**Breaking News: Potential Free Agent Rankings for 2026 Season Revealed – Vlad Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and More**
As the baseball offseason unfolds, the pace of action and player transactions has been notably sluggish. However, the recent surge of activity in the past 10 days has injected a sense of urgency into the market. Despite the approaching Spring training, key free agents remain unsigned, adding anticipation to the upcoming season.
The anticipation is further fueled by a solid list of trade candidates who could still be on the move, keeping fans on edge as they await further developments. The lingering excitement surrounding potential free agents adds to the drama of the offseason, with fans eagerly awaiting updates on their favorite players.
This year’s free-agent class has been deemed underwhelming by some, impacting the overall dynamic of the market. Notably, several top players who could have been free agents chose to sign short-term deals in the past, only to exercise their opt-outs this winter. Players such as Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, and Cody Bellinger have influenced the landscape of free agency with their strategic contract decisions.
Moreover, the trend of early career long-term extensions has reshaped the market by locking in young talent before they reach free agency. While advantageous for both teams and players, these extensions have altered the trajectory of future free-agent classes. In the 2025 season, 16 players reached the six-year service time benchmark but did not enter free agency due to their early career extensions, leaving fans to speculate on potential bidding wars that could have ensued.
Among the elite players affected by these extensions are standouts like Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr., who would have undoubtedly sparked intense interest in the free-agent market. In a hypothetical scenario, we have ranked these 16 would-have-been free agents based on the contracts they might have commanded this winter if they had entered free agency.
Stay tuned as we delve into the potential earnings and market impact of these star players, offering fans a glimpse into what could have been a game-changing offseason for baseball. Join us as we explore the intriguing possibilities that could have unfolded if these players had tested the free-agent waters in 2026.
