The top pending free agents in MLB for 2016

Alvarez settled for a small one-year deal late in spring training to rehabilitate his value. He's played mostly at DH for the O's and has a career-high .841 OPS with the help of Camden Yards and avoiding lefties.

Bautista has made big headlines over the last year between his clutch hits, fights and contract demands. Unfortunately, he's having a subpar season in his walk year, with a sub-.800 OPS and multiple injuries.

Beltran just won't go away, now in his 19th season at age 39. He's hitting .308-24-72 between the Yankees and Rangers, as he hopes to go on another playoff tear.

Cashner has really struggled this season, but that didn't stop the Marlins from paying heavily to acquire him at the trade deadline. He has an ERA above 5.00 and could see his future in relief with still-strong velocity.

Casilla continues to plug away as a strong closer on one of baseball's best teams. At age 36, he's on his way to converting 30-plus saves for the second straight year.

Already set for a huge payday this coming offseason, Chapman could add to it with a strong playoff run with the Cubs. The lefty has shown the best control of his career this season and has a sub-2.00 ERA for the second straight year.

The oldest player in baseball shows no signs of slowing down. Colon became an All-Star for the fourth time this season and has a 3.38 ERA in 138.1 innings. He will likely get a nice one-year deal again if he wants to continue pitching.

One of the most effective pitchers in Rockies history, De La Rosa has had a nice comeback since June with an ERA near 4.00. The lefty is showing some signs of decline, but his success over his Rockies career (4.30 ERA in 1,109.1 innings) is worth more than a flier.

A former shortstop, Desmond settled on a one-year deal with the Rangers in spring training and surprisingly moved to the outfield. The greater focus on his offense has really helped, as Desmond is hitting .290-20-70 with 18 stolen bases. He's certain to get a multiyear deal this offseason and could stick in the outfield.

Knuckleball pitchers have played well into their 40s, and Dickey's plan could be the same. He's had issues keeping the ball in the park this season but has still taken the ball every fifth day for Toronto.

Possibly the biggest prize in free agency, Encarnacion is an AL MVP candidate hitting .270-34-100, leading the league in RBI. He's been one of baseball's best hitters since 2012, with a combined .919 OPS.

Fister is having a solid bounce-back season with Houston, posting a 3.61 ERA and 11 wins in 23 starts. He's likely done enough to earn a multiyear deal.

Philadelphia retained Hellickson at the trade deadline and could fetch draft compensation if he goes elsewhere. He's still had issues keeping the ball in the park but has a 3.65 ERA in 24 starts.

Hill's story is a great one, going from the Independent Leagues in 2015 to ace this season. However, he's had blister issues during the second half of the season that have sidelined him and could hurt his free agent appeal.

Jansen is having another incredible year as the Dodgers' closer but somehow only made his first All-Star Game this season. His forthcoming contract could rival that of Aroldis Chapman's.

Melancon has been an elite closer since 2013 and has made three All-Star teams in four years. His 1.78 ERA over that time shows just how valuable he's been.

The powerful Moss has stepped up in his walk year with a .915 OPS and more than 20 homers for the fourth time in five seasons. It remains to be seen if the Cardinals will opt to re-sign him.

Napoli has rebounded from nagging injuries to have one of his best seasons at age 34. He has an .878 OPS and is on the cusp of hitting 30 home runs for the second time.

Injuries continue to be an issue for Reddick, but he's a very productive all-around player when healthy. The former Gold Glove winner had an .816 OPS before getting traded to the Dodgers at the trade deadline.

The oft-injured Saunders is having a career year after missing nearly all of 2015 with a knee injury. He has an .850 OPS for Toronto.

Coming off two disappointing years in a row, Trumbo is feeling comfortable in Baltimore. He has a career-high .836 OPS and leads the AL with 34 home runs.

Turner has proved to be a legitimate asset for the Dodgers since 2014 and has looked great since the beginning of June. Over that time, he has 18 home runs, giving him a career-high 21 homers for the year.

Walker is on pace to easily set a career high in home runs, already with 22 on the year. He continues to be one of the top offensive second basemen in baseball.

Wieters accepted Baltimore's qualifying offer last offseason as he continues to rebound from Tommy John surgery. His offense has been disappointing this year, with a sub-.700 OPS, but Wieters still has the defense and track record that will create a healthy market for his services.

Ziegler did a fine job as Arizona's closer earlier this season, and he's doing the same as Boston's setup man. The submarine right-hander continues to provoke ground balls at an excellent clip and has a career-best 10.5 K/9 since joining Boston. Someone could ask him to close again when he hits free agency.