After examining the top five internally-born free agent starting pitchers and outfielders, World Baseball Network assembles the best of the best in the infield.
The Major League Baseball offseason hot stove and rumors are slowly building steam, and more than a few players born outside the United States are available on the market.
These five international free-agent infielders are up for grabs during the 2025 MLB offseason.
In what may be Polanco’s only season with the Seattle Mariners, the 31-year-old second baseman compiled a 93 OPS+, his first season with an OPS+ below league average since 2020. He connected for 16 home runs, but it wasn’t an ideal hitting performance heading into free agency.
Polanco hit 33 home runs in 2021, so he could provide decent power for a team in need of a middle infielder to play in a starting role or off the bench, but his -10 outs above average in 2024 may be a source of caution for interested clubs. An ideal situation for Polanco is landing a one-year contract to prove he can still accomplish above-average numbers.
Santana will be 39 in April, but his offensive production has kept up. He won his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2024 for his impressive defense at first base for the Minnesota Twins in 2024, too.
At this stage of Santana’s career, he has become a low-risk, high-reward signing for clubs needing a first baseman for one season or just half of one. He was dealt at the trade deadline in 2022 and 2023 and has pop from both sides of the plate, crushing 23 home runs last year. Santana is reliable, too, playing 150 or more games in 10 of his 15 years in MLB. Given his age, Santana is in line to receive another one-year contract this winter.
Torres will be 28 in less than a month and was a two-time All-Star for the New York Yankees in seven seasons. A switch to the leadoff spot in the Yankees’ lineup jolted Torres into a superb final few hitting months of 2024. Still, despite his strong performance, New York did not extend a $21.05 million qualifying offer to the second baseman.
While Torres has made it clear he’d prefer to stay with the Yankees, tangoing takes two sides. General manager Brian Cashman and company may choose a fresh start at second base in 2025, with Arizona Fall League speedster Caleb Durbin or moving Jazz Chisolm Jr. back to the position where he began his career. Whichever club Torres signs with, they’ll get a slightly above-league-average bat (101 OPS+ in 2024) and an ability to make dazzling plays in the infield.
The only Asian player on this list, Kim, was one of the most valuable players in baseball in 2023, finishing 13th amongst MLB players with a 5.8 WAR. In October, a torn labrum in his right shoulder, which he suffered in August, kept him off the San Diego Padres roster in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Multiple reports indicate he may miss the first few weeks of the 2025 regular season.
In 2024, Kim hit 11 home runs, drove in 47 RBI, and posted a .700 OPS in 121 games. Teams with a clear need at shortstop include the Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers, and Tampa Bay Rays. Kim is a thriving base stealer, swiping 78 bags in 95 career attempts, a significant plus for the club he signs with this winter.
Adames is the premier middle infielder on the free agent market in 2025 and is poised to become very wealthy. He has never hit for consistent contact, and his final batting average will never be the highest in a nine-man batting order. Still, Adames walked at a 10.8 percent rate in 2024 and produced a hard hit rate of 40.7, 1.7 percentage points higher than the MLB average.
In 2024, Adames hit a career-high 32 home runs, drove in 112 RBI, and stole 21 bases for the Milwaukee Brewers, 13 more steals than his previous career mark. Adames has desired to remain in Milwaukee, but his next contract may be above their comfort level regarding the dollar amount. The Dodgers and Giants, among other teams, are rumored to have interest in the shortstop.
Honorable Mentions
