At the beginning of the offseason, our editorial team at Just Baseball ranked the top 20 free agents on the market, and I made predictions for where each of them would sign, along with predicting their contract.

Throughout the winter, as free agents have come off the board, we have continued to update the predictions article, adding new free agents to replace those who just signed, while also updating predictions based on movement in the league and rumors.

We have reached a point in free agency now where the clock is starting to tick, and teams are starting to make their last-ditch efforts to improve before the beginning of camp next month.

This made now the perfect time to dive deep into updating the article, adding new predictions based on the latest free agent rumors, while also adjusting everyone’s rankings and adding two new players to our board to replace the most recent signings of Alex Bregman and Ranger Suarez.

The remaining free agent class is headlined by five players who started the season at the top of the market and have yet to ink deals. Let’s start there and look at the updated predictions on where they might sign.

Where Will the Top Five Land?

Kyle Tucker has been at the top of the market since Day 1 of free agency but remains unsigned. Bo Bichette ranked very highly at the beginning of the offseason as well, and now he takes the No. 2 spot.

Cody Bellinger has moved into the top three with the signing of Alex Bregman, and Zac Gallen has moved into the top five with the signing of Ranger Suarez. Framber Valdez is sandwiched right in the middle as the top pitcher left on the board.

Here are our predictions for the top five free agents left on the market:

Kyle Tucker - Signs a five-year, $250 million deal with the Mets

At the beginning of the offseason, my initial prediction for Kyle Tucker was that he would sign with the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto is still in play, but the New York Mets have made a late push and could end up winning the bidding when it is all said and done.

Reports suggest that the Mets’ offer for Tucker is currently sitting at four years and worth $50 million per season. If the Mets have already stretched to those lengths, there is every chance that they add one more year to the deal to get it done.

Paying Tucker $50 million per over five years is crazy. Especially when you are already paying Juan Soto $51 million per year.

In the article, I explain how deferrals might come into play if this deal stretches to four or five years, taking the present-day value of the deal down where Tucker would count as a $45 million hit to the luxury tax rather than a $50 million hit.

If Tucker signs with the Mets, expect at least one opt-out clause in the deal, maybe two. I predict opt-outs after years two and four of this projected contract.

Bo Bichette- Signs a nine-year, $225 million deal with the Phillies

The latest speculation around Bo Bichette is that the Phillies are suddenly the favorites to sign him after meeting with him earlier this week. Bichette could either plug into second or third base for Philly, giving them an outstanding infield when you factor in Trea Turner and Bryce Harper.

With the signing of Kazuma Okamoto, the Blue Jays have become a less likely landing spot for Bichette, but he still has the Phillies, Yankees, and maybe even the Red Sox in line for his services.

Cody Bellinger - Signs a six-year, $180 million deal with the Yankees

When the offseason first began, I had Cody Bellinger returning to the Yankees on a six-year deal, but I expected the AAV to check in around $25 million.

The latest reports suggest Bellinger has a deal on the table from the Yankees at over $30 million per year, but it is for five years instead of six. It has also been reported that Bellinger is seeking a seven-year deal. One that is unlikely to come from the Yankees.

I think they meet in the middle on a six-year deal, but instead of making $30+ million per year straight up, I think some deferrals could get worked into the deal to get the Yankees to come off the five-year deal and add a sixth.

If Bellinger signs a six-year deal, I think the present-day value will be around $160 million, taking AAV below $30 million and closer to the $25 million AAV I had predicted earlier this offseason.

Framber Valdez - Signs a five-year, $160 million contract with the Mets

Alright, this one is a bit interesting, because I have long had Framber tagged to go to the Mets, but their pursuit of Kyle Tucker does change things. If the Mets sign Tucker, they will be out on Framber.

But if they miss out on Tucker, reports suggest they could then pivot to trying to sign Framber Valdez instead.

We just saw something similar play out with the Red Sox and Ranger Suarez, as they signed him just days after losing Alex Bregman in free agency.

For a long time, it seemed like a long shot for Valdez to get a five-year deal worth $160 million, but now that Suarez has signed for $130 million over five years, this contract prediction I made is back in play.

Zac Gallen - Signs a two-year, $54 million deal with Baltimore

My prediction for Zac Gallen may have already come true in one sense, because I wrote in my initial prediction that I thought Scott Boras would overplay his hand on Gallen and he would be forced to take a short-term deal.

That feels like where things are headed now, with very few teams even showing interest in Gallen up to this point. My initial prediction was that Gallen would sign with Chicago, but now that the Cubs have landed Edward Cabrera and spent on Alex Bregman, another big-ticket signing feels unlikely.

Instead, the Baltimore Orioles could step in and sign a guy who has the potential to lead their rotation, and the floor to at the very least eat some good innings for you.

Whoever Gallen signs with, one thing that is for sure is that he will have an opt-out in his contract to hit the market again after a hopeful bounce-back year in 2026.

Other Predictions

• Eugenio Suarez returns to the Seattle Mariners on a one-year, $20 million deal.

• Harrison Bader signs a two-year, $26 million deal with the Royals.

• Austin Hays signs a one-year, $5 million deal with the Rangers

• Paul Goldschmidt is reunited with Nolan Arenado in Arizona, signing a one-year, $5 million deal.

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Other Headlines

🧦 The Red Sox added another big-time arm in the form of Ranger Suarez on a five-year, $130 million deal. Suarez is the second huge addition to the Boston rotation following their acquisition of Sonny Gray earlier in the offseason. Read more here!

🐍 The Diamondbacks acquired eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado this week from the Cardinals. Arizona sent prospect Jack Martinez to St. Louis and also received significant cash to offset Arenado’s large contract. Read more here!

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