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The 2016 Ultimate MLB Free-Agent Tracker

Here is the Ultimate Free-Agent Tracker for the class of 2016-17, ranked from Nos. 1 to 204. The rankings are based on a number of variables, including each player’s history, opening-day age and potential, and are as much about predicted performance as market value, providing a general outline as free agency unfolds between now and spring training.

Bookmark this page in your browser or favorite it on Twitter – and return frequently. As the offseason progresses, Yahoo Sports will update it with news of signings and their impact on other free agents.

1. Yoenis Cespedes, OF: SIGNED A very good player, no doubt, Cespedes is primed to get paid like a great one because teams are Jean-Ralphio-level flush with cash and need a power-hitting corner outfielder. And let’s get that distinction out of the way: Cespedes is not a center fielder, no way, no how, unless you consider you fancy one who moonlights as a soccer player. Still, his strengths – namely the powerful bat, a far keener eye than in past seasons, a solid corner glove (unlike so many of the class’ other sluggers) and the probability that, at 31 years old, he won’t require a deal longer than six years – reinforce his place atop the rankings. Cespedes is staying in New York on a four-year, $110 million deal.

2. Edwin Encarnacion, DH/1B: SIGNED Over the past five seasons, Encarnacion ranks second in baseball in home runs with 193, second in RBIs with 550 and has done so with a strikeout rate lower than Miguel Cabrera and Jose Bautista. Encarnacion is a spectacular hitter, the best in this class by a fair margin. He is also a DH during an era that values flexibility, a 34-year-old during an era that values youth – a free agent who’d have broken the bank a decade ago. Not that Encarnacion will go home poor, landing a three-year, $65 million deal from the Indians.

3. Aroldis Chapman, RP: SIGNED Practically speaking, a one-inning relief pitcher would not rate ahead of everyday players and starting pitchers. This is 2016, though, where relief pitching is valued on par with far more impactful contributors, even by teams that understand the incongruity of it. Chapman is the hardest-throwing pitcher ever, regularly running his fastball above 103 mph, and at 29 years old, he will get at least a five-year deal. At this point last year, following a domestic incident that did not result in charges but did sully his reputation, Chapman cost the Yankees practically nothing in a trade. Now he may be the first $18 million-a-year closer, especially with no qualifying offer to sully his value.

4. Kenley Jansen, RP: SIGNED Every bit the pitcher as Chapman, Jansen is a similarly strikeout-happy, baserunner-phobic one-man wrecking crew, his cut fastball a rightful heir to Mariano Rivera’s. He proved himself a multi-inning monster in the postseason, and that was enough for the Dodgers to lock Jansen up on a five-year, $80 million deal.

5. Justin Turner, IF: SIGNED Reading the comments here is a legitimate good time, particularly the one that intones: “Josh Satin > Justin Turner.” It’s amazing to think less than three years ago, Turner got an on-the-eve-of-spring-training minor league deal from the Dodgers. All he’s done since is hit .296/.364/.492, play every spot in the infield and position himself to score $75 million-plus as a 32-year-old after being cut loose by the Mets at 28. He’s not your typical top-five free agent, but then this isn’t your typical free-agent class, and with the paucity of available third baseman, someone’s going to give Big Red a nice, long kiss.

6. Dexter Fowler, CF: SIGNED While much of Fowler’s first-half pop disappeared after the All-Star break, he remained a potent on-base threat and, thanks to better defensive positioning, turned from a liability into an asset in center field. Fowler bet on himself and got five years from the Cardinals for $82.5 million.

7. Rich Hill, SP: SIGNED From indy ball to a four-start showcase to a $6 million deal to … $50 million? Maybe $60 million? Possibly more? Nothing would surprise with Hill at this point. He’s essentially a two-pitch 37-year-old left-hander, which sounds like a guy who’s going to sign a one-year, $3 million deal and come in a batter at a time. And yet over 20 starts, Hill was the best pitcher in baseball not named Clayton Kershaw. And then he dealt in the postseason, too, shutting out the Cubs over six rip-roaring innings, and damn if Rich Hill, a guy who has thrown more than 111 innings once in his career, and that was in 2007, somehow positioned himself as the best free-agent starting pitcher available. Which is a great story, yes, but every bit as much an indictment on the desperate lengths to which teams will go for starting pitching. Hill will remain in Los Angeles on a three-year deal.

8. Ian Desmond, CF/SS: SIGNED First-half Desmond was on his way to the nine-figure deal he had turned down while with the Washington Nationals: .322/.375/.524, with shockingly good center-field defense, and not just for a converted shortstop. Second-half Desmond was the guy who had been so bad the year before he had to settle for the Rangers’ $8 million offer: .237/.283/.347, and just as bad in the playoffs. He got paid, agreeing to a $70 million deal from the Rockies.

9. Jeremy Hellickson, SP: SIGNED Here’s how big of a sellers’ market it is: Jeremy Hellickson, he of the 4.48 ERA the past four seasons, the career FIP right around the same, the 90-mph fastball, would be nuts to take the one-year, $17.2 million qualifying offer from Philadelphia. And it’s not just because of the starting pitching dearth. Hellickson is generating significant interest among teams that see a mess of untapped potential. Before Seth Lugo arrived, Hellickson had the fastest-spinning curveball in the game, and yet he threw it once every seven pitches. His changeup was devastating last season, and he offered it about a quarter of the time. Hellickson threw his stinkbomb of a fastball half the time. Hellickson decided not to test the open market and accepted Philadelphia’s $17.2 million qualifying offer.

Jose Bautista
The Jose Bautisnullta era in Toronto could be over. (Getty Images)

10. Jose Bautista: SIGNED Some skills don’t go away, and Bautista’s eye is one of them. Only two players walked at a higher rate in 2016: Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. So while Bautista’s batting average and slugging percentages were down, his glove left much to be desired and his postseason was a mess, he gets a one-season pass, and teams will give him opportunity. The question on everyone’s mind: Was Bautista’s trouble with the fastball in 2016 indicative of a bigger problem, or is it a similar blip to David Ortiz’s early-30s slump before a return to greatness?

