Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports recently took a look at the players he thinks are the Top 25 in the upcoming free agent class and where they could possibly land this offseason.
Of the 25 he only connects two with the Mets; left-handed starter CC Sabathia and third baseman Todd Frazier.
Frazier, ranked No. 18, is hitting .214/.345/.432 with 25 home runs and 71 RBI in 133 games combined between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox.
Defensively, Frazier has 9 defensive runs saved this year and has graded out above average defensively in five of six big league seasons. His 28 DRS during that span ranks him sixth among major league third baseman. He has also played 94 games at first base in the majors.
The 31-year-old Frazier made $12 million in 2017 and this will be his first time hitting free agency. Heyman also guesses that the Yankees, Angels and Giants will show interest in the veteran.
Sabathia, ranked No. 19, has gone 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 105 strikeouts over 131 innings this season for the Yankees. Last season Sabathia made 30 starts, 29 starts in 2015 and has made 24 so far this year.
Heyman only links the 37-year-old Sabathia to the Mets and Yankees, saying the Bronx Bombers would like to bring him back on one year deal in the $8 to $10 million range.
Frazier joins Eduardo Nunez and Mike Moustakas as the top available free agents this offseason in a position of desperate need for the Mets. Frazier has set a career-high with his 14.2 BB% this year and fits into the offensive type mold that Sandy Alderson seems to like.
The Mets defense at third base has the been the worst in major league baseball this year with -17 defensive runs saved and Frazier would certainly be a welcome sight for Mets pitchers in that regard.
Unsurprisingly, Sabathia has been better on the road over the past three seasons with a 3.57 ERA compared to his 4.90 ERA at Yankee stadium in that span.
Sabathia would help fill another role that the Mets need as an innings eater and could be in the price range they’re hoping for.
