Conversations about the MLB offseason understandably focus on the biggest names. With a number of major players off the board, the top three still available are Alex Bregman, Roki Sasaki and Pete Alonso, while Jack Flaherty, Anthony Santander, Nick Pivetta and Tanner Scott also remain unsigned.

But what about players who might be flying under the radar? The ones who can fill roster holes or add to a team’s depth? Using Kiley McDaniel’s list of top 50 free agents as a guide, let’s consider some of the more interesting free agents available who rank outside of the top 20.

Late-game bullpen help: Jeff Hoffman (No. 22), Kirby Yates (No. 33), David Robertson (No. 50)

Possible fits:Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants

Speaking of under the radar: Yates’ 2024 season with the Rangers went without much recognition, even though it was one of the most dominant relief seasons in recent history. He went 7-2 with 33 saves and a 1.17 ERA while holding batters to a .113 average and a .407 OPS. Among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched, that’s the lowest batting average ever allowed and the eighth-lowest OPS. Can he do it again? Obviously, you expect some regression since Yates turns 38 in March, but he has now had back-to-back excellent seasons since returning from Tommy John surgery.

The main difference between the two: He allowed nine home runs in 2023 but just three in 2024. He’s a guy you can pencil in as your closer and feel pretty good about it. A return engagement with the Rangers makes a lot of sense, and the Red Sox could be a fit since they might not want to ride with Aroldis Chapman. The Blue Jays also need bullpen help, while the Mets have a closer in Edwin Diaz but could use setup depth.

Hoffman has also had back-to-back excellent seasons, with a 2.28 ERA over the past two years with the Phillies, who did sign ex-Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano coming off an injury but might want another reliever. Some teams are looking at Hoffman as a possible starter — similar to the Mets signing Clay Holmeswith the intention of starting him. Hoffman might be better suited to that role since he has been a three-pitch reliever (while Holmes has relied on just two pitches) and also used a curveball back when he was starting. However, he has been so good as a reliever that teams might be inclined to keep him in that role, though you can certainly see the lure in trying him as a starter. The best fits listed above are teams more in need of a reliever, so Hoffman’s options certainly expand if he’s viewed as a starter.

Robertson, meanwhile, turns 40 in early April but is still going strong, coming off a 3.00 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 72 innings. He’s riding three healthy seasons in a row now after missing most of 2019-2021 and should match a contract similar to the one he signed last year with the Rangers, one year at $11.5 million (or maybe even a two-year deal).

Robertson changed his pitch usage significantly last season: He threw his cutter (which he throws instead of a traditional four-seamer or sinker) 63.4% of the time, while rarely throwing his slider (6.7%) after it got hammered in 2023. What’s interesting is he has managed to increase the swing-and-miss rate on his cutter — up from 20.8% in 2022 to 30.8% in 2024, leading to a .163 average and .209 slugging allowed against it this past season. In other words, he’s kind of turning into the reliever he once spent several seasons setting up: Mariano Rivera. By the way, Rivera pitched until he was 43 years old — and was still as good as ever when he retired. Robertson might be going down that road as well, and if he is, he could be worth that two-year deal.

Hall of Famer who can still boost a rotation: Max Scherzer (No. 42)

Possible fits:Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Rangers, Mets, Blue Jays

Scherzer needs no introduction, other than to ask: Is there anything left in the tank? He turns 41 in July and was effective in 2024, but made just nine starts and had a 3.95 ERA. However, he’s just one season removed from a 3-WAR 2023 — and you never want to bet against his competitiveness.

Scherzer’s slider remains an elite swing-and-miss offering, but his fastball averaged just 92.5 mph. Compared to fellow Hall of Famer Justin Verlander, who just agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal with the Giants, Scherzer feels like the better bet. His strikeout rate is a little higher while Verlander’s has plummeted over the past two seasons. Scherzer will want to go to a contender, and there are certainly rotation openings out there. You don’t want to have to count entirely on him, but like Verlander, he’s a reasonable gamble on a one-year deal to fill the back of a rotation — with the potential for something better. Expect something similar to what Verlander got from the Giants. How about the Tigers bringing back the former ace?

Left fielders who put the ball in play: Jurickson Profar (No. 24), Alex Verdugo (not ranked)

Possible fits: San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Astros, Royals

You would think Profar would be in high demand: His .380 OBP ranked seventh in the majors, higher than Bryce Harper‘s or Freddie Freeman‘s; his 3.6 WAR rated higher than Santander’s or Alonso’s; and he’s a solid contact hitter in a world of strikeouts. His batted-ball data from 2024 also supports his .280/.380/.459 slash line.