11. Mark Melancon, RP: SIGNED He’s not Chapman. He’s not Jansen. He’s just the guy over the past four years with the best ERA in baseball. And while Melancon’s arsenal isn’t dominant, he manages to do all the important things with it: strike out hitters, not issue walks, prevent home runs and induce groundballs. His lack of a qualifying offer makes him all the more tantalizing to teams worried about losing draft picks. The Giants addressed a major hole by signing Melancon to a four-year contract.

12. Mark Trumbo, DH/OF: SIGNED Nobody wants to put Trumbo in the outfield, which potentially hinders his market, but he did hit a major league-best 47 home runs last season, and enough teams need power to at least consider hiding him in a corner. The issue, of course, is that Trumbo isn’t exactly a transformative offensive presence, even with those 47 home runs. His past five seasons’ worth of OBP, in reverse order: .316, .310, .293, .294, .317. That – that is just really quite awful. And Trumbo, at 31, is no spring chicken anymore, either. Power is an intoxicant, though, and after being traded for Steve Clevenger last season in a salary dump, Trumbo should find another homer-friendly park like Camden Yards and cash in.

13. Neil Walker, 2B: SIGNED The good: Walker was on his way to a career season last year, slugging .476, matching a career high with 23 home runs, looking like a potential top player in the class. The bad: Then he had back surgery. And while the microdiscectomy isn’t expected to hinder Walker at all, it’s still back surgery, and those two words frighten teams. Walker is in a tricky situation. At 31, he might entertain a one-year deal with another team if not for the qualifying offer, which almost certainly will preclude such interest. Walker settled on the $17.2 million one-year deal from the Mets.

14. Matt Wieters, C: Matt Wieters, superstar, never materialized. Matt Wieters, respected game-caller, decent-enough bat, solid bet at a position where few frontline players exist? That sounds about right, and the fact that Baltimore didn’t festoon him with a qualifying offer expands his market that much more. Even if Wieters’ framing acumen doesn’t rate highly, teams will look past it because pitchers enjoy throwing to him anyway. There’s value potential here.

15. Carlos Beltran, DH/OF: SIGNED Gone, as Beltran approaches his 40th birthday, is the dynamic player who was once the best baserunner in the game, a defensive wizard in center and an elite hitter. Most of the bat remains, enough for Beltran to land a one-year, $16 million contract from the Astros.

16. Josh Reddick, OF: SIGNED Reddick cratered after his trade from Oakland to the Dodgers, and even his famous arm in right field is no longer anything like what it used to be. At 29, Reddick offers one of the youngest investments in this free-agent class, and if you believe in first-half Reddick (.296/.368/.449), it could be one of the savviest this offseason as well. Houston signed Reddick to a four-year, $52 million deal.

17. Jason Hammel, SP: SIGNED Gifted free agency by the Cubs, who could have exercised his $12 million option or traded him to a team happy to fetch him at such a bargain, Hammel now hits the market coming off three seasons in which he threw more than 500 innings total to a 3.68 ERA. Of the lot, he is the most consistent. And while not the innings-eating type teams feel comfortable giving a longer-term deal – Hammel still has yet to throw even 180 in a season – teams know better than to expect the ravenous from this class.

18. Wilson Ramos, C: SIGNED The saddest story of the 2016 offseason. Ramos was going to make well over $50 million after hitting .307/.354/.496 in his walk season. Instead, after a wicked knee injury, he’ll settle for a discounted multiyear deal or a one-year make-good in hopes he can return midseason and prove himself worthy for the long-term bonanza that vanished in an instant. Catchers have returned from blown knees, sure, but with Ramos approaching 30 and nearly 5,000 innings behind the plate, he is one of the riskier bets this winter. The Rays are willing to take a gamble on Ramos and his knee, signing the catcher to a two-year deal.

19. Carlos Gomez, OF: SIGNED If this is two years ago, and Gomez is coming off back-to-back All-Star appearances, and his dynamism is just infectious, he’s a $100 million player, easy. In three-quarters of a year with Houston, though, Gomez so thoroughly destroyed the idea of his greatness – .221/.277/.342 – that even a rebound final month with Texas can’t rid the concern of an outright collapse. Gomez will get paid and paid handsomely because he’s 31, because he can play center (though he’s probably better suited for a corner), because no draft pick affixes itself to his fortunes and most of all because even though his floor is below grade, his ceiling is almost as high as anyone’s.

20. Ivan Nova, SP: SIGNED So, yeah. Ivan Nova, 30 years old, he who never has pitched more than 171 innings in a season, and who up until Aug. 1 wasn’t anywhere near the top 50 free agents, didn’t get a Ricky Nolasco-type deal, somewhere in the $50 million range. Instead, Nova agreed to a three-year, $26 million contract from the Pirates.

Mike Napoli
Mike Napoli still hasn’t figured out the fastball. (Getty Images)

21. Mike Napoli, 1B/DH: Thirty-four home runs and 101 RBIs in a walk year is worthy of a party, as is an on-base percentage that consistently hovers at least 100 points higher than his batting average. That’s the good. The not-as-good: Napoli’s strikeout rate hovers around 30 percent, and while he kills bad breaking balls, he’s gone two years straight now with minimal production against fastballs. The report is out: High and hard, and he’s vulnerable.

22. Kendrys Morales, DH/1B: SIGNED Kansas City declining to give Morales a qualifying offer saves him from the quandary of three years ago that led to him joining the Royals in the first place. Following a dreadful start, he hit .302/.364/.547 with 24 home runs over the Royals’ last 101 games. A switch hitter and a good clubhouse presence, the Blue Jays signed Morales to a three-year deal.

23. Bartolo Colon, SP: SIGNED He is 43 years old, on the cusp of morbid obesity, throws one pitch 90 percent of the time and is the likeliest starting pitcher in this class to reach 200 innings. The Braves added another veteran to their rotation in signing Colon to a one-year deal.

