2025-26 Free Agent Watch: Top Infielders On the Open Market

If teams are looking to upgrade in the infield this offseason, they are going to need to be aggressive. The 2025-2026 MLB free agent infield class is, in a word, top-heavy.

Looking at each position on the diamond, there are only a few impact bats available. In fact, looking at shortstop, third base and catcher, there might only be one viable starting-caliber player at each position depending on which players take opt-outs to hit the market.

A free agent class that was supposed to be headlined by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will now feature familiar names from last year at the top of the market; Scott Boras clients Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso have opt-out clauses on the short-term, high-AAV deals they signed this past spring, both of which got exercised.

Both sluggers put together strong campaigns on those deals, but are also candidates to return to their current clubs on longer-term deals. Remove them from the 2026 MLB free agent pool, and you are looking at a rather thin market. It remains to be seen where either of them go, as they are still unsigned as of late-November.

In the following breakdown of free agents on the market this winter, you will find the top players at each position listed based on who has the most free agent value.

2026 Top Free Agent First Basemen

For the second year in a row, Pete Alonso hit the open market as the top free agent first baseman available. Now the all-time franchise home run leader for the New York Mets, it feels rather unlikely (but certainly not impossible) that Steve Cohen actually lets the fan-favorite Polar Bear out of Queens.

This put Josh Naylor, who re-signed with the Seattle Mariners, in a great spot, as the de facto top first baseman on the market. Other intriguing options include Rhys Hoskins, coming off a bit of an injury-plagued year, or Luis Arraez, whose value is tied largely to his ability to chase batting titles, and batting titles alone.

Aging veterans will always be present in the free agent first base market, as former stars extend their careers one year at a time. These first basemen are back on the market a year older.

Pete Alonso, New York Mets

• Age in 2026: 31
  
• 2025 Stats: 162 G, .272/.347/.524, 38 HR, 126 RBI, 141 wRC+, 3.6 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $30 million

Rhys Hoskins, Milwaukee Brewers

• Age in 2026: 33

• 2025 Stats: 90 G, .237/.332/.416, 12 HR, 43 RBI, 109 wRC+, 0.9 fWAR

• 2025 Salary: $18 million

Luis Arraez, San Diego Padres

• Age in 2026: 29
  
• 2025 Stats: 154 G, .292/.327/.392, 8 HR, 61 RBI, 104 wRC+, 0.9 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $14 million

Paul Goldschmidt, New York Yankees

• Age in 2026: 38
  
• 2025 Stats: 146 G, .274/.328/.403, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 103 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $12.5 million

Carlos Santana, Chicago Cubs

• Age in 2026: 40
  
• 2025 Stats: 124 G, .219/.208/.325, 11 HR, 54 RBI, 82 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $12 million

Other Free Agent 1B: Justin Turner, Josh Bell, LaMonte Wade Jr., Wilmer Flores, Donovan Solano, Ty France, Connor Joe

2026 Top Free Agent Second Basemen

After Gleyber Torres accepted the QO to remain with the Tigers for at least one more year, the quality of free-agent second basemen falls off dramatically. Coming off a resurgent season, Jorge Polanco gives this position a second starting-caliber player after Torres.

Jorge Polanco, Seattle Mariners

• Age in 2026: 32
  
• 2025 Stats: 138 G, .265/.326/.495, 26 HR, 78 RBI, 132 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $7 million

Other Free Agent 2B: Luis Rengifo, Kyle Farmer, Thairo Estrada, Adam Frazier, Jorge Mateo

2026 Top Free Agent Third Basemen

Bregman is once again the best-available third baseman in the free-agent pool, and he’s joined by Eugenio Suárez, who’s one of the most fearsome power hitters in baseball. The former is going to command much, much more money than the latter, but at the very least we can say that this position is deeper than some of the others around the infield.

The only other potential starting caliber free agent third baseman is Yoán Moncada, who comes with a lengthy injury history.

Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox

• Age in 2026: 32
  
• 2025 Stats: 114 G, .273/.360/.462, 18 HR, 62 RBI, 125 wRC+, 3.5 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: Signed 3/$120 million deal ($60 million deferred, $20 million per year), player opt-outs after 2025 and 2026

Eugenio Suárez, Seattle Mariners

• Age in 2026: 34
  
• 2025 Stats: 159 G, .228/.298/.526, 49 HR, 118 RBI, 125 wRC+, 3.8 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $15 million

Yoán Moncada, Los Angeles Angels

• Age in 2026: 31
  
• 2025 Stats: 84 G, .234/.336/.448, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 117 wRC+, 0.7 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $5 million

Other Free Agent 3B: Luis Urías, Gio Urshela, Josh Rojas, Jon Berti

2026 Top Free Agent Shortstops

There is only one shortstop that is on the market who should be a guaranteed starter come Opening Day, and that is 27-year-old Bo Bichette.

While Bichette is not likely to parlay his top position on the market into a $200+ million deal, he is coming off a bounce-back season and should be able to cash in on at least a five-year deal.

Think something in the range of the Trevory Story and Javy Báez six-year, $140 million deals from back in 2022.

Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays

• Age in 2026: 28
  
• 2025 Stats: 139 G, .311/.357/.483, 18 HR, 94 RBI, 134 wRC+, 3.8 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $11.2 million

Other Free Agent SS: Orlando Arcia, Miguel Rojas, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Amed Rosario, Paul DeJong

2026 Top Free Agent Catchers

Five years ago, J.T. Realmuto was the top free agent catcher on the market entering his age-30 season. Here we are, at the end of his five-year, $115 million deal with the Phillies, and Realmuto is once again the top catcher in his class.

While nowhere near the five-tool All-Star he was when he first got to Philly, Realmuto is still a starting-caliber backstop on a market that does not have any other.

Gary Sanchez offers some offensive upside at a position that lacks it, but he is coming off an injury-plagued season. Danny Jansen is a solid catcher to put in a timeshare, although he’s probably a backup on a good team.

J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies

• Age in 2026: 35
  
• 2025 Stats: 134 G, .257/.315/.384, 12 HR, 52 RBI, 94 wRC+, 2.1 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $23.875 million

Gary Sanchez, Baltimore Orioles

• Age in 2026: 33
  
• 2025 Stats: 30 G, .231/.297/.418, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 100 wRC+, -0.1 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $8.5 million

Danny Jansen, Milwaukee Brewers

• Age in 2026: 31
  
• 2025 Stats: 98 G, .215/.321/.399, 14 HR, 36 RBI, 103 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR
  
• 2025 Salary: $8.5 million

Other Free Agent Catchers: Mitch Garver, Tom Murphy, Austin Barnes, Jacob Stallings, Christian Bethancourt, Christian Vázquez, Victor Caratini, Elias Díaz