Last winter’s free-agent class had a clear-cut No. 1 in Juan Soto, who signed a historic 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets.
You would have to add up the guaranteed money for the next four free-agent deals to get to that number, but is Soto’s deal the one paying the greatest dividends a little more than one month into the 2025 season?
Although Soto hasn’t produced to his usual levels, the Mets still reside at the top of the National League East. One major reason for their strong start? It’s not Soto, but another free agent they signed this winter: Pete Alonso.
Alonso’s two-year, $54 million deal -- which pays him $30 million this season with a $24 million player option for 2026 -- is proving to be as important as any contract signed over the winter.
“The Mets properly assessed the market and were able to land Pete on a shorter-term deal,” an American League executive said.
The first baseman entered the weekend with a .345/.473/.664 slash line, eight homers and 30 RBIs, leading the NL in doubles, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS+ (220).
“Adding him back into the mix along with Soto makes the Mets about as scary as they come in terms of middle-of-the-lineup bats,” an NL executive said. “He’s off to a great start and looks like he was a bargain for the Mets, given the level of production.”
So was Alonso the best free-agent signing of the offseason? We posed that question to 20 executives, and while Alonso was named by three of them, two players received more votes:
• Alex Bregman (8 votes)
• Nick Pivetta (4 votes)
• Pete Alonso (3 votes)
• Carson Kelly (1 vote)
• Jorge Polanco (1 vote)
• Roki Sasaki (1 vote)
Like Alonso, Bregman struggled to find the long-term deal he sought in his first trip through free agency, ultimately settling on a three-year, $120 million contract to join the Red Sox.
“He’s the perfect cultural fit for what that club needed,” an NL executive said. “He’s played at the level his salary warrants, and there’s no long-term exposure to the deal.”
Bregman has made a seamless transition to Boston, posting a .331/.400/.609 slash line with eight homers, 27 RBIs and an MLB-high 13 doubles in his first 33 games. His 2.0 bWAR ranks second in the AL behind only Aaron Judge.
“Boston avoided the long-term risk,” an AL executive said. “He’s a perfect hitter for their park, and he is just what their infield defense needed.”
Seven starting pitchers secured more guaranteed dollars than Pivetta, who inked a four-year, $55 million deal with the Padres. But the 32-year-old right-hander has been spectacular for San Diego, going 5-1 with a 1.78 ERA in his first six starts.
“San Diego got one of the best starting pitchers on the free-agent market without giving a huge market-price deal,” an AL executive said. “They're reaping the rewards.”
Three other players received one vote apiece -- including Carson Kelly, the Cubs’ catcher who signed a two-year, $11.5 million deal and has been one of their most productive players in 2025. The 30-year-old has seven homers, 22 RBIs and a 1.318 OPS in only 18 games this season.
“He’s been a steady presence in Chicago,” an AL executive said. “His early offense and leadership behind the plate have lengthened their lineup and improved positional performance compared to last season.”
Sasaki’s first month in the Majors was solid if unspectacular, as he went 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in his first six starts. The AL executive who voted for him took a longer-term approach to the exercise, noting the acquisition cost of a $6.5 million bonus that bought the Dodgers six years of club control of the 23-year-old righty.
“It’s hard to do better than that kind of talent on a Minor League deal,” the executive said.
The final player to receive a vote was Polanco, who signed a one-year, $7.75 million deal to return to the Mariners after Seattle had declined a $12 million club option following a season in which the infielder posted a .651 OPS with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs in 118 games.
Polanco has turned the clock back to 2021, when he posted a 5.0 bWAR for the Twins while hitting 33 homers with 98 RBIs. The 31-year-old hit nine homers with 25 RBIs and a 1.227 OPS in his first 23 games this season, helping the Mariners to a 19-12 start that has Seattle sitting atop the AL West.
“He’s exactly the bat the Mariners needed,” a rival exec said.