24. Daniel Hudson, RP: SIGNED Outside of Chapman and Jansen, Hudson has the best raw stuff of any reliever: a 96-mph fastball that touches 100, a hard slider and a changeup that, when it’s on, which it was most of last season, is his best pitch. When it wasn’t on – June 23 to Aug. 2 – Hudson had one of the worst stretches in memory for a pitcher: 31 runs on 33 hits in 9 2/3 innings. In his other 50 2/3 innings, Hudson allowed just one baserunner and struck out one nearly every inning and posted a 1.60 ERA. He can’t erase that five-week swoon; teams also know he’ll cost about a quarter as much as Chapman or Jansen and are fine with that. Side note: Hudson also stars in the most compelling book since the Bible, one that makes a delightful holiday gift. Hudson signed a two-year deal with the Pirates.

25. Jae-gyun Hwang, UT: SIGNED The 29-year-old Hwang is positioning himself as a poor-man’s Ben Zobrist, with power, speed, contact skills and flexibility. While he’s most comfortable at third base, he has played shortstop and second and is taking reps this winter in the outfield. After a .335/.394/.570 season with 27 home runs and 25 stolen bases in Korea, he’s likely to choose from a number of three-year deals.

26. Brad Ziegler, RP: SIGNED The mystery of Ziegler plays on. A 37-year-old who throws 84 mph has the single best ERA of a reliever with at least 500 innings since 2008. Insane groundball rates. No home runs. Pretty good formula. Ziegler will serve as the setup reliever for A.J. Ramos in Miami.

27. Jason Castro, C: SIGNED Even if Castro has spent the past three seasons cobbling together a vomitous .215/.291/.369 line, he frames like he works at Michaels. Castro is among the best, with Buster Posey, Yasmani Grandal, Russell Martin and a select few others, at taking a pitch outside the strike zone and making it look like a strike. It’s an art, and one for which teams will pay handsomely, like the Twins who signed Castro to a three-year, $24.5 million deal.

28. Michael Saunders, OF: SIGNED Well on his way to an Alex Gordon-sized deal, Saunders was introduced to something brutal: the second half. His pre-All-Star break line: .298/.372/.551. After the break: .178/.282/.357. Saunders, 30, still may get three years at around $12 million per, but it’s half of what he would have guaranteed himself with a second half like the first.

29. Matt Holliday, OF: SIGNED After trading plate discipline for power in 2016, Holliday posted his best isolated-power number – slugging percentage minus batting average – in five years. He’s still in phenomenal shape, even at 37, and splitting at-bats between the DH and outfield spots could revitalize him. This is an upside play for a savvy team like the Yankees, who signed Holliday to a one-year deal.

30. Derek Holland, SP: SIGNED Over the past three seasons, Holland has combined to throw fewer innings than he did in all of 2013. Holland was one of the more promising young pitchers in baseball then, a hard-throwing lefty with polish. Now, he’s a 30-year-old who can’t stay healthy. Which was worth a one-year flyer with the White Sox.

31. Luis Valbuena, UT: SIGNED He’s 30, he hits for power, he can play every infield position but shortstop and he knows how to draw walks. Time to see if Valbuena is as valuable – and valued – in the open market as he should be.

32. Brandon Moss, OF: SIGNED Good for at least 20 home runs a year, Moss keeps plugging along as a reliable power bat. Could sign with his seventh team. Only five more to catch Matt Stairs!

33. Chase Utley, 2B: The old man keeps ticking, his swing ever short, his step not quick but quick enough, his eye eroded but far from gone. This is what a great player looks like when he’s a 38-year-old who still cares. There’s something there. Just not close to as much as there once was.

34. Brett Anderson, SP: SIGNED Showed what he could be when he was healthy in 2015 – and teams will keep betting on that, especially ones with a good infield, because the 29-year-old Anderson logged an otherworldly 66.3 percent groundball rate two seasons ago.

35. Joe Blanton, RP: A bargain for the Dodgers at $4 million this year, he may well double that and get multiple years, too, after his relief reinvention led to a 2.48 ERA this season.

36. Colby Rasmus, OF: SIGNED His awful year, along with Anderson’s, scared teams off giving qualifying offers to fringy players this year. From April 25 to the end of the season, Rasmus was truly terrible: .190/.252/.289. Still on his side: He’s 30, can play a legitimate center field and is just one bad year away from a three-season stretch in which he OPS’d nearly 20 percent better than league average.

37. Brett Cecil, RP: SIGNED Long an effective lefty, Cecil is especially difficult on same-side hitters and, at 30, should have plenty left in his arm for a multiyear deal. The Cardinals signed Cecil to a four-year, $30 million deal.

38. Travis Wood, SP/RP: Capable of starting, playing long man, going for an inning or targeting left-handed hitters, Wood is exactly the sort of guy every team wants – and needs – in the era of a seven-man bullpen.

39. Matt Joyce, OF: SIGNED The Pirates deployed him in proper fashion – against right-handed pitching almost exclusively – and Joyce played his platoon split to perfection. His .242/.403/.463 line shows immense patience and enough pop for a team to hand him fairly regular plate appearances.

40. Steven Pearce, UT: SIGNED Like Matt Joyce, only with a smidgen more pop, a tad more versatility, a little less patience and a right-handed swing. Toronto signed Pearce to a two-year deal.

41. Sean Rodriguez, UT: SIGNED After playing every position but pitcher and catch, plus slugging over .500, Rodriguez should be in demand this offseason for a team in need of a utilityman who understands such talents are coveted.

Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Papelbon is intense. (Getty Images)

42. Jonathan Papelbon, RP: He should be back, and he shouldn’t be terrible, though with so few established closers existing for so many spots, he may end up pitching the ninth despite his failures last year.

43. Pedro Alvarez, DH/1B: A total is-what-he-is guy. And what he is is a guy who can hammer right-handed pitching on the regular. He hit .251/.326/.522 against righties last season and makes for a nice left-handed complement to a potential DH platoon.

44. Charlie Morton, SP: SIGNED Some team is going to give him a one-year deal and look awfully smart for having done so. In fact, Houston gave Morton a two-year deal.

45. Andrew Cashner, SP: SIGNED He’s been legitimately not good for two seasons, doesn’t throw nearly as hard as he once did and is this high only on reputation. All of which means: Cashner got a one-year, $10 million deal from Texas.

46. Mitch Moreland, 1B: SIGNED Always good for 20 homers and flirtation with a sub-.300 on-base percentage, Moreland is more a short-term plug-in than long-term solution at first. Moreland will fill a void left for the Red Sox following the trade of Travis Shaw to the Brewers.

47. Jose Miguel Fernandez, 2B/3B: SIGNED Playing for Aguilas in the Dominican Winter League, Fernandez has shown good bat control but zero power, according to two scouts who saw him. Still, considering he hasn’t played a full season in three years, and that his forte in Cuba was his eye, the 28-year-old should have an active and interesting market.

48. Edinson Volquez, SP: SIGNED Lord he was awful for most of last season. In his final 20 starts, his ERA was 6.58. Volquez ground through the year, though, never skipping a start, pushing himself to more than 189 innings, which in this market is all it takes to play. The Marlins signed Volquez to a two-year, $22 million deal.

49. Jon Jay, CF: SIGNED Now is the time, in this divided political climate, where a man has to stand up for what he believes in, to fight against conspiring forces, to do good for his country. That is your civic duty, John Jay! Wait. We’re talking about Jon Jay, no H? Oh. He can just bat an empty .290 and play a decent center field, I guess.

50. Rajai Davis, OF: SIGNED The folk hero that wasn’t actually had a solid year and at 36 is a perfectly competent fourth outfielder who can sop up plate appearances.

51. Jerry Blevins, RP: Classic LOOGY (Left-handed one out guy) whose strikeout numbers spiked last season and led to perhaps his best yet. At 33, with his past success, he should warrant a multiyear deal.

52. Boone Logan, RP: He always strikes out plenty of hitters and walks plenty more. The beauty of Logan’s 2016 season: batters hit only .166 against him, nearly half of what they did the year before, because a ridiculously low .225 average on balls in play. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

53. Doug Fister, SP: Fister will gobble up innings toward the back of the rotation, and there is something to be said for that, but anything more than a one-year deal is just desperation from a team looking for something.

54. Joaquin Benoit, RP: SIGNED A mess of a half-season in Seattle yielded to a near-perfect run in Toronto, where Benoit rehabbed what looked like a walk year gone terribly wrong. The only impediment: his age, 39.

55. R.A. Dickey, SP: SIGNED Plenty of life remains in Dickey’s knuckleball. He’s 42 going on half that, and Atlanta now has a home for him at the back end of the rotation.

56. Kelly Johnson, UT: Plays all four infield positions, hits with a bit of pop from the left, done it in big games before. There’s a reason he gets a big league deal every season.

57. Angel Pagan, CF: The bat is there for the 35-year-old, though the glove not so much. There’s also the existential crisis of his name. What is he? An angel or a pagan? These things are mutually exclusive!

58. Aaron Hill, UT: A serviceable guy off the bench who can play second or third is well worth having on a roster, and he’ll have multiple offers on account of his flexibility.

59. Justin Morneau, 1B: Back from another concussion, the former MVP didn’t come with a wallop of power last season but stayed healthy and produced enough to ensure there will be a roster spot for him somewhere.

60. Franklin Gutierrez, OF: Watching Gutierrez play center field used to be such a joy. At 34, with a body that has been through so much, his glove isn’t what it once was. His bat still plays, though, and he’s a great fourth-outfielder option.

61. Koji Uehara, RP: SIGNED The splitter remains a monster strikeout pitch. It is also very hittable a very long way when hung.

Fernando Rodney
Fernando Rodney’s arrow won’t cost teams extra money. (Getty Images)

62. Fernando Rodney, RP: SIGNED The change remains a monster strikeout pitch. It is also very hittable a very long way when hung. This does not seem like an original thought.

63. Daniel Descalso, UT: Plays every infield position and a little outfield. Hits enough. Just turned 30. The market should give him multiple years.

64. Adam Lind, 1B: His last contract was for seven years. Guessing he gets one-seventh that.

65. Jhoulys Chacin, SP: SIGNED Decent peripherals? Uptick in velocity? Five-pitch mix? Perhaps this isn’t a guy worth betting on, but he certainly has some interesting elements. He landed in San Diego on a one-year deal.

66. Logan Morrison, 1B: Morrison is that sneaky-decent bat that can play every day and put up average numbers. He’s in line for a solid one-year deal and perhaps more.

67. Colby Lewis, SP: At 37, with a fastball that doesn’t get far out of the mid-80s, Lewis somehow still pitch to a 3.71 ERA last season. Much of that seemed to be luck – Lewis doesn’t strike out enough hitters and allows way too many home runs – but the prospect of him crashing 200 innings is significant enough to get him another year.

68. David Hernandez, RP : His full-season comeback from Tommy John surgery was a success, and with his stuff back to where it was, he could be a nice surprise.

69. Nick Hundley, C: SIGNED Even if he does move beyond the paradise of Coors Field, Hundley has proven himself capable of at least splitting an everyday job.

70. Joe Smith, RP: Ordinary name. Ordinary stuff. Not quite extraordinary performance, but good enough that he could pitch the seventh or eighth inning for a contender.

71. J.P. Howell, RP: Howell’s peripherals were almost the same in 2016 as 2015, but his ERA nearly tripled, from 1.43 to 4.09. How? Well, his strand rate in 2015 was absurd, and he had some plain bad luck in 2016. Beyond that, though, Howell is still the same junkballing lefty who gets a ton of groundballs, and there’s distinct value in that.

72. Marc Rzepczynski, RP: SIGNED Scrabble is an effective 31-year-old left-handed reliever, which means he will likely be No. 72 on the 2030 Ultimate Free-Agent Tracker, too. The Mariners signed Rzepczynski to a two-year deal.

