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https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/04/2018-19-mlb-free-agent-power-rankings.html
6. Patrick Corbin - Corbin, a 28-year-old lefty, was a second-round pick of the Angels in 2009. Near the trade deadline in 2010, he became the third piece headed to the Diamondbacks in the Dan Haren trade. Corbin bounced up and down with Arizona in 2012 and won the team’s fifth starter job out of camp in 2013. At age 23, Corbin authored an excellent All-Star campaign over 208 1/3 innings. In line to start Opening Day 2014, Corbin instead wound up getting Tommy John surgery in March that year. About 15 months later, he was back on a Major League mound and acquitted himself well in 16 starts. Corbin had a surprisingly rough 2016, losing his rotation job in mid-August after seeing his walk and home run rates spike. He bounced back with a healthy 3.0 WAR season in 2017 and is off to a nice start this year. Since that 2016 bottoming out, Corbin has increased his slider usage to the current 46.8%, throwing the pitch more often than any starter other than Chris Archer. Corbin has youth on his side and will compete with Dallas Keuchel to be considered the best free agent starting pitcher, Non-Kershaw Division. At nearly 19 months younger than Keuchel, age is on Corbin’s side. After the 2015-16 free agent starting pitcher bonanza, in which seven pitchers signed for at least five years (excluding Kenta Maeda), only one starting pitcher, Yu Darvish, has reached five years in the past two offseasons. That will likely be Corbin’s goal.
9. A.J. Pollock - Pollock, 30, was taken 17th overall by the Diamondbacks as part of their productive 2009 draft. He made his Major League debut in 2012 upon an injury to Chris Young. A spring 2013 injury to Adam Eatonopened up a door for Pollock, who logged most of the team’s innings in center field that year. Eaton was traded that winter, further cementing Pollock’s position until a Johnny Cueto pitch broke his hand in late May, costing him three months. Health was not a problem in Pollock’s incredible 2015 season, a .315/.367/.498 effort worth 6.8 WAR and MVP votes. In 2016, an elbow injury derailed Pollock’s ascent to stardom. The elbow fracture required surgery, as did a similar injury suffered by Pollock when he was in the minors in 2010. Pollock appeared in just 12 games in 2016, and then lost 50 days in 2017 with a groin injury. A healthy contract year is crucial as Pollock looks to achieve the five-year, $80MM center fielder standard set by Dexter Fowler and Lorenzo Cain.
6. Patrick Corbin - Corbin, a 28-year-old lefty, was a second-round pick of the Angels in 2009. Near the trade deadline in 2010, he became the third piece headed to the Diamondbacks in the Dan Haren trade. Corbin bounced up and down with Arizona in 2012 and won the team’s fifth starter job out of camp in 2013. At age 23, Corbin authored an excellent All-Star campaign over 208 1/3 innings. In line to start Opening Day 2014, Corbin instead wound up getting Tommy John surgery in March that year. About 15 months later, he was back on a Major League mound and acquitted himself well in 16 starts. Corbin had a surprisingly rough 2016, losing his rotation job in mid-August after seeing his walk and home run rates spike. He bounced back with a healthy 3.0 WAR season in 2017 and is off to a nice start this year. Since that 2016 bottoming out, Corbin has increased his slider usage to the current 46.8%, throwing the pitch more often than any starter other than Chris Archer. Corbin has youth on his side and will compete with Dallas Keuchel to be considered the best free agent starting pitcher, Non-Kershaw Division. At nearly 19 months younger than Keuchel, age is on Corbin’s side. After the 2015-16 free agent starting pitcher bonanza, in which seven pitchers signed for at least five years (excluding Kenta Maeda), only one starting pitcher, Yu Darvish, has reached five years in the past two offseasons. That will likely be Corbin’s goal.
9. A.J. Pollock - Pollock, 30, was taken 17th overall by the Diamondbacks as part of their productive 2009 draft. He made his Major League debut in 2012 upon an injury to Chris Young. A spring 2013 injury to Adam Eatonopened up a door for Pollock, who logged most of the team’s innings in center field that year. Eaton was traded that winter, further cementing Pollock’s position until a Johnny Cueto pitch broke his hand in late May, costing him three months. Health was not a problem in Pollock’s incredible 2015 season, a .315/.367/.498 effort worth 6.8 WAR and MVP votes. In 2016, an elbow injury derailed Pollock’s ascent to stardom. The elbow fracture required surgery, as did a similar injury suffered by Pollock when he was in the minors in 2010. Pollock appeared in just 12 games in 2016, and then lost 50 days in 2017 with a groin injury. A healthy contract year is crucial as Pollock looks to achieve the five-year, $80MM center fielder standard set by Dexter Fowler and Lorenzo Cain.
