MLB hot stove: Finding best fits for unsigned top-50 free agents, including Josh Donaldson and Marcell Ozuna

Here's the most sensible landing spot for the best available free agents

The Winter Meetings have come and gone and it's clear MLB teams are more active in free agency than the last two offseasons. Three of the 11 largest contracts in baseball history were handed out this month, plus several other quality free agents signed deals commensurate with their on-field worth rather than something well short of their true value.

As of this writing 30 of our top 50 free agents have signed, including the top three and 11 of the top 12. That means there are 20 top-50 free agents looking for work at the moment, and of course there are plenty of teams across the league with roster deficiencies to address before spring training. More signings (and trades) will go down in the coming weeks.

With that in mind, let's examine the remaining unsigned top 50 free agents and figure out their best fit for 2020. The best fit for the player and the best fit for the team as well, since free agency is a two-way street. Let's dive in, shall we?

Top 50 MLB free agents

1	Anthony Rendon Los Angeles Angels 3B
Signed: Angels (seven years, $245 million)
2	Gerrit Cole New York Yankees SP
Signed: Yankees (nine years, $324 million)
3	Stephen Strasburg Washington Nationals SP
Signed: Nationals (seven years, $245 million)
4	Josh Donaldson Atlanta Braves 3B
Best fit: Nationals Washington lost Rendon to free agency and, even with Howie Kendrick's return and prospect Carter Kieboom's imminent arrival, the Nationals have a giant hole on the infield and in their lineup. Donaldson is not Rendon, but he is the next best thing, and he'd slot in nicely as the right-handed No. 3 hitter between lefties Adam Eaton and Juan Soto. Kendrick could slide over to first base, his best position at this point, opening second base for Kieboom. Also, Donaldson gets another chance at that elusive World Series ring. It would be a win-win.
5	Yasmani Grandal Chicago White Sox C
Signed: White Sox (four years, $73 million)
6	Madison Bumgarner Arizona Diamondbacks SP
Signed: Diamondbacks (five years, $85 million)
7	Zack Wheeler Philadelphia Phillies SP
Signed: Phillies (five years, $118 million)
8	Hyun-Jin Ryu Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Signed: Blue Jays (four years, $40 million)
9	Cole Hamels Atlanta Braves SP
Signed: Braves (one year, $18 million)
10	Dallas Keuchel Atlanta Braves SP
Signed: White Sox (three years, $55.5 million)
11	Mike Moustakas Cincinnati Reds 3B
Signed: Reds (four years, $64 million)
12	Didi Gregorius Philadelphia Phillies SS
Signed: Phillies (one year, $14 million)
13	Marcell Ozuna St. Louis Cardinals LF
Best fit: Reds Even after signing Moustakas, the Reds could use another bat, and the outfield is the obvious place to add one. Right now they have Nick Senzel in center with Aristides Aquino and Jesse Winker on the flanks. Ozuna in one corner with an Aquino/Winker platoon in the other looks so much better, doesn't it? Cincinnati has a very strong rotation and an improved lineup. The NL Central seems wide open and Ozuna would help the Reds make a run at the postseason.
14	Yasiel Puig Cleveland Indians RF
Best fit: Marlins Give the Marlins credit, they've made an effort to improve this offseason (Jesus Aguilar, Jonathan Villar), which hasn't always been the case in recent years. Miami has an opening in the outfield and Puig would reunite with manager Don Mattingly, plus he's likely looking at a one-year contract to rebuild value. The Marlins are not going to contend in 2020 and Puig, who turned only 29 this month, is exactly the kind of upside play they should make. Aguilar, Puig, and Villar brings some respectability to South Beach.
15	Nicholas Castellanos Chicago Cubs RF
Best fit: Cubs The Cubs are crying poor this offseason, so re-signing Castellanos almost certainly will not happen, but it is the best fit for both sides. The team keeps a player who thrived in its uniform this past season and addresses a lineup weakness. Castellanos gets to hit in a great park and stays with a team that ostensibly has a chance to win. Perhaps the Cubs will circle back to Castellanos should they successfully unload Kris Bryant's salary, which is a thing I never thought I'd have to type.
16	Rich Hill Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Best fit: Red Sox Hill had elbow surgery in October and is expected to be out until the All-Star break. He turns 40 in March and this very well might be the end of the line, but a low base salary one-year contract with the Red Sox allows him to rehab close to his home in Massachusetts. For the Red Sox, Hill would be a zero risk roll of the dice. If he gets healthy, he could return at midseason and help with the postseason push (or be flipped for a prospect at the deadline). If not, then no big deal. Nothing gained, but also nothing lost. The Red Sox helped Hill revive his career in 2014. It would be cool to see them do it one more time.
