Yankees and free agency: 10 players they should consider signing this offseason

Major League Baseball free agency officially begins at 5 p.m. Monday, and with a labor war between the owners and the Players Association all but certain to lead to a lockout at midnight on Dec. 1, these are among the questions when it comes to player signings:

Will it be hurry up? Or hurry up and wait?

There is no unanimity in opinion in the game on whether there will be a flurry of free-agent signings during the next month under the economic terms of the expiring agreement — especially by some of the big-market teams that have no restraints on their spending, other than the luxury tax — or if most teams will be willing to wait things out to see the landscape brought by the new collective bargaining agreement.

With that said, here are 10 potential free-agent targets for the Yankees this offseason:

Luis Arraez, 2B

Though the second baseman doesn’t fit the ideal hitter profile for many analytics departments in the game — departments that see batting average as largely “irrelevant” — the Yankees, who have been solidly in that camp for years, have evolved at least a little in that thinking, though it can’t be called an outright pivot. And to varying degrees, they have had an interest in Arraez, a three-time batting champion and career .316 hitter.

David Bednar, RP

Bednar, the Yankees' closer since he arrived via trade at the 2025 deadline, is the only one of the Yankees' 10 free agents who is a legitimate candidate to receive the qualifying offer, which is worth $23.15 million this year. Regardless, it is a priority to retain Bednar, who has more than proved in his 1 ½ years with the Yankees that he can handle the unique pressure that comes with being their closer. With so many teams annually looking for bullpen help, Bednar won’t lack suitors.

Paul Blackburn, RP

The righthander, a failed starter and under-the-radar addition to the organization in 2025, emerged in 2026 as one of the sport’s best relievers  in either league. He's a ground-ball machine who posted a 1.69 ERA in 62 outings. The Yankees certainly would take Blackburn back but, as is likely to be the case with Bednar,  plenty of competition for his services in ‘27 is expected. The Yankees, who have multiple areas of need, are unlikely to spend big on two relievers.

Alec Bohm, 3B

The Yankees have questions entering 2027 at third base. Ryan McMahon, owed $16 million next season, overall has been a disappointment, and they could try to move him.  Bohm, 30, is the most attractive third baseman on the free-agent market (one who, as a Scott Boras client, won’t come cheap). He had a down 2026, but he produced a combined .279 batting average in his first six seasons with the Phillies (though with a ho-hum .743 OPS).

Raisel Iglesias, RP

The Yankees have long been interested in Iglesias, an All-Star this year with Atlanta who posted a 2.55 ERA and saved 34 games in his age 36 season. The righthander, who will turn 37 on Jan. 4, could be a less expensive closing option if the bidding for Bednar gets too high for the Yankees.

Ryan Jeffers, C

Though the Yankees don’t seem entirely done with Austin Wells, they did spend the season looking for a righthanded-hitting catcher and were among a handful of teams with scouts on the Twins who were watching Jeffers for weeks in advance of the trade deadline. Scouts give him mixed reviews defensively — he’s generally seen as above-average at pitch-framing, which the Yankees value highly, but not so good in controlling the running game. His .814 season OPS, though, blows away what the Yankees got from their catchers.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, INF

He's a super-utilityman capable of playing third, shortstop, second and all three outfield positions. Unlike others who have openly spoken of loathing their time in pinstripes (Sonny Gray and Aroldis Chapman have been the most outspoken), Kiner-Falefa loved playing for the Yankees (2022-23), consistently expressing that to his subsequent teammates in Toronto, Pittsburgh and Boston. Capain Aaron Judge, still in touch with Kiner-Falefa, calls him one of his all-time favorite teammates.

Adrian Morejon, RP

The Yankees extensively scouted the Padres before this year’s trade deadline, looking at two relievers in particular: closer Mason Miller and Morejon, the hard-throwing lefty setup man. He struck out 107 in 86 innings, but a potential red flag is his usage — 75 appearances in 2025 followed by 76 this season. The chances of the  Yankees signing him increase if they fail to retain Bednar.

Tyler Stephenson, C

The Yankees were never close to landing Jeffers as the Twins, on the periphery of playoff contention, didn’t move him. But the Yankees were very much engaged with the Reds regarding Stephenson, another righty-hitting catcher. He isn’t the equal of Jeffers, who if signed could push Wells for the starting job, but Stephenson is far superior offensively to Ali Sanchez, the primary backup last season.

Ryan Yarbrough, RP

The soft-throwing lefthander, who turns 35 on Dec. 31, is a rarity because he’s lasted nine years in the majors without an arm or shoulder injury of any kind. Yarbrough, capable of starting and relieving, cost only $2.5 million last season. It wouldn’t  be shocking to see the respected veteran in Yankees camp come the start of spring training, whenever that may be.