The MLB free-agent class following the 2021 season is particularly loaded. Multiple recent Cy Young winners are no longer under contract, while a bevy of All-Star hitters are set to hit the open market.

Here’s a look at the 10 best baseball players in free agency ahead of the 2022 season.

1) Max Scherzer, Starting Pitcher

Even at 37 years old, Scherzer might still be the best pitcher in baseball. The veteran right-hander is about to be a top-three NL Cy Young finisher for the fifth time in the last six years. Scherzer went 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA after being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2) Freddie Freeman, First Baseman

The Atlanta Braves would be crazy to let Freeman walk. Freeman was the 2020 NL MVP and the best player on Atlanta’s championship team. A model of consistency, Freeman has hit at least .295 with no worse than a .892 OPS in six straight seasons.

3) Carlos Correa, Shortstop

In this year’s class of All-Star shortstops, Correa should demand the largest contract. Correa was third among all players in 2021 with a 7.3 WAR to go along with a career-high 26 home runs. The 27-year-old has hit .277/.356/.485 in seven seasons with the Houston Astros.

4) Corey Seager, Shortstop

On a per-game basis, Seager might be the best shortstop available. While missing chunks of recent seasons with injuries, the 27-year-old has hit .297/.367/.504 with a pair of top-10 MVP seasons. Seager is a proven October performer after winning both the 2020 NLCS and World Series MVP awards.

5) Marcus Semien, Shortstop/Second Baseman

Ignoring the truncated 2020 campaign, Semien has been as good as any infielder over the last two full seasons. With .285/.369/.522 splits, Semien finished third in the 2019 AL MVP race as the Oakland Athletics shortstop. The 31-year-old set a record for second baseman by hitting 45 homers for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021.

6) Nick Castellanos, Outfielder

It’s no surprise that Castellanos opted out of the final two years and $34 million left on his contract with the Cincinnati Reds. The 30-year-old ranked sixth in MLB with a .939 OPS in addition to his career-high 34 home runs in 2021. Since being traded to the Chicago Cubs at the 2019 deadline, Castellanos has 64 homers in 249 games.

7) Trevor Story, Shortstop

Story’s value went down with a disappointing 2021 campaign, but his complete resume in six MLB seasons is one that warrants a lucrative contract in free agency. Story finished between eighth and 12th in the NL MVP race each year from 2018-2020. Story averaged 34.4 home runs for every 162 games played during his time with the Colorado Rockies.

8) Kris Bryant, Third Baseman/Outfielder

Bryant returned to his All-Star form in 2021, hitting .265/.353/.481 with 25 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Bryant has a career .880 OPS. The 2016 NL MVP brings additional value with his ability to play multiple positions.

9) Robbie Ray, Starting Pitcher

Ray finally put it all together with a Cy Young-caliber season in 2021. The left-hander led the AL with a 2.84 ERA, 248 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP in 193.1 innings. Ray had a career ERA north of 4.00 before joining the Blue Jays for one season.

10) Justin Verlander, Starting Pitcher

It’s hard to leave Verlander off the list, even if Tommy John Surgery has limited him to one start over the last two years. The 38-year-old was the AL’s best pitcher when he was healthy, winning the 2019 Cy Young award after being the 2018 runner-up. Verlander went 43-15 with a 2.45 ERA with the Astros.

Carlos Correa Houston Astros
Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a single against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning in Game Five of the World Series at Truist Park on October 31, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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