Ranking the Top 10 Free Agent Outfielders in the 2024-25 Class

The 2024-25 MLB offseason is fully underway, and that means it’s time to shift our attention to free agency.

Breaking down the free agent class is always a good time. Analyzing the top names hitting the market and projecting where certain players may end up generates some exciting discourse.

In this piece, we will be breaking down the top outfielders in this free agent class. This group may not be littered with star power, but there are plenty of players available who can be valuable additions to any team’s lineup.

Here are the top 10 free agent outfielders heading into the 2024-25 offseason.

Honorable Mention: Harrison Bader, 30

2024 Stats: 437 PA, 12 HR, 51 RBI, .236 AVG, .284 OBP, .373 SLG, 86 OPS+, 85 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR

Coming in as the honorable mention on this list is Harrison Bader, who is the top center fielder available this winter. Nearly all of Bader’s value comes from his glove, and his defensive prowess in center field should generate interest from teams across the league.

Bader features well-above-average arm strength, and he ended the 2024 season in the 95th percentile in outs above average with 10. He’s also a threat for 15+ stolen bases every season. That said, Bader is limited offensively, putting a cap on his overall value in free agency.

Bader ended the 2024 season with an OPS of .657, which was actually his highest mark since the 2021 season. He hasn’t finished a season with a wRC+ above 85 over that stretch either.

While he may be a defensive savant, his uninspiring offensive performance leaves him on the outside of the top 10 free agent outfielders.

10. Randal Grichuk, 33

2024 Stats: 279 PA, 12 HR, 46 RBI, .291 AVG, .348 OBP, .528 SLG, 140 OPS+, 139 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR

Randal Grichuk mashed against lefties in 2024. In 184 plate appearances against southpaws, he slashed .319/.386/.528 with an OPS north of .900 to go with a 151 wRC+, 14 doubles, six homers, and one triple.

However, Grichuk has regressed as a defender over the years, and there are questions as to whether he is an everyday player. While he was effective in his role with the Diamondbacks this season, those limitations cap his overall value.

Still, he posted a career-low strikeout rate (16.5%), walked at the highest clip of his career (7.2%), and put up the highest hard-hit rate of his career (47.6%). Even if he is viewed as a platoon option in the outfield, there will be a market for those kinds of numbers.

9. Alex Verdugo, 28

2024 Stats: 621 PA, 13 HR, 61 RBI, .233 AVG, .291 OBP, .356 SLG, 83 OPS+, 83 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR

Alex Verdugo‘s first year in the Bronx was largely one to forget. He posted career-low offensive numbers nearly across the board, and his overall production left a lot to be desired by Yankees fans.

After the All-Star break, Verdugo’s numbers dropped even more, as he hit .228 to go with an OPS near .600 from the Midsummer Classic onward.

With that being said, Verdugo was an above-average hitter for the vast majority of his time in Boston, and there are still aspects to his approach that make him an intriguing target. In 2024, despite the poor overall numbers, he still posted strong bat-to-ball stats and was in the 88th percentile in strikeout rate (15.0%).

It was encouraging to see him take a step forward as a defender as well. Being the second-youngest player on this list at 28 years old gives him a slight edge over some of the names mentioned, but his uninspiring performance at the plate in 2024 keeps him from going any higher in these rankings.

8. Jesse Winker, 31

2024 Stats: 508 PA, 14 HR, 58 RBI, .253 AVG, .360 OBP, .405 SLG, 118 OPS+, 118 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR

Contrary to Alex Verdugo, Jesse Winker was great in 2024. It was his best season since his All-Star campaign back in 2021, and he was an integral piece for the Mets’ offense both down the stretch in the regular season and in the playoffs.

Winker slashed .257/.374/.419 for a .793 OPS to go with 18 doubles and 11 homers in 101 games with Washington before being traded to the Mets at the deadline, where he became a sparkplug for their late-season run.

In the 2024 postseason, Winker was 7-for-22 (.318) with seven walks, two triples, and a homer. He led the Mets (min. 30 PA) in OPS (1.168), wRC+ (224), and wOBA (.492) in the playoffs.

Winker might not have the same pop that he did back in his days with the Reds, but he continues to bring an outstanding approach at the plate, sporting a chase rate under 20% and a walk rate over 12% for the third consecutive season in 2024.

Health concerns and his limitations in the field keep Winker from moving higher up this list. However, his strong performance in 2024 – especially in the playoffs – was enough to earn him the No. 8 spot on this list.

7. Max Kepler, 31

2024 Stats: 399 PA, 8 HR, 42 RBI, .253 AVG, .302 OBP, .380 SLG, 91 OPS+, 94 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR

The 2024 season was a disappointing one for Max Kepler. On top of battling through a couple of injuries – a trend that has been noticeable over the course of his career – he simply didn’t have the same level of power output that he had in 2023.

His quality of contact metrics were down nearly across the board, and his walk rate dropped by nearly four percent as well. Still, we’ve seen how effective of a power hitter Kepler can be throughout his career when he is healthy.

As mentioned, he’s just a year removed from an outstanding 2023 season in which he slashed .260/.332/.484 with a 123 wRC+, a .224 ISO, and 24 homers. When he was in the lineup, he proved himself to be a valuable power threat for the Minnesota Twins over the past decade.

Although Jesse Winker had the much better 2024 season, Kepler checks in at No. 7 due to his offensive ceiling being a little bit higher, specifically in the power-hitting department, along with him being a far better defender.

6. Michael Conforto, 31

2024 Stats: 488 PA, 20 HR, 66 RBI, .237 AVG, .309 OBP, .450 SLG, 116 OPS+, 112 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR

Michael Conforto was a solid and steady producer for the Giants in 2024.

