With drafts occuring hourly, one source of potential sleepers/breakout candiates are players who will be playing for free agent money next winter. I don't necessarily believe in this, but I do not deny there will be players who have great seasons right before their free agent season. I just don't know how different that great season is from the other great seasons that will occur in 2008 that do not precede free agency.
Cot's Baseball Contracts provides a list of 2009 Free Agents. Here it is in a little different format.
With some many players listed, is it any wonder I have doubts about a contract-year push for better performance? Who do you think will breakout in the pursuit of a big free agent contract next winter?
My guess: A.J. Burnett. I can see him staying "healthy" this season.
| POS | Player | Club | Option | POS | Player | Club | Option | POS | Player | Club | Option |
| 1B | Rich Aurilia | SF | None | OF | Craig Monroe | MIN | None | RP | Joe Nathan | MIN | None |
| 1B | Ben Broussard | TEX | None | OF | Jay Payton | BAL | None | RP | Will Ohman | CHC | None |
| 1B | Nomar Garciaparra | LAD | None | OF | Scott Podsednik | COL | None | RP | Darren Oliver | LAA | None |
| 1B | Wes Helms | PHI | None | OF | Juan Rivera | LAA | None | RP | John Parrish | SEA | None |
| 1B | Kevin Millar | BAL | None | OF | Rondell White | MIN | None | RP | Chris Reitsma | SEA | None |
| 1B | Richie Sexson | SEA | None | SP | Kris Bensen | BAL | None | RP | Dennys Reyes | MIN | None |
| 1B | Mark Teixeira | ATL | None | SP | Paul Byrd | CLE | None | RP | Juan Rincon | MIN | None |
| 1B | Jim Thome | CWS | None | SP | Jon Garland | LAA | None | RP | Francisco Rodriguez | LAA | None |
| 1B | Daryle Ward | CHC | None | SP | Tom Glavine | ATL | None | RP | Brian Shouse | MIL | None |
| 2B | Ray Durham | SF | None | SP | Orlando Hernandez | NYM | None | RP | Rafael Soriano | ATL | None |
| 2B | Mark Ellis | OAK | None | SP | Jason Jennings | TEX | None | RP | Jorge Sosa | NYM | None |
| 2B | Marcus Giles | COL | None | SP | Randy Johnson | ARZ | None | RP | Derrick Turnbow | MIL | None |
| 2B | Mark Grudzielanek | KC | None | SP | Esteban Loaiza | OAK | None | RP | Oscar Villarreal | ATL | None |
| 2B | Orlando Hudson | ARZ | None | SP | Braden Looper | STL | None | RP | David Weathers | CIN | None |
| 2B | Jeff Kent | LAD | None | SP | Derek Lowe | LAD | None | RP | Dan Wheeler | TB | None |
| 2B | Felipe Lopez | WAS | None | SP | Pedro Martinez | NYM | None | RP | Dave Williams | NYM | None |
| 2B | D'Angelo Jimenez | STL | None | SP | Mike Mussina | NYY | None | RP | Matt Wise | NYM | None |
| 2B | Nick Punto | MIN | None | SP | Jamie Moyer | PHI | None | RP | Jay Witasick | TB | None |
| 2B | Jose Valentin | NYM | None | SP | Carl Pavano | NYY | None | SP | A.J. Burnett | TOR | Yes |
| SS | Orlando Cabrera | CWS | None | SP | Odalis Perez | KC | None | 1B | Carlos Delgado | NYM | Yes |
| SS | Alex Cintron | CWS | None | SP | Oliver Perez | NYM | None | 1B | Jason Giambi | NYY | Yes |
| SS | Alex Cora | BOS | None | SP | Andy Pettitte | NYY | None | 1B | Frank Thomas | TOR | Yes |
| SS | Adam Everett | MIN | None | SP | Mark Prior | SD | None | 2B | Jamey Carroll | CLE | Yes |
