? He wasn't eligible to receive a qualifying offer, so he's not tied to Draft compensation, unlike Pivetta, who rejected a QO from the Red Sox.

The results haven’t always been there for Pivetta, but the stuff is intriguing. He owns a career 10.0 K/9 and had a personal-best 4.78 K/BB in 2024.

The high-end relief options: Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman, Kirby Yates, David Robertson, Carlos Estévez, Kenley Jansen

While Devin Williams found a new home via a trade from the Brewers to the Yankees, the market for free-agent relievers has been extremely quiet to this point.

Scott may be the top option here after a phenomenal two-year stretch split between the Marlins and the Padres. Since the beginning of 2023, the left-handed Scott has produced 188 strikeouts, a 2.04 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP across 150 frames. Hoffman, a right-hander, also has been dominant over the past two seasons, posting 158 K's, a 2.28 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 118 2/3 innings.

Jansen, Yates and Robertson are among a group of relievers who are getting up there in years but can still get it done in the late innings. The 37-year-old Jansen is one of eight pitchers in MLB history with at least 400 saves. Yates, 37, recorded 33 saves and a 1.17 ERA in a bounceback season with the Rangers in 2024. He was teammates with Robertson, who is entering his age-40 season. The 16-year vet had a 12.4 K/9 and a 3.00 ERA in 72 innings with Texas.

Estévez had 57 saves and a 3.22 ERA over the previous two seasons while pitching for the Angels and Phillies.

The glove gurus: Ha-Seong Kim, Harrison Bader, Hyeseong Kim

Everyone in this group can make an impact at the plate, but their stellar work in the field enhances their value. Although Ha-Seong Kim missed the final six weeks of the season because of a right shoulder injury, he was a plus defender at shortstop when active for San Diego. He has accrued 23 OAA through four big league seasons while splitting his time between short, second base and third base.

Hyeseong Kim is slated to make the jump to the big leagues this winter after eight seasons with the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO. A high-contact hitter, the 25-year-old Kim batted .326 and stole 30 bases this year. He has also won three Golden Gloves in the KBO – two at second base and one at shortstop.

Bader is the least productive hitter in this small group -- he owns an 80 OPS+ since the start of 2022 -- but his 68 OAA since his 2018 rookie year places him second only to the now-retired Kevin Kiermaier among center fielders. That includes Bader’s 10 OAA while manning center for the Mets last season.

Likely future Hall of Famers with something to prove: Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw

All three of these pitchers have a spot waiting for them in Cooperstown, but each is coming off a challenging campaign, and none has Father Time on his side.

Injuries have been a recurring theme for Scherzer, Verlander and Kershaw in recent seasons, and it’s going to be tough to count on any of them to stay healthy for a full season at this point in their careers. The trio combined to make 33 starts last season.

Still, given their track records, we can’t rule out a rebound for any of these legends.

Other notable starting pitchers: Charlie Morton, Jose Quintana, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, Michael Lorenzen, Andrew Heaney

These aren't the flashiest of names, but each of these hurlers can help shore up the back end of a team's rotation.

Morton, Gibson and Heaney all made 30-plus starts in 2024, while Lynn and Lorenzen posted sub-4.00 ERAs. Quintana did both, notching a 3.75 ERA over 32 starts for the Mets. The veteran lefty leads this group in both the FanGraphs (6.5) and Baseball-Reference (7.7) versions of WAR over the past three years.