MLB.com’s position-by-position free-agent map starts with Jeffers, Lowe and Skubal

MLB.com’s latest free-agent roundup does not just list names. By sorting the 2026-27 class into a position-by-position “All-Free-Agent Team,” it gives clubs a cleaner view of where the market offers help and where it thins out quickly.

The clearest example is at catcher, where Ryan Jeffers is the top option. MLB.com calls him the headliner of a thin class and leans on his bat as the separator. That fits the position. Catching often forces teams to compromise, but Jeffers brings an impact offensive profile that stands out in a market short on offense at that spot. The story highlights his plate discipline, pointing to strong percentile marks in strikeout rate, chase rate, whiff rate and walk rate. His defense is described as slightly below average, but the overall package is still enough to put him at the front of the catching board.

Second base offers a different kind of value. Brandon Lowe is not only the best free-agent second baseman, MLB.com says he is one of the top all-around position players available this winter. That evaluation rests on a season that balanced power and glove work. Lowe hit 35 home runs with 96 RBIs and an .824 OPS in 150 games, then backed it up with elite defensive metrics, including a 98th-percentile mark in outs above average and 15 outs above average overall. In a market where teams can often find either offense or defense at second base, Lowe provides both.

Third base brings a more projection-based call. MLB.com selects Teruaki Sato over Alec Bohm, citing Sato’s résumé in Japan. He won Central League MVP honors in 2025 and captured the league’s Triple Crown in the most recent season, which gives him a different kind of appeal than the more established major league track record Bohm offers. The choice reflects the article’s broader approach: not just ranking the safest players, but identifying which names lead their position in this specific market.

That same logic runs through the outfield and designated hitter spots. Randy Arozarena gets the nod in left field because of his steady production since becoming a full-time player in 2021. MLB.com notes six straight 20-homer, 20-steal seasons, including back-to-back 25-25 campaigns over the past two years. He does come with some defensive volatility, but the offensive consistency and postseason track record make him the best left-field option available. At designated hitter, Joc Pederson rises to the top as the best right-handed power fit in a platoon role, with his 2026 production driven mostly by damage against right-handers.

The pitching side is where the article’s hierarchy becomes most obvious. Tarik Skubal is the top left-handed starter, and MLB.com frames him as the class’s most dominant pitcher overall. The résumé is straightforward: two AL Cy Young Awards, a 2.42 ERA and 17.7 bWAR since the start of 2024. The article also notes his workload, averaging 182 innings per year, and points out that his total could have been higher without minor elbow surgery last season. That combination of performance and durability places him well above the left-handed field.

Michael King is the top right-handed starter. His spot is justified by both his recent season and his decision to opt out of the final two years and $53 million remaining on his Padres contract. King posted a 3.21 ERA in 185 innings in 2026, enough to put him just behind Skubal among the available starters. That distinction matters because the board includes quality arms, but not the kind of deep ace crop that usually defines a winter.

The relief market gets the same treatment. Adrian Morejon is the top left-handed reliever, with MLB.com leaning on three years of consistent run prevention and an underlying profile that grades well across the board. On the right side, David Bednar is the clear top closer-type option. Since the start of 2025, he has saved 62 games while posting a 2.39 ERA for the Pirates and Yankees, a rebound that restored his standing after a rough 2024.

Taken together, the guide does more than assign labels. It shows which positions have one clear headliner, which ones demand more projection and where teams may need to pay for certainty. For front offices mapping out 2027 and beyond, that is the practical value of the list.