Now that November is here, it’s time to prepare for the MLB offseason and free agency. The 2023-24 class won’t be as deep as last year’s group, but there are impact players to be found. And, the presence of Shohei Ohtani will make this quite the winter for whichever team can sign him. Here are our rankings of the best 2023 MLB free agents, sorted by pitchers and hitters.
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The Top Free Agent Hitters Available
Here’s our list of the top 15 2023 MLB free agent hitters available this winter:
| Rank | 2023 Team | Position | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angels | DH | Shohei Ohtani |
| 2 | Cubs | 1B/OF | Cody Bellinger |
| 3 | Phillies | 1B | Rhys Hoskins |
| 4 | Blue Jays | 3B | Matt Chapman |
| 5 | Mariners | OF | Teoscar Hernandez |
| 6 | Marlins | OF | Jorge Soler |
| 7 | Diamondbacks | OF | Lourdes Gurriel Jr. |
| 8 | Kiwoom (KBO) | OF | Jung Hoo Lee |
| 9 | Red Sox | 2B/3B | Justin Turner |
| 10 | Dodgers | DH | J.D. Martinez |
| 11 | Nationals/Cubs | 1B/3B | Jeimer Candelario |
| 12 | Rangers | C/DH | Mitch Garver |
| 13 | Blue Jays | 2B | Whit Merrifield |
| 14 | Angels | INF | Gio Urshela |
| 15 | White Sox | SS | Tim Anderson |
Other notable players
- Harrison Bader
- Brandon Belt
- Brandon Crawford
- C.J. Cron
- Eduardo Escobar
- Randal Grichuk
- Tommy Pham
- Joc Pederson
- Eddie Rosario
- Joey Votto
The crown prize of this year’s crop of free agents is Shohei Ohtani, the 2023 AL MVP and one of seven players to be given a qualifying offer.
Aside from Ohtani, Cody Bellinger will be a major name to watch. The former NL MVP had a bounce-back campaign with the Cubs and there are postseason hopefuls like the Yankees in need of outfield help that makes sense assuming his mutual option is not picked up by both parties.
First baseman Rhys Hoskins is #3 on our list despite missing all of 2023. Hoskins may be in line for a short-term deal, but teams that could use a punch in the lineup — the Giants and Padres are two potential options — could get a steal.
Then, there’s Jung Hoo Lee. The KBO standout has plenty of upside at 25 years of age and his .429/.500/.571 slash line in the WBC only raised his stock.
The list of hitters got a bit deeper in early November when the White Sox decided to not pick up Tim Anderson’s club option. Anderson had a brutal 2023, but the 30-year-old infielder is just two years removed from a .309/.338/.469 slash line with 17 home runs and 61 RBI over 123 games.
The Top Free Agent Pitchers Available
Now, here’s a look at our rankings of the 15 best free agent pitchers:
| Rank | 2023 Team | Position | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angels | SP | Shohei Ohtani |
| 2 | Padres | SP | Blake Snell |
| 3 | Phillies | SP | Aaron Nola |
| 4 | Orix (Japan) | SP | Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
| 5 | Cardinals/Rangers | SP | Jordan Montgomery |
| 6 | Tigers | SP | Eduardo Rodriguez |
| 7 | Padres | RP | Josh Hader |
| 8 | Twins | SP | Sonny Gray |
| 9 | Brewers | SP | Brandon Woodruff |
| 10 | Cubs | SP | Marcus Stroman |
| 11 | Padres | SP | Michael Wacha |
| 12 | Dodgers | SP | Clayton Kershaw |
| 13 | Padres | SP | Seth Lugo |
| 14 | Yokohama (Japan) | SP | Shota Imanaga |
| 15 | White Sox/Angels/Guardians | SP | Lucas Giolito |
Other notable names
- Aroldis Chapman
- Mike Clevinger
- Jordan Hicks
- Craig Kimbrel
- Michael Lorenzen
- Reynaldo Lopez
- Kenta Maeda
- James Paxton
- Hyun Jin Ryu
- Luis Severino
A couple of notes here. One, Dodgers LHP Julio Urias is not listed for obvious reasons. Second, Clayton Kershaw would be higher on this. However, a number of factors — including offseason shoulder surgery — affect this ranking.
Left-hander and two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is set to do well this winter. The Padres left-hander’s been one of the best starters since the second half of 2022 and his stuff is elite.
Snell’s not the only Padre starter that could leave, as Seth Lugo’s poised for a raise after a strong 2023. Both Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha are back on the market, while closer Josh Hader will hit free agency for the first time.
Our top five features two standout 2023 MLB Playoffs performers: Aaron Nola and Jordan Montgomery. Nola struck out 23 over 23 and pitched to the tune of a 2.35 ERA, while mid-season acquisition Montgomery played a key role in the Rangers’ run to the World Series.
In mid-November, Brandon Woodruff was added to the free agent pool after he was non-tendered by the Brewers. Woodruff’s been one of the game’s best starters over the past three seasons. However, he may miss all of 2024 and would have been poised to enter free agency after next year anyway.
