Complete list of Yankees upcoming free agents and predictions

A complete list of every New York Yankees free agent and where they will sign.

Coming off of a truly heartbreaking performance in the ALCS that saw them get swept by the Astros, this wound is going to be a painful one for both Yankees fans and players alike.

With the offseason quickly approaching, the club has a large list of its big league contributors set to hit free agency. We already know about the biggest name, Aaron Judge, but two key starting pitchers and a whole slew of solid relief options are also coming off of the books.

As has always been the case, the Yankees need to make some big decisions this offseason if they’re to stay in good standing amongst their fans, even if that means aggressively pursuing a reunion with some of their upcoming free agents.

A complete list of upcoming Yankees free agents with predictions.

OF Andrew Benintendi

2022 stats: 126 G, 5 HR, 51 RBI, 54 R, .304 AVG, 120 OPS+, 3.2 bWAR

After finding himself traded from the Royals to the Yankees at this year’s deadline, Andrew Benintendi didn’t quite perform as well in the Bronx as he did in the AL Central but he still managed to get on base consistently and play solid defense.

“Benny” certainly won’t sign a contract even close to Aaron Judge’s, there are still going to be quite a few teams in on him once he officially hits free agency.

Prediction: Texas Rangers

LHP Zack Britton

2022 stats: 3 G, 0.2 IP, 13.50 ERA, 27.11 FIP, 1 SO, 6 BB

The past two years have not looked very good for Zack Britton, who is on the wrong side of 30 and hasn’t been an above-average pitcher in either of the past two seasons.

Once one of the most dominant relief pitchers in the game, Britton has struggled with inconsistency and injuries as of late, and is not even a lock to sign a big league deal in the 2023 season, but there will be some teams in need of lefty bullpen arms that will bite.

Prediction: Houston Astros

INF/OF Matt Carpenter

2022 stats: 47 G, 15 HR, 37 RBI, .305 AVG, 217 OPS+, 2.4 bWAR

In just under 50 games during the regular season, Matt Carpenter was an offensive machine, hitting 15 home runs and posting an OPS of 1.138 along the way before fouling a pitch off of his left foot in August, breaking it and putting him on the shelf for the remainder of the regular season.

Carpenter returned during the postseason but it’s his regular-season play that will earn him another contract in the upcoming campaign, likely a big league deal. He proven he still has some thump left in the bat and also proved that he still possesses the defensive chops to play either of the infield corners or outfield corners.

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals

RHP Miguel Castro

2022 stats: 34 G, 29.0 IP, 4.03 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 31 SO, 15 BB

Towering righty Miguel Castro performed admirably in his first year as a Yankee, functioning as an oft-used option for Aaron Boone. Entering what will be his ninth season in the majors, he has been a reliable ‘pen option for the vast majority of his big league career.

His 98 ERA+ in 2022 marks him as just a tick below league-average but the 27-year-old still has youth on his side and would fit nicely on the Yankees staff moving forward.

Prediction: Re-signs with New York Yankees

LHP Aroldis Chapman

2022 stats: 43 G, 9 SV, 36.1 IP, 4.46 ERA, 4.57 FIP, 43 SO, 28 BB

Oh boy, what a rough ending to Aroldis Chapman‘s Yankees career. After being a fixture in the back end of the club’s bullpen every year since 2016, Chapman had his worst year as a professional and is certainly not coming back to the Yankees.

Everything seemed to go wrong for the flame-throwing lefty this year, as he walked more batters (6.9 BB/9, most since 2011) and struck out less batters (10.7 SO/9, career low), losing regular save chances and going through countless late-game meltdowns along the way.

There is virtually no evidence to suggest that Chapman will sign anything more than a one-year “prove it” type of deal in free agency. Look for a non-contender to make a run at him to see if they can catch lightning in a bottle for a year.

Prediction: Miami Marlins

INF/OF Marwin Gonzalez

2022 stats: 85 G, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 20 R, .185 AVG, 64 OPS+, 0.8 bWAR

Marwin Gonzalez continues to land a job every year as a super utilityman, this time with the Yankees, making defensive appearances at every position except catcher and center field in 2022.

The problem with Gonzalez’s game is the fact that he is virtually unplayable from an offensive standpoints, failing to be worth more than 0.1 oWAR since 2019.

Gonzalez is a switch hitter who tied a career high last year with 1.1 dWAR, so he is likely to find another home in the upcoming campaign, even if it’s just as an oft-used defensive replacement/utility man.

Prediction: Miami Marlins (minor league deal)

RHP Chad Green

2022 stats: 14 G, 15.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 16 SO, 5 BB

For years now, the Yankees have loved themselves come Chad Green. After the success he’s had for them over the past seven years, can you blame them?

Green, 31, only made a handful of appearances out of the bullpen this year before going down with right forearm discomfort which ultimately led to Tommy John surgery, which kept him out for nearly the entire year and will keep him on the shelf for a huge chunk of next year as well.

Prediction: Re-signs with New York Yankees

OF Aaron Judge

2022 stats: 157 G, 62 HR, 131 RBI, 133 R, .311 AVG, 211 OPS+, 10.6 bWAR

30-year-old Aaron Judge had one heck of a season both on the field and off. On the field, he was busy setting AL home run records while chasing the American League’s second Triple Crown since the 60’s. Off the field, fans spent the entire year speculating where he would end up in his first career trip through free agency.

With the failure to come to an agreement on a contract extension between Judge and the Yankees, it seems unlikely he will return. The Giants are one of the most popular FA destinations in Judge rumors but he will end up on another NL West team, one that can’t continue to play a rapidly declining Cody Bellinger on an everyday basis.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

1B Anthony Rizzo (2023 player option)

2022 stats: 130 G, 32 HR, 75 RBI, 77 R, .224 AVG, 131 OPS+, 2.3 bWAR

Ever since coming over to the Yankees via trade with the Cubs, Anthony Rizzo has seemed at home in the Bronx.

While his batting average wasn’t anywhere close to where it usually sits, Rizzo remained an extremely productive player for the Yanks, hitting 32 home runs, the most he’s hit since 2017 and posted his best OPS+ since 2019.

Rizzo’s smooth left-handed swing has fit very nicely on this club and all signs point to both player and team sticking with the other until further notice. His current contract contains a player option for the 2023 season, one that he will pick up.

Prediction: He picks up his option and remains a Yankee.

RHP Luis Severino (2023 club option)

2022 stats: 19 GS, 102.0 IP, 3.18 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 112 SO, 30 BB

When Luis Severino is healthy, he is one of the best starting pitchers in the league. Unfortunately, that’s been the problem for him over the past few years.

2022 saw the 28-year-old make 19 starts, the most he’s made in a single season since 2018. In those starts, he looked utterly dominant and seems destined to continue this strong stretch of play as long as he’s able to avoid the injury bug that has bitten him time after time in recent years.

Prediction: His club option is picked up and he remains a Yankee.

RHP Jameson Taillon

2022 stats: 32 GS, 177.1 IP, 3.91 ERA, 3.94 FIP, 151 SO, 32 BB

Jameson Taillon, like Severino, has done enough to warrant the Yankees being interested in bringing him back once more. A free agent for the first time in his career, the 30-year-old Taillon has also struggled with injuries in the past but has been arguably the most reliable starter the Yanks have had in the past two years.

Taillon isn’t super flashy on the mound and doesn’t blow hitters away with huge breaking stuff or a blazing fastball but he has proven to be a durable, reliable starter for the club over the past few seasons. These traits alone will ensure the Yankees interest, but there will undoubtedly be stiff competition on the free agent market.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels