10 Best Value MLB Free Agent Bargain Signings of 2024

10. Amed Rosario, Tampa Bay Rays

Contract: One-year, $1.5 million

2024 Stats: 172 PA, .278/.291/.396. 2 HR, 20 RBI, 98 wRC+, 0.2 fWAR

Amed Rosario earns a spot in our top 10 over Tommy Pham for several reasons. Firstly, he is making half of what Pham earns, without any incentives. Secondly, he has been crucial to a team that has been struggling to stay afloat early in the season.

While Rosario is not an elite offensive player, he has performed at about a league-average level with a 98 wRC+. He is batting .278 with 43 hits in his first 43 games. 

The 28-year-old has taken on a super utility role for the Rays, starting at third base, second base, shortstop, and right field. Although Pham may be the better hitter, Rosario’s versatility and consistent contributions provide significant value to the Rays that goes beyond traditional statistics.

This post by Ryan Finkelstein appeared first on Just Baseball.

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2. Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals

Contract: Three years, $45 million

2024 Stats: 12 GS, 78.1 IP, 1.72 ERA, 3.20 FIP, 7.58 K/9, 2.07 BB/9, 1.8 fWAR

An argument can be made that Seth Lugo should top this list. Lugo has pitched 20 more innings than the next player we'll discuss, and has done so with a slightly lower ERA.

However, Lugo is held back by the expectation of regression, as indicated by his higher xERA of 3.68 and xFIP of 3.82 compared to his current 1.72 ERA. Additionally, he lacks the name recognition of our No. 1 bargain free agent, who is earning back his salary in jersey sales on the North Side of Chicago.

Despite this, the Royals struck gold with Seth Lugo this offseason! Lugo has become an ace and a workhorse for Kansas City, boasting a 9-1 record and keeping his team competitive in every game he pitches. With 10 quality starts in 12 attempts, he is now a contender, if not the early frontrunner, for the AL Cy Young.

Signed to a three-year, $45 million deal, Lugo is an incredible bargain for the Royals. Unfortunately for Kansas City, the third year of his contract is a $15 million player option, which he will almost certainly decline if he continues this level of performance through the 2025 season.

3. Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres

Contract: One-year, $1 million

2024 Stats: 233 PA, .323/.421/.495, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 170 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR

We've reached the point on our list where we can start discussing potential All-Stars, which is remarkable considering the journey of Jurickson Profar.

Profar is having what looks like a career year, hitting .323/.421/.495 with 35 RBIs for the San Diego Padres. Despite sharing a team with stars, Profar leads the squad in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs, wRC+, and fWAR.

At 31, Profar has been the Padres' best player so far this season, making him a strong candidate for the first All-Star appearance of his career. Signed for just $1 million, he might be the best bargain in baseball right now.

Profar ranks No. 3 on our list, only because the next two players are on bargain deals with multiple years of team control.

4. Ben Lively, Cleveland Guardians

Contract: One-year, $750K (pre-arb)

2024 Stats: 8 GS, 45 IP, 2.80 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 8.60 K/9, 2.80 BB/9, 0.4 fWAR

Are we sensing a pattern here?

Here's another pre-arbitration signing from this offseason that's proving to be incredibly valuable for a team's rotation. Ben Lively, who has had quite a journey through baseball, was originally drafted in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Reds back in 2013.

Lively made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2017 and had stints with the Royals, Diamondbacks, and even played overseas in the KBO from 2019 to 2021. He returned to the U.S. with the Reds on a minor league deal last season.

In 19 appearances and 12 starts, Lively posted a 5.38 ERA and was eventually DFA’d and optioned to Triple-A. Not being on the 40-man roster, he elected free agency this offseason and signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Guardians.

The Guardians faced early-season injuries in their rotation, which led to Lively being called up to make a start on April 17th.

Since then, Lively has made eight starts in the rotation, boasting a sub-3.00 ERA and winning four of his five starts in May. If he can sustain this performance, the Guardians will have a reliable pitcher in their rotation for years to come.

Although he is 32 years old, Lively won't be eligible for arbitration until 2026 and won't reach free agency until 2029. This gives the Guardians five years of control if they choose to keep him. For a small-market team, this could be an exceptional find.

5. Cooper Criswell, Boston Red Sox

Contract: One-year, $1 million (pre-arb)

2024 Stats: 9 G, 8 GS, 38.2 IP, 3.96 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 8.38 K/9, 2.09 BB/9, 0.6 fWAR

This is the point in the list where some readers might disagree, but bear with the reasoning.

Yes, Cooper Criswell is considered a more valuable free agent signing this offseason than Jordan Hicks. Statistically, this might seem absurd, but the focus here is on value.

Criswell was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays in November due to a 40-man roster crunch, which required Tampa to add multiple prospects to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.

The Boston Red Sox seized the opportunity and signed Criswell to a one-year, $1 million deal, then optioned him to Triple-A to start the season. The 27-year-old right-hander was recalled on April 13th and has since become a fixture in the Red Sox rotation.

Though Criswell hasn't pitched deep into games, he maintains a solid 3.96 ERA, with expected metrics backing up his performance. His 3.68 xERA and 3.57 xFIP suggest he has been slightly unlucky this season.

