Underrated MLB free agents 2025-2026
MLB.com••sports
Key Points:
- As of mid-January, 11 of MLB.com's top 30 free agents remain unsigned, including three of the top five, highlighting a slow start to the free-agent market despite ongoing interest in premium players.
- Veteran pitcher Justin Verlander showed a strong late-season resurgence in 2025 by adding a highly effective sweeper pitch, posting a 2.60 ERA over his final 13 starts, indicating he still has valuable contributions to offer despite his age.
- Outfielder Harrison Bader combines elite speed and defense with an unexpected offensive uptick in 2025, making him a potentially valuable asset even if his batting regresses to league average.
- Starting pitcher Zack Littell has emerged as a reliable innings eater over the past two seasons
