Let’s take a break from the monotony of playoff positioning and award watches to look ahead at the upcoming MLB free-agency period.
The 2015 class is loaded with talent—David Price, Zack Greinke (potentially), Yoenis Cespedes and Jason Heyward, just to name a few—but there are also a handful of under-the-radar sleepers whom teams should target this winter.
Over the next few slides, we’ll identify six sleepers with under-the-radar value in the upcoming free-agent class. With position players like Daniel Murphy, Juan Uribe and Rajai Davis and hurlers like Mike Leake, Mark Buehrle and Brian Matusz, teams don’t have to break the bank in order to improve their squads.
Where do the players on this list derive their value from? For one, the following names can be had for manageable salaries. Second, each of these players quietly does certain things that enhance his value. For Buehrle, it’s his unmatched consistency, and for Davis, it’s his speed and defensive versatility.
Let us know what you think of the following choices in the comments section below. Are any of these players a fit for your team? Who else has sneaky value this winter? Which free agents do you want your team to stay away from?
Finding those hidden gems in free agency is often just as important as inking a high-profile signing. The names on this list may be underrated, but each can have an immediate impact in 2016.