MLB Free Agent Rankings: The best outfielders available on the hot stove market

The most coveted bat of all is here, but depth is lacking

By Dayn Perry

Dec 1, 2017 at 12:48 pm ET • 2 min read

The MLB offseason has been painfully slow when it comes to actual transactions, but at some point it's going to pick up and players will start to be signed. In the meantime, we're going to run through the positions and rank the available free-agent options. For one huge list, we have a free agent tracker with every position included. We've also ranked the best options at catcher, first base, middle infield, and third base.

Now, let's run through the top-heavy outfield class ...

Top Free Agent Outfielders

1	J.D. Martinez Free Agent RF
Martinez, who's heading into his age-30 campaign, has been one of the top power hitters in baseball since rebuilding his swing with the Tigers. Since the start of the 2014 season, Martinez has slugged .574, put up an OPS+ of 149, and averaged 40 homers and 39 doubles per 162 games played. Concerns? Age, poor defense, and a history of injuries. That said, the tremendous power is enough to make him one of the most coveted FAs at any position.
2	Lorenzo Cain Free Agent CF
Cain in 2017 enjoyed a nice rebound season with the glove, and he remains an asset at the plate and on the bases. Good production, speed, and plus fielding at an up-the-middle position combine to make him a worthy addition for any number of teams.
3	Jay Bruce Free Agent RF
Bruce isn't a useful defensive outfielder these days, and he can't run. What he can do is hit the ball over the fence, especially off right-handed pitching. Bruce hit a career-high 36 homers last season, and in 2018 he'll almost certainly tally the 300th homer of his career. He'd be a nice fit as a primary DH/occasional corner outfielder.
4	Carlos Gomez Free Agent CF
Gomez quietly redeemed himself since leaving the Astros -- he managed a 113 OPS+ in more than 500 plate appearances over a year-plus with the Texas. Going into his age-32 campaign, Gomez is still an adequate defensive center fielder. He can also still swipe a bag on occasion, and in 138 games with the Rangers he hit into just three double plays.
5	Carlos Gonzalez Free Agent RF
CarGo, who turned 32 in October, is coming off a disappointing 2017 (87 OPS+, the worst such qualifying mark of his career). He finished up strong, however, and his larger and much more impressive track record is of course relevant. That's why the projection systems we've seen thus far are predicting a bit of a rebound for Gonzalez in 2018. His long-term outlook isn't promising, but he might make sense on a pillow contract with a player option.
6	Jon Jay Free Agent LF
The lefty-swinging Jay has solid on-base chops and can play all three outfield positions. He's a highly useful roster piece, but he's probably stretched as a regular at this stage of his career.
7	Austin Jackson Free Agent CF
Jackson can still help a team with his glove-work in center, and with the bat he was highly productive with the Indians in part-time duty last season. Jackson's likely in for offensive regression, but he'll remain roster-worthy.
8	Jarrod Dyson Free Agent CF
Dyson's still got elite speed on the bases, and he can usefully pin down any outfield position. He's also got solid on-base skills in platoon-advantaged situations. In the Jay/Jackson mold, he's a solid and flexible roster piece.
9	Melky Cabrera Free Agent LF
Cabrera gives away runs with his glove these days, but the veteran switch-hitter can still hit a little bit. A little, we said.
10	Jose Bautista Free Agent RF
Joey Bats is 37 and showed steep signs of decline last year. However, he was a good hitter as recently as 2016 and a frontline hitter as recently as 2015. Maybe some team will bet on the lingering skills in a limited role.