Non-Tender Candidates for 2026 MLB Offseason

Believe it or not, November is around the corner. That is the time when Major League Baseball teams must re-align their 40-man rosters, adding Rule 5-eligible players for protection, as well as non-tendering others who may not factor into their club’s future. So, with the offseason near, here’s a look at 15 potential non-tender candidates for the 2026 MLB offseason.

Hitters

• OF TJ Friedl (Reds)
• 1B Nolan Gorman (Cardinals)
• OF Kyle Isbel (Royals)
• OF Josh Lowe (Angels)
• INF/OF Zach McKinstry (Tigers)
• OF Jake Meyers (Astros)
• INF Oswald Peraza (Angels)
• SS Taylor Walls (Rays)
• OF Matt Wallner (Twins)
• OF Matt Vierling (Tigers)

There are some very obvious names among the 10 listed above.

TJ Friedl got off to a very difficult start in 2026, which ultimately forced the Reds to demote him to Triple-A. The Reds placed him on waivers in August, along with Eugenio Suarez. However, there were no takers.

Cincinnati will have an easy out come November. The Reds will have some tough decisions aside from Friedl, including what to do with Matt McLain. However, it’s much easier to bet on McLain sticking in Ohio, just based on his reputation as a former top prospect and past MLB success — even if that success came three years ago.

The story with Josh Lowe is nearly similar. Lowe was acquired to be an impact left-handed hitter for the Angels this past winter. That didn’t happen, as he slashed .210/.277/.367 for Los Angeles (AL) this season. He was optioned down to Salt Lake earlier in the year.

Aside from Lowe, ex-Yankees prospect Oswald Peraza is another name to watch. Peraza’s .276 wOBA ranked 248th out of the 256 players with 300+ plate appearances this season.

Matt Wallner was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul in May and hasn’t been with the Twins since then. Wallner, for years, was a very promising hitter just for his bat speed & power alone. His 22-home run campaign in 2025 was proof of that. But in 34 games this season, Wallner had a 39% K%, emblematic of a well-known flaw that comes with that pop.

With Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez also now with the big-league club, there’s not much room for Wallner on the Twins’ roster.

Jake Meyers, also in Triple-A, is another notable hitter in the Minors who could be non-tendered.

Nolan Gorman got into 80 games with the Cardinals this season. However, Gorman slashed .188/.266/.318 with a 32.5% K%. Like Wallner, Gorman is a heavy power hitter with a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. Also, with Alec Burleson at first base, there’s not a clear path for the former first-rounder to get playing time in St. Louis.

The Royals have given Kyle Isbel a lot of rope over the years. However, with a .599 OPS and in need of some punch in the outfield, the Royals may very well look elsewhere.

Detroit has two potential non-tender candidates, Matt Vierling and Zach McKinstry. McKinstry’s been a valuable utilityman over the past few years. However, after McKinstry hit 46 extra-base hits for the Tigers in 2026, he’s been one of the least productive hitters statistically in 2026. McKinstry slashed .204/.289/.301, and his .268 wOBA is the third-lowest in the Majors.

What also complicates things for McKinstry is that he’s a former All-Star and Silver Slugger winner. That alone helps his case for a raise in 2027, which may very well make the Tigers balk.

Taylor Walls is an interesting case. He is arbitration-eligible, although he also has a $3.1MM club option for 2027. However, it’s certainly a possibility that the Rays balk and decide not to pick it, and instead look to re-sign him on a better deal. Walls does have value, thanks to his range at short.

Pitchers

• RP Tanner Banks (Phillies)
• RP Lucas Erceg (Royals)
• SP Jake Irvin (Nationals)
• SP Matthew Liberatore (Reds)
• RP Tony Santillan (Reds)

The Reds have some decisions, as noted above. And one of those is Tony Santillan, who was Terry Francona’s key setup man for Emilio Pagan in 2025. Pagan missed time on the IL this season, forcing Santillan to work as the primary high-leverage reliever. It didn’t really work well, as he was hit around and ultimately sits with an ERA north of 6.00.

He is a bounceback option for 2027, and one who may very well stick with the Reds. But, his 2026 season gets him here.

Tanner Banks and Lucas Erceg were two other relievers who were very productive in 2026 but not so productive in 2026. Erceg spent time in Triple-A this season.

Matthew Liberatore and Jake Irvin are the two starters on this list. Only 10 starters (min. 100 IP) had a higher ERA than Liberatore (5.53) in 2026 as of September 16. He averaged a strikeout per inning but also gave up a lot of hits.

Irvin, who surrendered 17 home runs in 96 innings, has had a problem keeping the ball in the park throughout his career.