"Schwarber and Alonso ranked No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, on ESPN's ranking of the top 50 free agents heading into the winter, and both contracts show the value of the top one-dimensional players this offseason as the teams invested in them for one main reason: their bats. Neither slugger is a major threat on the bases -- though Schwarber stole a career-high 10 bases last year."
"Since they signed, there has been a momentary lull at the top of the free agent market for hitters -- in part because some agents might be rethinking their strategies and wondering what these deals mean for some of the more well-rounded players available this winter. Four players in particular -- infielder Bo Bichette, second baseman Alex Bregman, first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger and outfielder Kyle Tucker -- should be the beneficiaries of how last week's deals could reset the market."
Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso signed five-year, $150 million and five-year, $155 million contracts, respectively, prompting teams to pay top dollar for elite bats despite defensive and baserunning limitations. Both players were ranked among the top 10 free agents entering the winter, underscoring the value of one-dimensional power hitters. The signings created a temporary lull at the top of the hitter market as agents reassess strategies and compare their clients' broader skill sets and ages to those deals. Infielder Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker could benefit from the market reset, especially as next year's free-agent hitting class is projected to be weak.
Read at ESPN.com
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