2026 MLB Free Agency: Which Unsigned Players Are the Best of the Bunch

Max Scherzer had a good postseason, Jesse Winker could help any team in need of a bat, and starter Lucas Giolito is one of the top power pitchers in the game.

Max Scherzer of the Blue Jays pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series at Rogers Center in Toronto on Nov. 1, 2025. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Friday marked the first day of MLB spring training, meaning the start of the regular season is just around the corner. MLB Opening Day 2026, for two teams, comes on March 25, with a full-game slate the following day. Teams are currently evaluating their rosters to see who makes the 40-man club and who makes the active 25-man roster.

But there are still several notable players unsigned as free agents. We’re talking about future Hall of Famers, MVP winners, All-Stars and others. Some of the aforementioned are way past their primes, while others, including those without award recognition, could still provide value to a club this season. Here are the top unsigned free agents.

SP Max Scherzer

The three-time Cy Young winner looked done last season, posting a 5.19 ERA and missing half the year due to injury. Then the postseason rolled around, and Scherzer compiled a 3.77 ERA across three starts and 14.1 innings pitched. He’s someone you can still rely on when called upon, he just can’t be called on for 200, 150, or maybe even 100 innings anymore. Perhaps copying the late-career path of Roger Clemens would be Scherzer’s best route, as Clemens didn’t make his season debut until June in each of his last two years. That would allow the 41-year-old some extra rest, and it would give him the benefit of seeing which teams are true contenders before joining them.

1B Rhys Hoskins

A common refrain is that it takes two years to fully return from reconstructive knee surgery, and that appeared to be the case with Rhys Hoskins. He missed all of 2023 after a torn ACL, then posted career-low splits across the board in 2024. Last year saw him improve both at the plate and with his mobility in the field, and his hard-hit percentage (46.4) was the second-best rate of his career.

OF/DH Starling Marte

While Andrew McCutchen is the biggest name among aging DHs that are still without a club, his former Pirates teammate Starling Marte is the better player at this stage of their respective careers. He became a part-timer last season and saw more time at DH than in the outfield for the first time, but he was productive across the board. He had an above-average OPS+ (111), nine homers, seven stolen bases, and even when he played the field, he again performed at an above average level. With 361 stolen bases, Marte leads all active players in swipes, so a team seeking a reserve corner outfielder who can also slot in at DH and occasionally pinch run can find all of that in Marte.

SP Lucas Giolito

After posting ERAs of nearly 5.00 in 2022 and 2023, then missing all of 2024 with an elbow injury, Giolito rebounded last year with a 10-4 record and 3.41 ERA. His season ended early due to another elbow injury, but he says there was no ligament damage and no operation needed. The medical questions may be the biggest reason he’s unsigned, but if healthy, he’s more than just an end-of-rotation innings-eater.