Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar who recently added a second AL MVP nod to his résumé, was the most anticipated MLB free agent of all time. Despite an elbow injury that will keep him from pitching in 2024, he signed the richest deal in league history with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his gravitational presence that dominated the offseason will likely carry into the 2024 season.
The Dodgers, the winners of Ohtani’s services, didn’t stop there. They also landed the second-most coveted arm in free agency, Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Beyond Ohtani and Yamamoto, there remains an intriguing class of starting pitchers headlined by Blake Snell and a desperately thin group of hitters for which baseball’s contenders will jostle in the months between now and spring training.
Below, we’ve ranked the top 25 MLB free agents of the 2023-24 class in order of their (subjectively projected) immediate impact, along with some key 2023 metrics and information.
Their age as of June 30, 2024, the common marker to delineate a player’s seasonal age.
For hitters: Their OPS+, which shows how their park-adjusted offensive line compared to a league-average hitter, with 110 meaning 10% better and 90 meaning 10% worse.
For pitchers: Their ERA+, which is the same but for park-adjusted ERA.
Their 2023 WAR, per FanGraphs’ calculations.
Qualifying offer: If the player’s 2023 team extended them the “qualifying offer,” which is a one-year deal worth $20.325 million this year. The team earns a compensatory draft pick if the player declines and departs.
Let’s get the hot stove fired up.
