With the MLB regular season set to kick off in exactly three weeks, there are still plenty of Free Agents out there who have yet to be signed.
Here’s a look at the best unsigned player at each position (as well as a five-man starting rotation). Some positions were easy, others (shortstop and center field) have players listed who aren’t exactly on many teams’ wish lists.
Infield
Catcher - Jonathan Lucroy
Lucroy did have a down year in 2017 but started to get it together as he hit .310 in 46 games after being traded to the Rockies. Prior to that, he was hitting just .242 with four homers in 77 games with the Rangers.
From 2011-16, he averaged 14 home runs and 26 doubles while sporting a .287 average. The 31-year-old finished fourth in NL MVP voting in 2014.
First base - Mark Reynolds
The Rockies were supposed to utilize Ian Desmond at first base, but due to injury and subpar play it was Reynolds who saw the majority of the time there. The 34-year-old hit .267 with 30 home runs and 97 RBIs in 148 games. He did benefit from playing his home games at Coors Field though as 21 of his homers came there, and he also batted 52 points higher in home games. It was the fourth 30+ homer season for Reynolds, but his first since 2011.
Second base - Neil Walker
The 32-year-old Walker combined for a .265 average, 14 home runs, and 21 doubles in 111 games with the Mets and Brewers last season.
That’s the sixth straight season that the second baseman has hit at least 14 long balls with career-highs of 23 coming in 2014 and 2016. His .362 on-base-percentage in 2017 was a career-best.
Shortstop - J.J. Hardy
At one point, Hardy was a fine player for the Orioles. He averaged 26 homers and 75 RBIs from 2011-13 and won three straight Gold Gloves from 2012-14.
Lately, that hasn’t been the case, though. Last year in 73 games, the 35-year-old hit just .217 with four home runs and 13 doubles. He still is a solid defensive shortstop, but he has only a .248 average and 30 homers since 2014.
Third base - Mike Moustakas
Moustakas was named to his second All-Star team in 2017. The 29-year-old had a .272 average for the year along with 38 home runs, 24 doubles, and 85 RBIs in 148 games.
The homers were easily the most of his seven-year career (all with the Royals) as his previous high was 22. His .272 average was only topped by him one other year as he entered 2017 with just a career .247 average.
Outfield
Left field - Melky Cabrera
Cabrera had a solid offensive season with the White Sox and Royals in 2017. In 156 games, the 33-year-old batted .285 with 17 home runs, 30 doubles, and 85 RBIs. Always a hitter with a good average, he hit an even .300 from 2011-16. He also averaged 12 homers and 34 doubles over those years.
Center field - Drew Stubbs
There weren’t very many options here. Players such as Andre Ethier and Franklin Gutierrez haven’t played center field in years. So Stubbs gets the spot basically by default due to no competition.
The 33-year-old barely played in the majors last year, going 2-22 with the Giants. He always struck out a ton, but he did average 15 home runs and 27 steals from 2010-14. He stole nine bases in limited action in 2016.
Right field - Carlos Gonzalez
The 32-year-old Gonzalez had what would be considered a down year for him in 2017, but he began to heat up as the season wore down. He ended with a .262 average along with 14 home runs and 34 doubles in 136 games. The three-time All-Star had hit between 22-40 homers in his previous six seasons (not including 2014 when he appeared in only 70 games).
Pitchers
Starter - Jake Arrieta
The 32-year-old Arrieta hasn’t quite pitched as dominantly in the past two years as his 2015 Nl Cy Young season when he went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA.
He’s still a quality starter though as evidenced by his 14-10 record, 3.53 ERA, and 1.22 WHIP last year with the Cubs. He had nearly a strikeout an inning (163 in 168.1). He owns a career 68-31 record with the Cubs after starting his career in miserable fashion with the Orioles.
Starter - Alex Cobb
After missing the entire 2015 season and making just five starts in 2016 due to Tommy John surgery, the 30-year-old Cobb rebounded nicely in 2017. In 29 starts, he went 12-10 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. That leaves plenty of optimism that he can reclaim the pitching abilities that allowed him to have a 2.82 ERA in 2013-14 in 49 starts.
Starter - Lance Lynn
Like Cobb, Lynn underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2016 season.
Last year was a solid one for the 30-year-old as he made 33 starts. He ended with an 11-8 record, 3.43 ERA, and 1.23 WHIP. Over 183 career MLB games (161 starts), he has a 72-47 record and 3.38 ERA.
Starter - John Lackey
The 39-year-old has stated that he would like to pitch in 2018. Last year was a bit of a disappointment as Lackey went 12-12 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with the Cubs in 31 games (30 starts). The 15-year veteran had a very solid 3.35 ERA from 2013-16 so there is hope despite his advanced age that there may be one good season left in him.
Starter - R.A. Dickey
The 43-year-old knuckleballer made 31 starts for the Braves last season. He went 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.
While Dickey returning to the form of 2012 when he won the NL Cy Young with the Mets is a bit far-fetched, he can still be a back of the rotation innings eater for a lot of clubs.
Closer - Greg Holland
Holland was one of the game’s most dominant closers in 2013-14 before he too had Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2016. The Rockies signed him last offseason, and the 32-year-old responded by leading the NL with 41 saves. He had 11 strikeouts per nine innings, a 3.61 ERA, and 1.15 WHIP. He was better than the ERA states for much of the year as it went up substantially due to his giving up 14 earned runs in 6.1 innings over an eight-game stretch in August.