73. Neftali Feliz, RP: SIGNED Gone are the 100-mph radar readings of his rookie year, replaced by a simple-but-effective fastball-slider pair. The Pirates’ pitcher cleanup shop did wonders on Feliz, and he’s ready to get multiple years.

74. Santiago Casilla, RP: SIGNED End booooooooooo of booooo the booooo season booooo notwithstanding booooooo, he’s booooooooooo actually booooo a booooooo decent boo relief booooooooooooo option boooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Boo.

75. Jorge De La Rosa, SP: Once upon a time, he was the pitcher believed by some to have tamed Coors Field, or perhaps just given it obedience lessons. Now he’s the guy hitting his walk year with a 5.51 ERA, 4.2 walks per nine and his 36th birthday the opening week of the season.

76. Javier Lopez, RP: In 68 outings last year, he recorded 80 outs. That was $62,500 per out. Justin Verlander made less than $41,000 per out. Left-handed relievers are the worst.

77. Mike Dunn, RP: SIGNED Another lefty. Unlike much of his brethren, Dunn traded strikeouts for better control – and suffered a home run spike, too. Not a bad bet for the Rockies.

78. Drew Storen, RP: SIGNED Finally started to look like himself after a trade to Seattle. And that self is an above-average reliever who is well capable of closing.

79. Sergio Romo, RP: Per usual, he threw a ton of strikes and barely walked anyone last season. The velocity is down to 86 mph, though, and even if he throws sliders 60 percent of the time, he needs to be perfect with fastballs when he does use them.

Coco Crisp
Which team will be cuckoo for Coco Crisp? (Getty Images)

80. Coco Crisp, OF: The non-Rajai Davis erstwhile World Series hero is a contact-oriented switch hitter with some speed, which should keep him employed as long as he cares to be.

81. Eric Thames, OF: SIGNED From major league washout to Korean Baseball Organization monster, Thames is coming back to the major leagues with the Brewers at 30 with a 2015 KBO MVP award and an alleged 2016 DUI on his résumé.

82. Greg Holland, RP: SIGNED In his first post-Tommy John showcase, Holland sat around 90 mph. At 13 months post-surgery, most pitchers have recovered their full velocity, or at least close to it. The adrenaline in a game may give Holland an extra mile or two, and perhaps time brings him back up to 96, but Holland in the low 90s, as he was pre-surgery, was very, very hittable.

83. Chris Coghlan, UT: His ability to play all four corners as well as a strong platoon split against right-handed pitchers gives him some end-of-the-bench value.

84. Gregor Blanco, OF: SIGNED Four straight years of above-average play yielded way to last year, when Blanco’s bat disappeared and his glove followed suit. Seems like a good flyer on a fourth-outfielder slot.

85. Fernando Salas, RP: Struck out 19 and walked none in a short stint with the Mets, and in the process probably bought himself a few extra million.

86. Norge Ruiz, SP: The 22-year-old Cuban was supposed to be the next pitching star from the island, but he never grew taller than 6-foot, showed up in the U.S. out of shape and hasn’t particularly impressed in the Dominican Winter League this year.

87. Trevor Cahill, RP: SIGNED Has Blanton’d his way into a sneaky-solid relief career, with more than a strikeout an inning for the Cubs last season.

88. Clayton Richard, SP/RP: SIGNED Nine starts with San Diego to end the season and a 2.41 ERA? It’s not exactly Rich Hill, but Richard may be that under-the-radar rotation play for a lower-payroll team. Richard will return to the Padres, agreeing to a one-year deal.

89. Adam Rosales, UT: SIGNED Plays almost every position, has some pop and runs like a freaking maniac around the bases when he homers.

90. Luke Hochevar, RP: Started looking more like his pre-Tommy John self last season, though the homer happiness needs to go away if he’s going to return anywhere near that level.

91. Mark Reynolds, IF: SIGNED Ol’ Mr. Reliable is good for 15 or so home runs, a .400 slugging percentage and a Costco-sized bundle of strikeouts. That should be enough to get him a big league deal.

92. Henderson Alvarez, SP: When he was last healthy in 2014, Alvarez was an All-Star who put up a 2.65 ERA. He’s still just 26, still loaded with potential, but two straight seasons with shoulder surgery makes the well to tap it that much deeper.

93. Dae-ho Lee, DH: Deciding whether to return to MLB, Japan or go home to Korea. If he stays stateside, should be a package deal with Korean announcers.

94. Jesse Chavez, SP/RP: SIGNED Consistently OK. And in the 12-man pitching staff era, that’s enough for a swingman job with the Angels.

95. Kurt Suzuki, C: SIGNED If there is one truth about free agency, it’s that decent catchers get jobs, and Suzuki falls into that category. He may be 33 and may be a backup, but he’ll be employed.

96. Michael Bourn, OF: Revitalized in Arizona and Baltimore, Bourn may have played himself onto an opening day roster after looking like his career might be nearing its end.

97. Dioner Navarro, C: Backup catcher with a job? Backup catcher with a job.

98. Andrew Bailey, RP: SIGNED True or false: You knew he was the Angels’ closer in September. If you said true, you are lying. If you said false, you are wrong. He will remain in Anaheim after agreeing to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Angels.

99. Stephen Drew, IF: SIGNED Settled in nicely to a move-around-the-diamond role, with small sips of pop showing up now and again. Good guy to have around.

Jered Weaver
Jered Weaver throws 83 miles per hour. Let that sink in. (Getty Images)

100. Jered Weaver, SP: Weaver throws 83 mph, and it’s glorious. He steps on the pitcher’s mound with next to nothing and proceeds to attack hitters 100 times anyway. And even if he does give up home runs and hits and runs, he takes his lumps and then comes back and strikes out dudes at 83, and damn if that’s not a beautiful sight. More Jered Weaver, please.