So why has there been little on the Profar rumor front? Well, two years ago he was one of the worst-hitting regulars in the game, putting up a .689 OPS despite spending most of the season with the Colorado Rockies. His defense metrics in left field were poor. After a hot start in April and May, he didn’t hit nearly as well (.243 with a .794 OPS in the second half). Still, that .794 OPS was higher than Alonso’s season mark. Given that Profar turns 32 in February, it’s understandable that even a three-year deal is a little risky (Kiley projected a three-year, $45 million contract), but his potential on-base skills are hard to find in today’s game. He might be worth the gamble, especially if he can soak up some DH at-bats. The Padres need him back but might not have the payroll to sign him. It would be great to see one of the small-market teams like the Reds, A’s or Royals, who were all near the bottom of the majors in left-field OPS, to sign him.

Of the second-tier (or third-tier) outfielders — a group that also includes the likes of Mark Canha, Harrison Bader, Randal Grichuk, Jesse Winker and Tommy Pham — Verdugo might be the guy to take a chance on, primarily because he’s still just entering his age-29 season. Granted, he had a bad season with the New York Yankees, hitting .233/.291/.356 — and that was after an .804 OPS in April. There are some things to like, however: good contact ability, good defense, a strong arm in a corner outfield and he produced at a league-average level in 2022 and 2023. You don’t want to pencil in Verdugo as a starter, but as a fourth outfielder or platoon bat against right-handed pitchers on a one-year deal for a few million dollars, he’s worth a chance.

Role players who won’t cost much: Spencer Turnbull (No. 44), Jose Iglesias (NR)

Possible fits: Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox, Mets, Mariners, Padres, Yankees, Athletics (really, any team)

Turnbull was having a breakout season with Detroit in 2021 when he blew out his elbow, and it wasn’t until 2024 with the Phillies that he was finally back in good health. Pressed into service as a starter to begin the season when Taijuan Walker was injured, Turnbull posted a 2.65 ERA in seven starts and 10 relief appearances with good peripheral numbers — before missing the second half with a lat strain.

Certainly, durability is a concern as his one full season in the majors came way back in 2019, but he gets ground balls, had an above-average strikeout rate in 2024 and could fit in nicely as a swingman. He’s an option for any of the contenders listed for Scherzer/Verlander but also for any non-contender that needs a cheap starter — and you could look to flip him at the trade deadline if he’s pitching well.

After not even playing in the majors in 2023, Iglesias — aka “Candelita” — popped up with the Mets in June and hit .337/.381/.448 in 85 games, producing 3.1 WAR. Without him, it’s likely the Mets miss the postseason. Now … he’s not going to hit .337 again and definitely not going to hit .402 against lefties; Iglesias didn’t suddenly turn into Tony Gwynn at 34 years old. Indeed, Iglesias’ 2024 expected batting average based on contact quality was .285. Still, that’s playable even with his limited power and infrequent walks. He has above-average range at second, can fill in at short or third and still runs well. And maybe he can toss in a couple postgame concerts along the way.

The Mets might not need to bring him back since they have Jeff McNeil, Luisangel Acuna and Ronny Mauricio, but McNeil didn’t hit, Acuna didn’t hit much in the minors and Mauricio is returning from a knee injury. If the Mets don’t sign Alonso and have to move Mark Vientos to first base, Iglesias could return as an infield option. If the Padres lose Ha-Seong Kim, Iglesias could fit at second base in San Diego.

Veteran DHs who might not be too old … yet: J.D. Martinez (No. 48), Justin Turner (NR)

Possible fits:Arizona Diamondbacks, Mariners, Nationals, Reds, White Sox, Mets, Blue Jays

As with Scherzer and Verlander, the question is what either former All-Star has left. Martinez is entering his age-37 season after hitting .235/.320/.406 with the Mets — underwhelming numbers for a DH, but his Statcast metrics suggest he was unlucky with expected numbers of .256 (average) and .472 (slugging percentage). He still hits the ball hard, with a hard-hit rate in the 77th percentile, so his skills haven’t deteriorated much. Of course, he’s strictly a DH and not many teams like to carry one, so that limits his market. The Diamondbacks are an option after losing Joc Pederson to the Rangers while the Nationals and Reds ranked 28th and 29th in the majors in DH OPS. Martinez signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal a year ago and could get something close to that again.

Turner is now 40 years old, coming off a .259/.354/.383 season with the Blue Jays and Mariners. Unlike Martinez, he can at least play some first base or even fill in at third in a pinch. His game at the plate is all about his veteran smarts: His bat speed ranked in the first percentile and his hard-hit rate in the 14th percentile, so while the raw tools are at the bottom of the scale, he has plate discipline and contact ability, and he can still pick out a pitch to hit. The Mariners were interested in Carlos Santana, so it’s possible they reunite with Turner to help at first base and DH. Of the two, Turner is the more likely to collapse given his age and bat speed, but the Mariners never carry a DH-only player.