From Carlos Correa to Freddie Freeman to Max Scherzer, taking stock of the top names in MLB free agency for the 2021-22 offseason
The 2021 Major League Baseball campaign is a wrap. The Atlanta Braves are World Series champions. MLB awards season is approaching. The weather is changing. And so, too, will be the fortunes of several teams as the offseason period begins in earnest.
Eligible players officially became agents as soon as the World Series ended in Houston last week, though actual free agent signings weren’t permitted to begin until exactly five days after the Fall Classic ended, with the official start date arriving late Sunday, Nov. 7. With the league’s current collective bargaining agreement with the MLBPA due to expire on Dec. 1, there’s more than just the usual intrigue in store in free agency ahead of the 2022 season — so let’s break down the biggest names on the board ready to get seriously paid.
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Boardroom’s Top 20 MLB Free Agents for 2021-22
- SS Carlos Correa (Astros)
- Age: 27
- 2021 salary: $11,700,000
- SS Corey Seager (Dodgers)
- Age: 27
- 2021 salary: $13,750,000
- 1B Freddie Freeman (Braves)
- Age: 32
- 2021 salary: $22,050,000
- SS Trevor Story (Rockies)
- Age: 28
- 2021 salary: $17,500,000
- 3B Kris Bryant (Giants)
- Age: 29
- 2021 salary: $19,500,000
- 2B/SS Marcus Semien (Blue Jays)
- Age: 31
- 2021 salary: $18,000,000
- SP Max Scherzer (Dodgers)
- Age: 37
- 2021 salary: $34,603,480
- SP Robbie Ray (Blue Jays)
- Age: 30
- 2021 salary: $8,000,000
- 2B/SS Javier Baez (Mets)
- Age: 28
- 2021 salary: $11,650,000
- SP Kevin Gausman (Giants)
- Age: 30
- 2021 salary: $18,900,000
- OF Starling Marte (Athletics)
- SP Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
- SP Marcus Stroman (Mets)
- OF Nick Castellanos (Reds)
- UTIL Chris Taylor (Dodgers)
- SP Carlos Rodon (White Sox)
- OF Seiya Suzuki (Hiroshima Toyo Karp [NPB])
- 1B Anthony Rizzo (Yankees)
- OF Michael Conforto (Mets)
- SP Eduardo Rodriguez (Red Sox)
HONORABLE MENTIONS: 1B Brandon Belt , RP Raisel Iglesias, OF/DH Kyle Schwarber, OF/DH Jorge Soler, SP Noah Syndergaard
Top MLB Free Agent Position Players by 2021 WAR
(Based on fWAR — wins above replacement according to Fangraphs)
- 2B/SS Marcus Semien: 6.6 fWAR
- 2021 All-Star, 2021 Gold Glove, 42 HR, 102 RBI
- SS Carlos Correa: 5.8
- 2021 All-Star, 2021 Gold Glove, 92 RBI, .850 OPS
- OF Starling Marte: 5.4
- .302 BA, 47 SB, .841 OPS
- 1B Freddie Freeman: 4.5
- 2021 All-Star, .302 BA, 120 R, .896 OPS
- OF Nick Castellanos: 4.2
- 2021 All-Star, .309 BA, 100 RBI, 939 OPS
- SS Corey Seager: 3.7
- .306 BA, .521 SLG, 135 OPS+
- 3B Kris Bryant: 3.6
- 2021 All-Star, 59 XBH, .835 OPS
- 2B/SS Javier Baez: 3.6
- 31 HR, 87 RBI
- SS Trevor Story: 3.5
- 24 HR, 75 RBI
- 1B Brandon Belt: 3.3
- .597 SLG, 160 OPS+
Top MLB Free Agent Pitchers by 2021 WAR
(Based on fWAR — wins above replacement according to Fangraphs)
- Max Scherzer: 5.4 fWAR
- 2021 All-Star, 15-4, 2.46 ERA, 0.864 WHIP, 236 K
- Carlos Rodon: 4.9
- 2021 All-Star, 13-5, 2.37 ERA, 2.65 FIP, 0.957 WHIP
- Kevin Gausman: 4.8
- 2021 All-Star, 14-6, 2.81 ERA, 3.00 FIP, 227 K
- Robbie Ray: 3.9
- 13-7, 2.84 ERA, 1.045 WHIP, 248 K
- Eduardo Rodriguez: 3.8
- 19-6, 203.1 IP, 128 ERA+
- Clayton Kershaw: 3.4
- 10-8, 3.00 FIP, 1.019 WHIP
- Marcus Stroman: 3.4
- 3.02 ERA, 1.145 WHIP
- Anthony DeSclafani: 3.0
- 13-7, 3.17 ERA, 1.091 WHIP
- Steven Matz: 2.8
- 14-7, 3.79 FIP
- Alex Wood: 2.5
- 10-4, 3.48 FIP, 9.9 K/9
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