101. Matt Belisle, RP: SIGNED Forty-six innings, 32 strikeouts, four unintentional walks and two home runs? That’s the sort of season that leads to a 1.76 ERA and the potential for a nice contract.

102. Dairon Blanco, OF: Cuban with blistering speed, a questionable bat and enough of a glove to cover center but probably a better fit in a corner. At 23, Blanco is still subject to teams’ international bonus pools, which limits the potential size of his deal.

103. Dustin McGowan, RP: SIGNED While his 2.82 ERA outperformed his peripherals, McGowan not only stayed healthy, he pitched well. His entire career has been one or the other, so perhaps at 35 he’s finally finding both. The Marlins will take another chance on McGowan, signing the pitcher to a one-year deal.

104. Alex Avila, C: SIGNED The plate discipline always has been there, a gift for a catcher. If only he could stay healthy for a full season. Avila will return to the Tigers in 2017.

105. Ross Ohlendorf, RP: As part of Cincinnati’s bullpen from hell, struck out 9.3 per nine innings, which is quite good. Also allowed 14 home runs in 65 2/3 innings. That’s not as good.

106. Jake Peavy, SP: At his best, Peavy was a sinker-slider guy whose fastball ran into the mid-90s. These days, he’s an 88-mph guile-and-guts right-hander, and those tend not to last too long in the big leagues. He’s Jake Peavy, so someone will give him a shot, but at 35, he needs to show it shouldn’t be his last.

107. Junichi Tazawa, RP: SIGNED Consistently solid, never particularly spectacular. In other words, a perfect signing that causes shoulder shrugging in December and abject fear in May when because of an injury or two he’s pitching the eighth. The Marlins signed Tazawa to a two-year deal.

108. Drew Butera, C: SIGNED Solid backup catcher and excellent candidate for blowout mop-up innings. Also owns fairly spectacular head of hair. You get all the analysis at Yahoo Sports. Kansas City signed Butera and his good hair to a two-year contract.

109. Rickie Weeks, OF: Now strictly a corner outfielder, Weeks pummeled left-handed pitching … against which, naturally, the Diamondbacks had him take around half the plate appearances he did against righties. In the right place, with the right manager, Weeks could thrive.

110. Erick Aybar, SS: Looking for a bounceback season after last year, which won’t take a whole lot, because he was some kind of awful.

111. A.J. Ellis, C: SIGNED Totally could reunite with the Dodgers! (It’s not happening, stupid.) Totally reunited with Don Mattingly in Miami.

112. Kwang-hyun Kim, SP: Left-hander previously targeted by San Diego has a low-90s fastball, a sharp slider and cut his walks to a career low while maintaining decent strikeout rates last year in Korea. At 28, he is a full free agent.

113. Billy Butler, DH: In one of the unforgettable moments of the 2016 season, tried to embarrass teammate Danny Valencia in front of an equipment rep, was accused of “loud talk” by Valencia, who proceeded to punch him in the head and concuss him. The A’s then released Butler.

114. Carlos Villanueva, RP: It’s quite difficult for a major league pitcher to allow 17 home runs in 74 innings – especially a not-necessarily-home-run-prone pitcher like Villanueva. Could be a steal, provided the long balls crater.

115. Bryan Morris, RP: Back surgery shelved Morris for most of the 2016 season, and teams are understandably wary – even with his 2.80 career ERA – as he tries to return this year.

116. Tommy Hunter, RP: The rare modern reliever who is effective despite a shortage of strikeouts.

117. Ryan Raburn, OF: Not even the delightful environs of Coors Field could unlock Raburn’s potential in a disappointing 2016. At 35, he may have to scrounge for a big league deal.

118. Hyeon-jong Yang, SP: Now a full free agent after his team, the Kia Tigers of Korea, rejected the posting fee offered a few years ago. The 28-year-old left-hander still walks too many to profile as a front-of-the-rotation type.

119. Kris Medlen, SP: Never did regain his form after a second Tommy John surgery. There may be something there yet, but he never showed it, especially in his injury-pocked second season with Kansas City.

120. Chris Iannetta, C: At least Iannetta in the past could point to his on-base percentage as a salve for his lack of pop. Over the past two seasons, he’s a sub-.200 hitter and his OBP is under .300. Rep may get him the big league deal that his numbers wouldn’t.

121. Jeff Mathis, C: SIGNED His career OPS+ is 53. For those who don’t understand what that means, it essentially says Jeff Mathis is the hitting version of Charlie Brown trying to kick the football. He is now going into his 13th season with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard hit 25 home runs in 331 at-bats. (Getty Images)

122. Ryan Howard, 1B: Some team with a couple of utilitymen and room for a home run hitter may find a 25th spot for Howard. He’s not a hitter anymore; he long ago gave up that notion. He is a machine built to deposit tanks, 20 or so times a year with regular at-bats, maybe half that in a lesser role. When it happens, though – those high, majestic opposite-field shots – it will be a thing of beauty.

123. Scott Feldman, SP: SIGNED The dictionary definition of just a guy – career ERA of 4.40, with more than a hit per inning and just 5.6 strikeouts per nine – has made more than $50 million in his career.

124. Alexei Ramirez, SS: One of the worst hitters in baseball last year – and a pretty subpar fielder, too! Now 35, Ramirez’s dream of an above-.300 OBP may be a thing of the past, as may be guaranteed money.

125. Kevin Jepsen, RP: Seems to be on a bit of an every-other-year thing. Maybe the Giants should sign him.

126. Alejandro De Aza, OF: SIGNED Two straight seasons of negative-WAR performance – plus a large crop of available outfield bats – could push De Aza toward a far lower salary than the $5.75 million the Mets gave him last season. Or perhaps off a guaranteed deal altogether.

127. Peter Bourjos, CF: A perfectly useful spare part because his speed and glove make him a legitimate center fielder.

128. Bud Norris, SP: Bud is now legal in five states. Bud Norris has now played for five teams. Deep, yo.

129. Peter Moylan, RP: Surprisingly good return to prominence was buttressed by Kansas City’s defense. Can he do it elsewhere?