17	Will Smith Atlanta Braves RP
Signed: Braves (three years, $39 million)
18	Will Harris Houston Astros RP
Best fit: Rangers Setup man Emmanuel Clase was sent to the Indians in the Corey Kluber trade, leaving a Harris-sized hole in the Rangers' bullpen. He'd serve as a bridge to closer Jose Leclerc and, as an added bonus, Texas would sign Harris away from the AL West rival Astros, so that's a bit of a double whammy. Harris to the Rangers strikes me as one of the most obvious free-agent fits at the moment.
19	Dellin Betances New York Yankees RP
Best fit: Mets All indications are Betances is right on track with his Achilles rehab and is looking for a one-year deal to rebuild value after battling injuries in 2019. Betances is a native New Yorker and a return to the Yankees seems unlikely given their payroll situation. The Mets are the next best thing. He'd get to stay home and the Mets would add a very high upside player to their bullpen on a low-risk one-year contract. If it works out, great! If not, it's only one year, so who cares?
20	Brett Gardner New York Yankees CF
Signed: Yankees (one year, $12.5 million)
21	Jake Odorizzi Minnesota Twins SP
Signed: Twins (accepted the one-year, $17.8 million qualifying offer)
22	Corey Dickerson Philadelphia Phillies LF
Best fit: Diamondbacks Even after landing Bumgarner on a sweetheart deal, the D-Backs have money to spend, and they have an opening in the corner outfield. Dickerson is only 30 and owns a sneaky great 119 OPS+ for his career. He always hits. The D-Backs would improve their lineup as they push for a postseason spot in 2020 and also get a great stopgap option while they wait for all those top outfield prospects to climb the minor-league ladder.
23	Howie Kendrick Washington Nationals 1B
Signed: Nationals (one year, $6.25 million)
24	Ben Zobrist Chicago Cubs 2B
Best fit: Nationals It's unclear whether Zobrist, now 38, will play in 2020. If he does, it'll be for a contender, and his versatility would fit in nicely with a Nationals team that would still have uncertainty at second base even after our hypothetical Donaldson signing. The 26th roster spot is coming next season and that would allow Zobrist to occupy a lower-intensity role. He wouldn't need to play every single day (or even most days) and instead be able to contribute on a part-time basis.
25	Edwin Encarnacion New York Yankees 1B
Best fit: White Sox With all due respect to James McCann, I can't imagine the White Sox truly consider him a DH option going forward. His monster first half (.873 OPS) this past season was wildly out of line with everything else he's done in his career (.695 OPS in the second half). McCann's a fine backup catcher. Not a DH. Encarnacion is a DH and a very productive one at that. He and Jose Abreu would form a strong first base/DH tandem on the south side. As an added bonus, Encarnacion is a great clubhouse guy who mentors young players.
26	Jose Abreu Chicago White Sox 1B
Signed: White Sox (three years, $50 million)
27	Chris Martin Atlanta Braves RP
Signed: Braves (two years, $14 million)
28	Kyle Gibson Texas Rangers RP
Signed: Rangers (three years, $30 million)
29	Justin Smoak Milwaukee Brewers 1B
Signed: Brewers (one year, $5 million)
30	Robinson Chirinos Houston Astros C
Best fit: Angels The Angels currently have Anthony Bemboom and Max Stassi penciled in as their catching tandem, so yeah. They need an upgrade behind the plate. Chirinos has pop and a reputation for working well with pitchers, plus, at age 35, he is likely to sign another one-year contract. It would be a short-term investment and an obvious upgrade behind the plate for an Angels team desperate to get back to the postseason.
31	Travis d'Arnaud Atlanta Braves C
Signed: Braves (two years, $16 million)
32	Alex Avila Minnesota Twins C
Signed: Twins (one year, $4.25 million)
33	Hunter Pence Texas Rangers DH
Best fit: Giants Hey, why not? Pence is a rock star in San Francisco and the Giants could use him as part of a three-headed corner outfield monster with Alex Dickerson, who has a long injury history, and Mike Yastrzemski. It would be a low cost one-year contract and not impede San Francisco's rebuild in any way. Pablo Sandoval came back as a role player and thrived. Pence could do the same and help the Giants stay respectable, if not be a sleeper team for a wild-card spot.
34	Drew Pomeranz San Diego Padres RP
Signed: Padres (four years, $34 million)
35	Kole Calhoun Los Angeles Angels RF
Best fit: Indians The Indians can still contend in 2020 even after trading Kluber (all bets are off if they trade Francisco Lindor), though they do need help in their outfield. Oscar Mercado is locked into center field and the corner outfielders are currently ... Jake Bauers and Greg Allen? Jake Bauers and Greg Allen. Calhoun is a flawed player, no doubt, but he has power and is a Gold Glove caliber defender in right field. He represents a low-cost yet potentially considerable upgrade for Cleveland.
