Despite a crowded postseason race, free agency is something that is on the mind of plenty of executives right now.
Front office executives' jobs are to prepare well in advance for things, and that is absolutely the case this year as teams are bracing for a lockout. It would hardly be a surprise after talking with numerous major-league sources if there was a frenzy of movement from the beginning of the offseason to when the CBA expires on December 1, meaning that the trade and free-agent markets could be hot and heavy.
So who are some under-the-radar names to keep an eye on? Here are five.
Jake Bauers, Milwaukee Brewers
Bauers is someone who has broken onto the scene with the Milwaukee Brewers, with the 30-year-old hitting a career-high 23 home runs while slashing .272/.382/.501 with 75 RBI. He’s going to have a strong market this winter, especially with limited power bats available, and it’s entirely possible that Milwaukee extends him the qualifying offer this winter.
Would Bauers take it? There’s certainly an argument, especially with such a weak free agent class upcoming, that he could turn it down and explore a deal elsewhere. He’s going to be in position to absolutely take advantage of his breakout season, with no shortage of teams likely to check in on the soon-to-be free-agent first baseman and outfielder.
Clay Holmes, Chicago Cubs
There was absolutely massive interest in Clay Holmes at the trade deadline and at one point, the Arizona Diamondbacks had a deal in place to acquire the right-hander until a prospect going back to the Mets failed his physical.
Alas, Holmes ended up with the Cubs, and he’s fit in exactly how they hoped behind their elite infield defense with the right-hander posting a 1.96 ERA in four starts. Holmes is going to do VERY well in free agency, according to numerous sources throughout baseball, and is absolutely in the mix to be the second-best free-agent starter behind Tarik Skubal.
Luis Arraez, Philadelphia Phillies
How could the top hitter traded at the deadline also be on this list? Well, because it somehow feels like Luis Arraez is still underrated.
Arraez’s offense is elite, and his ability to put balls in play is unmatched. He now is an above average defender at second base, a credit to the work he put in with defensive wizard Ron Washington in San Francisco. What has held teams back from pursuing him previously was the lack of defense. Now that he has that, Arraez will have a robust market, and a three or a four-year deal should absolutely be within the realm of possibilities.
Casey Mize, San Diego Padres
Mize’s former teammate with the Detroit Tigers, Tarik Skubal, gets plenty of mentions and rightfully so. But Mize is a dependable, veteran option who despite his early struggles with the San Diego Padres, will have a very nice market in the winter.Â
Besides, after his initial eight-run outing in 3.1 innings in his first appearance with San Diego, Mize has thrown quality starts in two of three starts. He’s someone who is highly regarded in the clubhouse, and a multi-year deal should await him in free agency with numerous teams set to be involved.
Carson Kelly, Chicago Cubs
Something I’ve heard from teams for years is how difficult it is to acquire quality catching, and this trade deadline was no different. And one of the teams who had catching to trade, the Cincinnati Reds, knew that and placed a very high asking price on Tyler Stephenson hoping some team would pay the steep asking price.
This winter, Carson Kelly is in a position to capitalize. He has a mutual option for 2027, but those are never exercised, meaning he will become a free agent. He’s performed very well in back-to-back years, hitting .254/.336/.404 with 25 home runs and 95 RBI, and should be in a strong position to land a multi-year deal in free agency.
Add us as a preferred source on Google