MLB Free Agents 2023 Rankings

The final few weeks of the 2023 calendar year are upon us as excitement begins to build for the upcoming 2024 MLB Season. As the slow march towards the upcoming season continues MLB Free Agency has been in full swing with a lengthy list of top tier MLB players hitting free agency this off-season. One of those top MLB free agents was the former Los Angeles Angels dynamic two way All-Star Shohei Ohtani who headlines the list of the Top 10 MLB Free Agents 2023-2024 Rankings.

Ohtani, who will be a full time hitter during the upcoming season after undergoing surgery on his throwing arm, entered the off-season as the prize free agent before signing his long term deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ohtani who is coming off his second AL MVP Award, however, was just one a many sought after free agents who hit the market during the 2023 MLB off-season a list that includes the likes of starting pitcher Blake Snell, center fielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and third baseman Matt Chapman. 

Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB Free Agents 2023 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Sonny Gray

Position: Starting Pitcher

Free Agents Tracker: Signed by St. Louis Cardinals

Just missing the Top 10 MLB Free Agents 2023-2024 Rankings list is the former Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Sonny Gray.

Gray, who has posted at least 11 wins four times over the course of his career turned in one of his best seasons of his career despite finishing with just an 8-8 record.

Gray entered the off-season coming off a 2.79 earned run average performance while also adding 183 strikeouts over 184 innings of work.

Like a few of the other top performers during the 2023 MLB season, Gray was a hot commodity during free agency before landing with the St. Louis Cardinals on a three year deal.

Jordan Montgomery

Position: Starting Pitcher

Free Agents Tracker: MLB Free Agent

One of the top starting pitchers on the free agent market as mid-December approaches is the former St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery.

Montgomery capped off a split season with the two clubs with a World Series ring during the Rangers run in October. Montgomery was strong all post season pitching to a 2.90 earned run average over 31 innings of work while striking out 17 hitters.

His strong postseason performance in addition to his 3.20 earned run average season performance makes him a hot commodity as teams look to solidify their starting rotations this off-season.

Top 10 MLB Free Agents 2023 Rankings

10. Eduardo Rodriguez

Position: Starting Pitcher

Free Agents Tracker: Signed with Arizona Diamondbacks

Coming in at number 10 on the Top 10 MLB Free Agents 2023-2024 Rankings is the former Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who was a hot commodity leading into the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline elected to remain with the Tigers to finish out the season before opting out of his future contract.

Entering free agency, Rodriguez became one of the top free agent starting pitchers on the market after capping off last season with a 13-9 record to go along with a strong 3.30 earned run average.

The high potential to anchor a rotation landed Rodriguez a quick deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks while delivering the team another strong starting pitcher to make another run at the World Series during the 2024 MLB season.

9. Jorge Soler

Position: Right Fielder

Free Agents Tracker: MLB Free Agent

One of the top power hitting free agents on the MLB free agent market this off-season is the former Miami Marlins outfielder Jorge Soler.

Soler is coming off one of his best power hitting seasons of his career finishing off the season with 36 home runs while marking the second time of his career topping the 35 home run mark during the season.

Soler entered the free agent market as a big bat caliber player who also has a strong eye at the plate and a solid fielder. Overall Soler is coming off a season in which he added 24 home runs, 77 runs scored, and 66 walks to a Marlins team competing for an MLB wild card spot.

8. Jung Hoo Lee

Position: Center Fielder

Free Agents Tracker: Signed with San Francisco Giants

Another international superstar landing among the best free agents this MLB off season is the potential former Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) 2022 MVP Jung Hoo Lee.

Lee, who posted a .319 batting average with 45 runs batted in, missed the end of the season due to suffering an ankle injury that shut him down. After being posted in early December, Lee jumped to tops of the list of free agents as he has a potential big bat with grand hand eye vision and a knack to reach base at a high rate.

His strong play within the KBO landed him a six year deal worth $113 million dollars while delivering the San Francisco Giants their potential everyday center fielder for the years to come.

7. Josh Hader

Position: Closer

Free Agents Tracker: MLB Free Agent

Closing out baseball games is an art that only some pitchers have the ability to do on a night to night basis. One of those closers is the former San Diego Padres closer Josh Hader who has ranked among the best closers in baseball over the past few seasons.

