There you have it: my All-Free-Agent teams.
My takeaways? There’s some talent here, but not much. This isn’t the kind of class that changes the balance of power in the league. There are no franchise-altering bats and only one or two pitchers who should genuinely move the needle.
If you need depth, you may be in luck.
If you need bodies capable of breathing and filling out your Triple-A roster, you’re in outstanding shape.
If you’re looking for a fourth outfielder, a platoon catcher, a swingman, or a reliever who posted a 3.50 ERA last year and will somehow get a three-year deal, congratulations—this is your market.
If you’re looking for difference-makers?
Scour the trade market.
Because this free-agent class feels less like a shopping spree and more like a clearance rack. There are useful pieces to be found, and a few of them may even become genuine bargains. But for every bargain, there will be an owner who talks themselves into paying star prices for decidedly non-star production.
And that’s the beauty of free agency. Every December, hope triumphs over evidence. Every player is in the best shape of his life. Every bounce-back candidate is poised for a resurgence. Every general manager is convinced they’ve spotted value that the other 29 teams somehow missed.
By February, every signing will be praised.
By July, several of these contracts will be underwater.
And by next winter, we’ll all gather here again and declare that this free-agent class is the weak one.