Three Under-The-Radar Free Agent Outfielders To Keep An Eye On

An early trend to come out of the chatter of this young offseason happens to be the need for outfield additions. Many teams are looking to add to their depth chart in this area, and the free agent market is going to be a popular route for many to take. But only a few teams will be able to wrangle the high-end outfield sluggers like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, who are sure to command at least $150 million on multi-year mega contracts. 

For those that miss out on the premier names, but still want to add to their outfield via free agency, there are a few alternatives that can be real difference-makers and shouldn’t require exorbitant salaries. 

Mike Yastrzemski
It’s hard to argue that anyone had a better home stretch after being traded at the deadline than the 35-year-old Yastrzemski. He was dealt to the Kansas City Royals in what was viewed as a pretty marginal swap at the time, but went on to have great success for his new team, even after they fizzled out of the playoff race. He hit a robust .237/.339/.500 for the Royals, belting nine home runs in 50 games. That’s an impressive sample, considerably better than his career norm, but the left-handed slugger has been remarkably consistent throughout his career. In fact, he’s the only player to accrue between 2.0 and 3.0 bWAR in each of his first eight seasons. 

Being a late-bloomer who didn’t debut until he was 28 years old, Yastrzemski finds himself on the market as an adept (albeit on the slower side) outfielder with a great arm and a reliable bat in his late 30s. He’ll get a guaranteed contract for sure, but that profile typically doesn’t command top dollar, as teams project his performance over the next few years. He just made $9.25 million in his final year of arbitration, but that’s probably on the high end of what he can expect for an annual value of his next deal. However, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for a team to give him a two-year pact, or possibly a one-year guarantee with an option for 2027. Either way, he could be a solid addition for a team looking for a corner outfielder that can plug into the middle of a lineup on a daily basis. 

Harrison Bader
The former top prospect signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins heading into 2025, who mostly intended to use him as a right-handed complement to their lefty-heavy outfield contingent. He was also going to be their backup plan in the event Byron Buxton got injured. However, Bader hit the ground running and continued to excel as the season progressed, and his role evolved into that of a regular. He still showed elite range as a 31-year-old, especially in left field, where he was worth +7 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) in just under 500 innings played. And he still handled center field with almost the same proficiency, with +6 DRS in 569 innings between the Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies after he was traded on July 31st. For his new club, Bader went on to hit .305/.361/.463 while fighting a nagging hamstring strain into the postseason, showing he still has the bat to handle regular playing time while playing high-end defense. 

Bader has been forced to accept one-year deals in each of his last two chances in free agency, but after such a productive season in 2025, he should be in line for a two or three-year deal this time around. The annual value could be in the $10-12 million range, making him a solid fit for both contending and rebuilding teams. 

Cedric Mullins
“It’s Cedric Mullins again!”

The longtime Baltimore Oriole made his way to the New York Mets at the trade deadline, but stumbled miserably in the second half. In the last two months of the season, he had an abysmal .182/.284/.281 clip, which was roughly 34% below league average. He was acquired to be a strong defender who can hold his own at the bottom of a competitive lineup, but he just couldn’t get it going for his new club as they tumbled in the standings. 

As bad as his final two months were in 2025, the four seasons that came before them showed that Mullins was one of the more consistent and dependable center fielders in the league. From 2021-2024, the lefty hit a rock-solid .258/.325/.440 (113 wRC+), played a rangy center field, and was one of the better base runners at the top of the lineup for some really good Baltimore Orioles teams, where he averaged 32 steals per 162 games played. He now finds himself testing the free-agent market on the north side of 30 years old, which will probably limit him to a one-year “prove it” deal with a new club. But if a team has faith that his 2025 season was an outlier in an otherwise very good career, they could wind up with one of the bigger steals on the open market. 

What do you think? Do these outfielders do anything for you or your team? Who else should we consider to be a potential free agent steal on the market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and as always, stay sweet.