36	Tanner Roark Toronto Blue Jays SP
Signed: Blue Jays (two years, $24 million)
37	Julio Teheran Atlanta Braves SP
Signed: Angels (one year, $9 million)
38	Michael Pineda Minnesota Twins SP
Signed: Twins (two years, $20 million)
39	Eric Thames Milwaukee Brewers 1B
Best fit: Twins Donaldson would be the best-case scenario for the Twins. That would add a big bat to the lineup and allow them to slide Miguel Sano over to first base. Since we have Donaldson going to the Nationals and Travis Shaw has signed with the Blue Jays, Thames is the next best thing for Minnesota. He'd give them a power platoon bat at first base and allow Marwin Gonzalez to return to the super utility role he thrives in.
40	Wade Miley Cincinnati Reds SP
Signed: Reds (two years, $15 million)
41	Alex Wood Cincinnati Reds SP
Best fit: Giants Injuries sabotaged Wood's contract year and have turned him into a reclamation project. A 28-year-old reclamation project who was an All-Star as recently as 2017, but a reclamation project nonetheless. The Giants gave Kevin Gausman, a similar 28-year-old reclamation project with upside, a one-year contract earlier this month and they have room in the rotation to do it with Wood as well. Remember, Wood and Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi were together with the Dodgers all those years. There's a connection and a relationship already in place.
42	Scooter Gennett San Francisco Giants 2B
Best fit: Indians In all likelihood Gennett, an All-Star as recently as 2018, will look for a team willing to guarantee him a full-time job following his disastrous injury-plagued 2019. The Indians can play him at second base full-time or, if push comes to shove, in the outfield, where Gennett has some experience. It would be a low-risk signing -- Gennett is surely looking at a one-year contract -- that could potentially pay huge dividends seeing how he is only 29. There is nothing sexy about guys like Calhoun and Gennett, but they are worthwhile rolls of the dice for a contending team on a budget like the Indians.
43	Rick Porcello New York Mets SP
Signed: Mets (one year, $10 million)
44	Jose Iglesias Cincinnati Reds SS
Best fit: Orioles Chances are the Orioles will not roll with Rule 5 Draft pick Richie Martin as their full-time shortstop again in 2020 -- the O's can now send Martin to Triple-A to continue on a proper development path -- so they need someone to man the position next year. The cheaper and more easily flippable at the trade deadline, the better. Iglesias remains a wizard at short and he's still only 29, so squint your eyes and you can see some upside. Note: I reserve the right to change this to the Indians if they trade Lindor.
45	Gio Gonzalez Chicago White Sox SP
Signed: White Sox (one year, $5 million)
46	Todd Frazier New York Mets 3B
Best fit: Rangers Frazier is part of the free agent middle class that has felt the squeeze in recent years. He's a perfectly cromulent corner bat and is regarded as a clubhouse plus, though he's not a true difference-maker on the field. The Rangers are reportedly out on Donaldson, and Frazier would be a good enough depth player. He'd give them protection at first base should Ronald Guzman struggle again and at third base should Nick Solak's arm prove to be short for the position, plus he'd add a little right-handed balance to a lineup that leans lefty.
47	Ivan Nova Chicago White Sox SP
Best fit: Phillies Wheeler is an impact addition but he is only one man and the Phillies came into the offseason needing multiple starting pitchers. Vince Velasquez and Nick Pivetta pitched their way into the bullpen last year and Jake Arrieta is coming back from elbow surgery, so yeah, the Phillies could use another arm. Nova is a boringly reliable league average-ish innings-eater and you could do worse for your No. 5 starter. New manager Joe Girardi and Nova have a history from their time with the Yankees, remember.
48	Jordan Lyles Texas Rangers SP
Signed: Rangers (two years, $16 million)
49	Avisail Garcia Milwaukee Brewers CF
Signed: Brewers (two years, $20 million)
50	Starlin Castro Miami Marlins 2B
Best fit: Orioles The Orioles traded Villar, arguably their best player, rather than pay him roughly $11 million next season, though that doesn't necessarily mean they are completely opposed to spending a little money. At least I hope it doesn't, anyway. It feels like Castro has been around forever but he is still only 29, and put him in a hitter-friendly ballpark like Camden Yards, and you could get a superficially strong season that leads to a prospect at the trade deadline. If not Baltimore, I wonder whether Castro would be a candidate to go to Korea or Japan.