MLB free agency: Some of the top free agents entering the offseason

New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto is the crown jewel of a group of MLB free agents this offseason. It's the second year in a row with a clear number one free agent, last year's being Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract.

If it wasn't for Ohtani's record breaking contract, Soto would likely set the record for an MLB contract this season. He's expected to sign a deal worth more than $500 million and one that might near $600 million. At 25, Soto's deal will likely be at a length of 12 years or more. The money will price most teams out, and the Yankees, Dodgers, and New York Mets are the three teams expected to be fighting for Soto.

Other than Soto, the free-agent class of pitchers is intriguing. Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried and Jack Flaherty are all sought-after arms and they'll likely fetch contracts from bigger market teams. Additionally, Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki is expected to be posted. The Dodgers will likely go after him.

After Soto, there are still some bats that will greatly impact the team that signs them. Shortstop Willy Adames has the most home runs by a shortstop over the past four seasons and just set career highs in hits, home runs, RBI, runs and stolen bases.

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First basemen Pete Alonso saved the Mets in the postseason, hitting a three-run homer in Game 3 of the Wild Card series against the Milwaukee Brewers and setting the Mets on the course that saw them reach the NLCS. He has the second most home runs in the league since debuting in 2019, behind only Aaron Judge.

Alex Bregman's production has dipped a bit since last making an All-Star game in 2019, but he's still an effective third basemen, recording around four wins-above-replacement and 20 home runs in his last few seasons with the Astros.

Rightfielder Teoscar Hernández is coming off a World Series in which he hit .350 and drove in four runs after a regular season where hit a career-high 33 home runs. Hernández is also reliable, missing only 20 games over the past two seasons.

Don't expect these top free agents to sign quickly, Ohtani signed with Los Angeles in December, so expect deals to be made and news to break around then and January.

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