Criswell makes it into the top five because he was a pre-arbitration signing with a promising future in Boston. Signed for $1 million and providing five years of team control, Criswell could be a significant bargain if he remains with the Red Sox for the long term.

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6. Erick Fedde, Chicago White Sox

Contract: Two years, $15 milllion

2024 Stats: 11 GS, 64.1 IP, 2.80 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 8.11 K/9, 2.52 BB/9, 1.1 fWAR

Here is the latest success story of a struggling starting pitcher who revitalized his career in the KBO and returned stronger than ever. After a disappointing 2022 season with a 5.81 ERA in the Nationals’ rotation, Erick Fedde went to the KBO and won the Triple Crown.

This offseason, Fedde attracted interest from many teams, but the Chicago White Sox secured his services by offering a guaranteed second year on his contract. That deal now appears to be a bargain, especially considering his increased trade value as the deadline approaches.

Fedde has emerged as the ace of the White Sox, posting a 2.80 ERA over a team-leading 64 1/3 innings pitched. There is a strong possibility that he will be the White Sox's sole representative at this year’s All-Star game before potentially being traded later in the month.

7. Joc Pederson, Arizona Diamondbacks

Contract: One-year, $9.5 million

92024 Stats: 146 PA, .306/.409/.532, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 169 wRC+, 1.3 fWAR

The Arizona Diamondbacks aimed to add some power to their lineup this offseason, and Joc Pederson was the perfect fit. Approaching 200 career home runs, Pederson has hit at least 15 home runs every year since 2018, excluding 2020.

This year, Pederson is on pace to hit at least 15 home runs again, primarily playing on the strong side of a DH platoon. The left-handed slugger has been the Diamondbacks' best hitter so far, leading the team in every aspect of the triple-slash line and boasting a 169 wRC+.

8. Reynaldo Lopez, Atlanta Braves

Contract: Three years, $30 million

2024 Stats: 9 GS, 51.1 IP, 1.75 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 8.24 K/9, 3.16 BB/9, 1.3 fWAR

As we've done in numerous articles this year, we find ourselves grouping Reynaldo Lopez and Jordan Hicks together again. Simply swap the team names and slightly adjust the contracts, and much of what we've said about Hicks applies to Lopez as well.

The 30-year-old Lopez has been pitching out of the bullpen for the past few years but signed with Atlanta for a chance to return to a big league rotation. Unlike Hicks, Lopez has extensive starting experience, having made 32 or more starts and pitched over 180 innings in both 2018 and 2019.

During the first six years of his career, Lopez started 97 of his 112 appearances. However, in 2022 and 2023, he pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen. Now back in the rotation, Lopez has excelled, boasting a 1.75 ERA across his first nine starts.

One could argue that Lopez's production has been slightly better than Hicks', but he is ranked higher primarily due to the lower risk associated with his three-year, $30 million deal. Not only is it a year and $14 million less, but Lopez also has a more reliable track record, suggesting he can handle the workload of a starting pitcher effectively.

9. Jordan Hicks, San Francisco Giants

Contract: Four years, $44 million

2024 Stats: 11 GS, 58 IP, 2.33 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 7.45 K/9, 2.95 BB/9, 0.8 fWAR

When the San Francisco Giants signed Jordan Hicks, it was surprising to hear that they planned to make him a starting pitcher. Although Hicks had a brief stint in the Cardinals' rotation with eight starts back in 2022, he had spent most of his career as a high-leverage reliever.

Now back in the rotation, Hicks has been exceptional for the Giants, transforming into a workhorse. With 58 innings pitched already, Hicks is on the verge of surpassing his career-high in innings with just one more month of starts, and he boasts a career-best 2.33 ERA.

While some regression is expected as Hicks adjusts to a starter’s workload, it’s clear that the Giants’ gamble on him has paid off significantly.

Given his production, one could argue that Hicks should be higher on this list. However, the risk associated with his deal places him lower. Hicks was one of only five starters to sign four-year deals this offseason. At $44 million, the 27-year-old is the most significant bargain among them, but there is no guarantee that the Giants will get this level of production for three more years.

If Hicks struggles to maintain his success in the rotation and ends up back in the bullpen, his $11 million a year contract becomes much less valuable.

10. Amed Rosario, Tampa Bay Rays

Contract: One-year, $1.5 million

2024 Stats: 172 PA, .278/.291/.396. 2 HR, 20 RBI, 98 wRC+, 0.2 fWAR

Amed Rosario earns a spot in our top 10 over Tommy Pham for several reasons. Firstly, he is making half of what Pham earns, without any incentives. Secondly, he has been crucial to a team that has been struggling to stay afloat early in the season.

While Rosario is not an elite offensive player, he has performed at about a league-average level with a 98 wRC+. He is batting .278 with 43 hits in his first 43 games. 

The 28-year-old has taken on a super utility role for the Rays, starting at third base, second base, shortstop, and right field. Although Pham may be the better hitter, Rosario’s versatility and consistent contributions provide significant value to the Rays that goes beyond traditional statistics.

This post by Ryan Finkelstein appeared first on Just Baseball.

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