Hader capped off a strong 2023 MLB season making 61 total appearances for the Padres while finishing with a 1.28 earned run average to go along with 33 saves.

In addition, Hader continues to make opposing hitters miss while posting 85 strikeouts over just 56.1 innings of work.

As Hader continues to receive interest during the MLB off-season, it is only a matter of time Hader lands with a contender looking for a late inning reliever.

6. Matt Chapman

Position: Third Baseman

Free Agents Tracker: MLB Free Agent

Another big time infielder free agent landing on the best free agents in baseball this off-season is the former Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman.

Chapman who has 155 career home runs and 426 runs batted in over his career finished off the 2023 MLB season taking home his four MLB Gold Glove Award for his play at third base.

Entering free agency Chapman is one of the top third baseman on the market after posting a strong season including picking up 39 doubles to go along with 17 home runs while driving in 54 runs. Chapman has posted at least 17 home runs in three straight seasons.

5. Aaron Nola

Position: Starting Pitcher

Free Agents Tracker: Resigned with Philadelphia Phillies

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 MLB Free Agents 2023-2024 Rankings is the Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola. Nola, who like a few of the other top MLB free agents landing on the list, has already signed this off-season while electing to return to the Phillies.

Nonetheless it is easy to see why the demand for Nola was high as Nola has been a workhorse for the Phillies over the past three seasons starting 32 games in each season while appearing in at least 202 innings of work.

In 2023, the Phillies starter pitched to a 12-9 record to go along with a 4.46 earned run average during the regular season however his play picked up during the postseason while going 3-1 over four starts while pitching to a 2.35 earned run average.

4. Cody Bellinger

Position: Center Fielder/First Baseman

Free Agents Tracker: MLB Free Agent

The former 2019 NL MVP Award winner bounced back during the 2023 MLB season while increasing his interest during the 2023-2024 MLB off-season.

Bellinger, who made the move to the Chicago Cubs after being non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers, did not disappoint in his potential only season with the team.

Bellinger who finished his last season with the Dodgers hitting just .210 with 19 home runs bounced back to bat .307 his highest batting average of his career while also hitting 26 home runs to go along with 97 runs batted in.

The strong season now lands him among the best MLB free agents and one that is expected to land a big contract during this off-season.

3. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Position: Starting Pitcher

Free Agents Tracker: Signed with Los Angeles Dodgers

A name that is not well known around the United States is Yoshinobu Yamamoto who was posted in late November by the Orix Buffaloes.

The 25 year old starting pitcher is coming off his third straight season posting at least 15 wins while also posting three straight seasons with an earned run average mark below two.

This past season Yamamoto capped off his season with a 17-6 record to go a long with 1.16 earned run average and 169 strikeouts over 164 innings of work.

In addition, Yamamoto was strong for Team Japan during the 2023 World Baseball Classic where he pitched to a 1-0 record while helping Japan win the championship. 

2. Blake Snell

Position: Starting Pitcher

Free Agents Tracker: MLB Free Agent

When it comes to the top starting pitcher on the market outside of Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell is well deserving of the mention.

The former San Diego Padres All-Star is coming off a stellar 2023 MLB season finishing up with a 14-9 overall record while leading Major League Baseball with a 2.25 earned run average while striking out 234 batters.

Overall Snell finished the season with the 14^th most wins, top earned run average mark, and tied for third in strikeouts helping him take home his second Cy Young Award.

In addition, the Padres former starter ranked 2^nd in all of baseball among pitchers while posting a 6.0 Wins Above Replacement mark. His production on the mound ranks him as one of the top overall MLB free agents this off-season.

1. Shohei Ohtani

Position: Designated Hitter/Starting Pitcher

Free Agents Tracker: Signed by Los Angeles Dodgers

In at number one on the Top 10 MLB Free Agents 2023-2024 Rankings list is the most sought after free agent during the 2023-2024 MLB off-season Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani, who was coming off his second AL MVP Award, led the AL in home runs after missing nearly the entire month of September.

The once in a generation two way talent who will not be able to pitch during the entire 2024 MLB season turned his play on the field as well as his marketability aspect into the richest MLB deal of All-Time. This is while landing with the Los Angeles Dodgers this off-season for a record $700 million dollars over 10 years.

How would you rank these MLB Free Agents? Rank below to be added in the MLB Power Rankings.

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