After a disappointing 2023 campaign, Conforto recaptured his power stroke in his walk year. His 50 extra-base hits were the most he’s had in a season since 2019. His three triples (a career-high), 27 doubles, and 20 homers yielded an ISO of .212, all of which were his best marks since at least 2019.

He also greatly improved his performance against left-handed pitching this season, which helped his offensive consistency. Conforto posted a 145 wRC+ and an .886 OPS against lefties in 2024, which were far better than his career averages (96 wRC+, .705 OPS).

Conforto’s defensive value continues to trend in a negative direction, however, so his value mostly comes from what he brings at the plate. He’ll be 32 at the start of the 2025 season, and at this stage of his career, Conforto is a high-floor, low-ceiling type of addition.

His offensive baseline puts him ahead of a handful of names on this list, but he doesn’t quite have the upside as some of the players ahead of him, keeping him just outside the top five.

5. Tyler O’Neill, 29

2024 Stats: 473 PA, 31 HR, 61 RBI, .241 AVG, .336 OBP, .511 SLG, 132 OPS+, 131 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR

What a journey it’s been for Tyler O’Neill. Once viewed as an up-and-coming building block for the Cardinals, injuries and subpar offensive performance staggered his development. As a result, the Cardinals traded him to the Boston Red Sox last winter, and the change of scenery may have been exactly what O’Neill needed to get back on track.

O’Neill put up his best numbers since 2021 – a year in which he finished eighth in NL MVP voting. More than anything, it was his leap in the power department that was most noticeable. He launched 31 homers in just 473 plate appearances, and his impressive .270 ISO and .511 slugging percentage were his best marks since 2021.

Still on the right side of 30, O’Neill’s 2024 campaign showed how impressive of a power threat he can be when he’s on the field. His upside is immense, but there’s a good amount of risk that comes along with that.

His age and raw talent keep him in the top five, but the combination of lingering injury concerns and inconsistent performance prevent him from moving up any higher on the list.

4. Jurickson Profar, 31

2024 Stats: 668 PA, 24 HR, 85 RBI, .280 AVG, .380 OBP, .459 SLG, 134 OPS+, 139 wRC+, 4.3 fWAR

What a year it was for Jurickson Profar. The 31-year-old finally reached his potential after what felt like an eternity of falling short of expectations.

Profar smashed his career marks across the board offensively, and by an extremely wide margin. Among qualified outfielders, Profar was seventh in MLB in fWAR, fifth in wRC+, and seventh in OPS. He contributed with power, he hit for contact, and he brought a strong approach to San Diego’s lineup.

What’s more, he evolved into being one of the most clutch hitters in the entire sport as well. In late and close ballgames, as defined by Baseball Savant, Profar slashed .375/.467/.771 for a 1.238 OPS in 61 plate appearances.

It was a spectacular season for Profar, but teams will likely be hesitant to commit to him long-term until they see him repeat this production. While his 2024 season certainly makes him deserving of being high up on this list, the uncertainty of his track record keeps him behind some of the names ahead of him.

3. Teoscar Hernández, 32

2024 Stats: 652 PA, 33 HR, 99 RBI, .272 AVG, .339 OBP, .501 SLG, 137 OPS+, 134 wRC+, 3.5 fWAR

What a bounce-back the 2024 season was for Teoscar Hernández.

After a disappointing stint with the Seattle Mariners in 2023, Hernández became a key cog in the juggernaut that was the Los Angeles Dodgers offense. He hit for a high average, he improved his walk rate, and he posted a career-high in home runs (33). He also managed to tie his career-high in stolen bases with 12.

Throughout his nine-year career, Hernández has just one season with a wRC+ below 100, and that came during his rookie season in 2016. He’s a proven, dependable hitter who is a threat for 30 home runs year in and year out.

His ability to mash in the heart of the best lineup in baseball this past season was a reflection on just how valuable Hernández can be for a contending team. He will be one of the most coveted bats out there this offseason, and the only thing keeping him from being second on this list is his age.

2. Anthony Santander, 30

2024 Stats: 665 PA, 44 HR, 102 RBI, .235 AVG, .308 OBP, .506 SLG, 134 OPS+, 129 wRC+, 3.3 fWAR

Anthony Santander sure picked a great time to have the best season of his career. In his walk year, he launched 44 homers, drove in over 100 runs, and put up a career-high in fWAR (3.3). He kept the strikeout rate in check, he walked at an above-average clip, and he evolved into being one of the top power threats in all of baseball.

In fact, he finished third in MLB in home runs, only behind Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. Santander has been a solid offensive performer across his seven seasons with Baltimore, but he took his power stroke to a whole new level this season.

He doesn’t bring a lot of value defensively, but that becomes much less of a problem when you can hit 40+ homers in a season. Not to mention he is effective against both lefties and righties, thanks to his switch-hitting versatility.

An equal argument could be made for either Santander or Hernández to be second on this list, and they will be two of the top-targeted offensive weapons in free agency.

1. Juan Soto, 26

2024 Stats: 713 PA, 41 HR, 109 RBI, .288 AVG, .419 OBP, .569 SLG, 178 OPS+, 180 wRC+, 8.1 fWAR

Of course, Juan Soto holds the top spot on this list. What more is there to say about Soto that hasn’t already been said? He’s the best pure hitter in the sport, and he’s hitting the open market at the ripe age of just 26 years old.

There’s a good chance we have yet to see the best version of Soto, as he seemingly continues to improve his game with each successive season. He’s coming off the best year of his career, and he’s just scratching the surface of his prime.

Soto is a once-in-a-generation type of talent, and he has an astronomical amount of money headed his way this free agency. He’s the unchallenged No. 1. player in this free agent class, and the Juan Soto sweepstakes will be the storyline of the offseason.