130. Joba Chamberlain, RP: Squeezed out in a roster crunch by Cleveland, Chamberlain almost had his second World Series ring. (Too soon? Too soon.) His stuff remains sharp, even if his command will need some work to get a big league job.

131. Jordan Walden, RP: SIGNED Didn’t pitch at all last season and barely at all in 2015 because of shoulder woes, leaving his status in limbo.

132. Tim Lincecum, SP: The comeback didn’t exactly go as planned. Now comes the question of whether he’s got another in him at 32.

133. Austin Jackson, OF: SIGNED One of those on-the-cusp players when it comes to a major league deal. Could snake one during spring training, like he did with the White Sox last year, but may have played himself onto the non-roster invitee list.

134. Mat Latos, SP: Remember when Mat Latos was really awesome for four starts? Those were the days, man.

135. Dillon Gee, SP: Pitched his way onto an opening day staff last spring. Probably will need to do the same this one.

136. Eric Sogard, IF: After missing all of last season with shoulder and knee injuries, should pop up in a camp as a non-roster guy with a decent shot at nabbing a utility role.

137. Felix Doubront, SP: SIGNED Coming off Tommy John surgery and won’t be ready until April at earliest. June or July probably a more sensible return date.

138. Andres Blanco, UT: SIGNED One of the more incredible paths to the six years of service necessary for free agency. He was up at 20 years old, down at 22, back at 25, down at 27, back at 30 and is now a few months shy of his 33rd birthday. Perseverance is real as Blanco is staying with the Phillies.

139. James Loney, 1B: SIGNED Had a pretty James Loney season. Around .700 OPS, middling glove at first and an exorbitant amount of questions asking the same thing: “Why is James Loney in the big leagues?”

140. Steve Clevenger, C: When there are 64 guys behind the one who got suspended and released for inappropriate and misguided tweets about Black Lives Matter, you know this thing is getting too long.

141. Yusmeiro Petit, SP/RP: When a team chooses a $500,000 buyout over a $3 million option on a reliever, that’s not a good sign. Petit’s best bet at a big league job is after the new year, maybe even into February.

142. Gordon Beckham, IF: Fully in the is-what-he-is stage of his career, Beckham no longer is a disappointment. He’s just a guy who can play second, short and third, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of there. Well, except his OPS maybe.

143. Geovany Soto, C: Played for five teams in the past five seasons. Geovany Soto: The Bud Norris of catchers.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Jarrod Saltalamacchia batted .171 during the 2016 season.

144. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C: Will hit plenty of home runs and squat behind the plate, and that pretty much covers the lot of his contributions.

145. Jonathon Niese, SP: Not even the Pirates’ cleanup shop could fix Niese. He’s likelier to join the Gee unit – minor league deal with big major league incentives.

146. Chris Capuano, RP: Still going nearly a decade after his second Tommy John. Most of those years have been consistently OK, but that they exist at all is pretty cool.

147. Ruben Tejada, IF: The kind of utility guy serviceable enough to get promoted from Triple-A and then get designated for assignment three days later and hop from team to team on the DFA wave. Baseball can be cruel.

148. Drew Stubbs, OF: A decent fifth outfielder to have around because of his speed, glove and power.

149. Ryan Vogelsong, SP: Compared to recent years, in 2016 he struck out fewer, walked more, allowed more home runs. And will turn 40 mid-season. Tough row to hoe.

150. Brandon Morrow, RP: What could’ve been and wasn’t. That’s the story of Morrow’s career, which is about to enter its 11th season. Always tantalizing. Never could stay healthy. Even last season, when he had a 1.69 ERA for the Padres, it was over only 16 innings.

151. Ryan Webb, RP: Very hittable last season and may wind up with a minor league invite.

152. Al Alburquerque, RP: Still don’t get why he’s got two Rs in his name while Albuquerque, N.M., needs only one. Seems a bit excessive, Al.

153. Chien-Ming Wang, RP: A decent comeback season after two years in the minors, including a stop in indy ball, ended with an unceremonious Sept. 17 DFA. He’s a good non-roster flyer worth taking.

154. Sam LeCure, RP: Stretched out to a starter at Triple-A last year. Versatility is paramount for a right-hander who sits 87.

155. Craig Gentry, OF: Played for the Rangers, A’s and Angels. Presumably, his likeliest landing spots are Houston and Seattle.

156. Kyle Kendrick, SP: Spent all of last season in the minor leagues. So why does he get a spot on the list? Joseph Matthew Blanton. That’s why.

157. Ryan Hanigan, C: SIGNED Catcher run!

158. J.P. Arencibia, C: Only two catchers in a row does not make a run, you imbecile.

159. Gavin Floyd, RP: Stayed relatively healthy in a mop-up role for Toronto as he tried to rebuild his career after a number of arm injuries.

160. Joe Nathan, RP: SIGNED Coming back from a second Tommy John at 41 and continuing to pitch at 42? Why the hell not? Nathan wasn’t charged with a run this season over 6 1/3 innings.

Jeff Francoeur
Jeff Francoeur … still in the league. (Getty Images)

161. Jeff Francoeur, OF: The oldest 33-year-old ever, Francoeur may well stick around as long as he desires in a big league clubhouse because people in the game so respect his presence. It’s intangible, but they believe it’s real and worth a roster spot.

162. Omar Infante, 2B: SIGNED Even if Infante doesn’t play a single inning this year, he’s still getting $10 million from the Royals. Also will release a book entitled: “How to Win at Life.” Infante was signed by the Tigers to a minor-league deal.

163. Joe Beimel, RP: Lefty, pulse, etc.

164. Joe Thatcher, RP: The exception to the Ultimate Free-Agent Tracker’s ultimate rule – that a lefty with a pulse always will be a big leaguer. Thatcher spent all of last season at Triple-A.

165. Phil Coke, RP: Since Coke hasn’t done much of substance for the past two years, instead we’ll take this time to introduce you to his father, Doug Coke. He believes he is a god who has lived 199 lives and performs exorcisms, soul retrieval and a full menu of other occult selections.