| SS | Rafael Furcal | LAD | None | SP | Horatio Ramirez | SEA | None | 2B | Pablo Ozuna | CWS | Yes |
| SS | Cristian Guzman | WAS | None | SP | C.C. Sabathia | CLE | None | 2B | Jose Vidro | SEA | Yes |
| SS | Cesar Izturis | STL | None | SP | Ben Sheets | MIL | None | SS | Craig Counsell | MIL | Yes |
| SS | Ramon Martinez | LAD | None | SP | Julian Tavarez | BOS | None | SS | Edgar Renteria | DET | Yes |
| SS | Juan Uribe | CWS | None | SP | Steve Trachsel | BAL | None | 3B | Hank Blalock | TEX | Yes |
| 3B | Joe Crede | CWS | None | SP | Brett Tomko | KC | None | 3B | Chipper Jones | ATL | Yes |
| 3B | Morgan Ensberg | NYY | None | SP | Claudio Vargas | MIL | None | C | Henry Blanco | CHC | Yes |
| 3B | Corey Koskie | MIL | None | SP | Woody Williams | HOU | None | C | Toby Hall | CWS | Yes |
| 3B | Greg Norton | TB | None | SP | Randy Wolf | SD | None | C | Mike Redmond | MIN | Yes |
| C | Rod Barajas | TOR | None | RP | Luis Ayala | WAS | None | C | David Ross | CIN | Yes |
| C | Johnny Estrada | MIL | None | RP | Joe Beimel | LAD | None | C | Gregg Zaun | TOR | Yes |
| C | Kenji Johjima | SEA | None | RP | Joe Borowski | CLE | None | OF | Garret Anderson | LAA | Yes |
| C | Adam Melhuse | TEX | None | RP | Juan Cruz | ARZ | None | OF | Rocco Baldelli | TB | Yes |
| C | Ivan Rodriguez | DET | None | RP | Ryan Dempster | CHC | None | OF | Carl Crawford | TB | Yes |
| C | Javier Valentin | CIN | None | RP | Brendan Donnelly | BOS | None | OF | Brian Giles | SD | Yes |
| C | Jason Varitek | BOS | None | RP | Scott Downs | TOR | None | OF | Ken Griffey | Jr. | Yes |
| C | Vance Wilson | DET | None | RP | Scott Eyre | CHC | None | OF | Vladimir Guerrero | LAA | Yes |
| OF | Bobby Abreu | NYY | None | RP | Kyle Farnsworth | NYY | None | OF | Jason Michaels | CLE | Yes |
| OF | Moises Alou | NYM | None | RP | Casey Fossum | TB | None | OF | Manny Ramirez | BOS | Yes |
| OF | Willie Bloomquist | SEA | None | RP | Brian Fuentes | COL | None | SP | Mike Hampton | ATL | Yes |
| OF | Emil Brown | OAK | None | RP | Aaron Fultz | CLE | None | SP | Rich Harden | OAK | Yes |
| OF | Pat Burrell | PHI | None | RP | LaTroy Hawkins | NYY | None | SP | John Lackey | LAA | Yes |
| OF | Endy Chavez | NYM | None | RP | Mark Hendrickson | LAD | None | SP | Matt Morris | PIT | Yes |
| OF | Adam Dunn | CIN | None | RP | Trevor Hoffman | SD | None | SP | Mark Mulder | STL | Yes |
| OF | Jim Edmonds | SD | None | RP | Bobby Howry | CHC | None | SP | Brad Penny | LAD | Yes |
| OF | Juan Encarnacion | STL | None | RP | Jason Isringhausen | STL | None | SP | John Smoltz | ATL | Yes |
| OF | Cliff Floyd | TB | None | RP | Steve Kline | SF | None | RP | Tony Armas | Jr. | Yes |
| OF | Raul Ibanez | SEA | None | RP | Brad Lidge | PHI | None | RP | Alan Embree | OAK | Yes |
| OF | Jacque Jones | DET | None | RP | Brandon Lyon | ARZ | None | RP | Tom Gordon | PHI | Yes |
| OF | Mark Kotsay | OAK | None | RP | Tom Martin | COL | None | RP | Damaso Marte | PIT | Yes |
| OF | Rob Mackowiak | WAS | None | RP | Julio Mateo | PHI | None | RP | Hideki Okajima | BOS | Yes |
| OF | Kevin Mench | TEX | None | RP | Guillermo Mota | MIL | None | RP | Mike Stanton | CIN | Yes |
| RP | Salomon Torres | MIL | Yes | ||||||||