166. Kyle Lohse, SP: Despite making nearly $90 million over his career, Lohse actually kicked around the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate for 10 starts before going to the big leagues and showing the same lack of stuff that had gotten him in Round Rock in the first place.

167. Sean Burnett, RP: SIGNED Bad news: Has thrown 16 innings since 2012. Good news: Has a 2.25 ERA in them!

168. Brian Matusz, RP: Was so bad in his one major league outing this year it prompted Theo Epstein to slap the ever-living crap out of street signs.

169. Craig Stammen, RP: Still working back from arm surgery, which seems to be a common thread in this portion of the proceedings.

170. Donovan Solano, IF: At this point, he’s little more than a universal soldier, wearing whatever colours are out there but especially enjoying mellow yellow. Please make this stop.

171. Logan Ondrusek, RP: SIGNED Reliever run! Pitched in the big leagues last year, with an ERA of 9.95.

172. Cory Luebke, RP: Pitched in the big leagues last year, with an ERA of 9.35. Getting better!

173. James Russell, RP: Pitched in the big leagues last year, with an ERA of 18.69. Awful! But still kinda nice.

174. Roberto Hernandez, RP: Pitched in the big leagues last year, with an ERA of 8.00. Improvement!

175. Blaine Boyer, RP: Didn’t pitch in the big leagues last year. But did go undercover to rescue sex slaves with Adam LaRoche!

176. Darwin Barney, UT: Actually got some playing time this year because of injury and wasn’t all that bad.

177. Don Kelly, UT: Did not get much playing time this year, and when he did, it was pretty bad.

178. Dan Robertson, OF: Played for the Rangers, Angels and Mariners. Presumably, his likeliest landing spots are Houston or Oakland. The Astros may have a crowded outfield.

179. Eric O’Flaherty, RP: SIGNED Hasn’t been the same since Tommy John, which is a shame, because his two-season run from 2011-12, in which he posted a 1.31 ERA in 131 innings, was pretty spectacular.

180. Edwin Jackson, SP/RP: Yup, still around.

181. Casey McGehee, 3B: Him, too.

182. Eric Young Jr., UT : The reverse Terrance Gore. Instead of starting his career as a September call-up because of his speed, Young played, flamed out and now is around for the last month of the season to run, run and run some more.

183. Jerome Williams, SP/RP: Each of the past two seasons has finished with more earned runs allowed than strikeouts. That’s legitimately difficult to do.

184. Shane Robinson, OF: This is getting to the dregs.

185. Chris Johnson, IF: Say something funny, man.

Justin Masterson
Justin Masterson won 14 games for the Cleveland Indians in 2013. (Getty Images)

186. Justin Masterson, RP: In 2014, he turned down a $45 million extension from Cleveland. In 2015, he signed for $9.5 million with Boston. In 2016, he spent the entire season in the minor leagues. I mean, that’s sort of funny.

187. Jordan Schafer, P/OF: The Schafer-as-a-pitcher experiment showed promise in its first year, most of which the 30-year-old spent at Double-A. The Dodgers know a little something about position player-to-pitcher transitions. Their best? Kenley Jansen.

188. Will Venable, OF: Gone are the days he was a legitimate everyday outfielder. This is just the clock ticking.

189. Matt Albers, RP: SIGNED This deep into the list, the mind starts wandering – and wondering. Like, what if an M were an F and an S were a T? What then indeed.

190. Brian Duensing, RP: SIGNED Hey, remember that time Buck Showalter used Brian Duensing in a must-win playoff game but didn’t use Zach Britton? Yeah. Me, too. Duensing will fill a hole in the Cubs bullpen, signing a one-year deal.

191. Brendan Ryan, IF: Another utility guy just trying to hang on for one more year after a career of just scratching by with his glove, which today simply isn’t what it once was.

192. Emilio Bonifacio, UT: SIGNED Has spent 10 seasons in the major leagues and put up an OPS over .700 just once while not playing any defensive position particularly well. That’s legitimately difficult to do. Bonifacio signed a minor-league deal with the Braves.

193. Daniel Nava, OF: With the halcyon days of 2013 long gone, Nava is now a soft-hit 33-year-old corner outfielder. Not much of a market for that.

194. Cesar Ramos, RP: Bombed out with the Rangers and is destined for a minor league pact.

195. Ross Detwiler, SP/RP: Former No. 6 overall pick running out of chances after another miserable season and with 31st birthday around the corner during spring training.

196. Travis Snider, OF: Gone is any polish or sheen from his days as a gilded prospect. Snider just seems like AAA filler at this point.

197. Casey Kotchman, 1B: Still grinding away at Triple-A after all these years. Respect.

198. Casey Janssen, RP: Lasted seven weeks at Triple-A before getting his release.

199. Marlon Byrd, OF: Currently serving 162-game PED ban. And still higher than some guys on this list.

Nick Swisher
Hall of Fame bro Nick Swisher. (Getty Images)

200. Nick Swisher, 1B/OF: If this baseball thing doesn’t work out, backup plan is to join Dude Perfect, embark on new career as professional bro.

201. Alfredo Simon, SP: Two years after making the All-Star team, he gave up 61 runs in 58 2/3 innings and eventually underwent shoulder surgery.

202. C.J. Wilson, SP: A 36-year-old coming off labrum and rotator cuff surgery is not a high-demand asset.

203. Matt Capps, RP: Amazing factoid: Matt Capps is 94th all time in saves. Another amazing factoid: He is on the list despite not having pitched in the major leagues in four years. A third amazing factoid: This list needs to stop. Like, now.

204. Chris Volstad, SP: Struck out 4.3 batters per nine at Triple-A last season. The only starter in the major leagues with a lower rate was Mike Pelfrey. Volstad is 6-foot-8. Pelfrey is 6-foot-7. I am 5-foot-9½. That extra half-inch matters, OK? If you’ve read this far, I apologize.