MLB's top 15 free agents for the 2015 offseason

Contract projections listed below were crowdsourced by Fangraphs, though, as noted by Carson Cistulli, respondents tend to underestimate the contracts given to elite free agents.

1. David Price, LHP

DOB: Aug. 26, 1985 (30 years old)
MLB service: 6.164
Projected contract: 7 years, $191 million

A perennial Cy Young candidate, Price enjoyed the finest season of his decorated career in 2015, authoring career-best marks in both WAR (6.4) and ERA (2.45) over 32 starts between the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays. Blessed with exceptional command of a five-pitch mix, Price also finished among the top five in the majors in park-adjusted ERA (60 ERA-) and fielding independent pitching (68 FIP-), while posting a career-best 11.9 percent swinging strike rate. Despite logging more innings than all but three starters since 2010, meanwhile, Price's velocity actually increased a bit this season, wherein he earned his fifth All-Star nod in the last six years. His postseason woes notwithstanding, Price remains one of the game's few legitimate aces.

2. Jason Heyward, OF

DOB: Aug. 9, 1989 (26 years old)
MLB service: 6.000
Projected contract: 8 years, $175 million

A free agent only months after turning 26, Heyward is an anomaly poised for a massive payday - despite failing, by some accounts, to realize the true height of his potential through the first six years of his career. Though Heyward's resume features an All-Star appearance and a pair of Glove Gloves, the former first-round pick has never hit .300 or stolen 30 bases, and his lone 20-homer season came back in 2012. Still, since his 2010 rookie season, only 10 players have compiled more WAR than Heyward, who's a remarkably well-rounded talent and perhaps the game's best defensive corner outfielder. Over the last six seasons, Heyward is one of just eight players to compile 80 homers, 80 steals, and an OBP above .350, with a strong approach, good contact skills, and decent pop contributing to a career .784 OPS (118 wRC+).

3. Zack Greinke, RHP

DOB: Oct. 21, 1983 (32 years old)
MLB service: 11.057
Projected contract: 6 years, $155 million

Greinke's efforts to reinvent himself yielded crazy dividends this season, as he fashioned a 1.66 ERA - the fourth-best mark since 1969 - amid further changes in his pitch usage. Relying increasingly on his four-seamer and changeup, Greinke demonstrated unprecedented command in 2015, posting the lowest walk rate of his career (4.7 percent) while allowing just 14 home runs in 222 2/3 innings. Locating his pitches with remarkable precision, Greinke notched his highest first-pitch strike rate (64.1 percent) since 2005, while inducing soft contact more frequently than all but six starters. Some of his success was fueled by a remarkably low .229 BABIP, but Greinke's combination of stuff and command, along with his highly cerebral approach to his craft, should allow him to remain among the game's top starters for the next few seasons.

4. Yoenis Cespedes, OF

DOB: Oct. 18, 1985 (30 years old)
MLB service: 4.000
Projected contract: 6 years, $128 million

Cespedes didn't have many grievances to air in 2015, a whirlwind season in which the talented Cuban managed career highs in numerous statistical categories - OPS, wRC+, isolated power, and ultimate zone rating, for instance - and gained national exposure following a midseason trade to New York. The 30-year-old isn't a center fielder, as evidenced by his play this postseason, but with a cannon for an arm and impact power, Cespedes can continue to be one of the game's elite corner outfielders - if he can sustain recent changes in his batted-ball profile. Cespedes hit way more line drive and ground balls, leading to a jump in BABIP (.323) that fueled a .328 OBP, his best since his rookie season. Considering his reluctance to take a walk, this change is crucial for Cespedes, whose on-base issues (career .319 OBP) are the only thing keeping him from earning true superstar status.

5. Chris Davis, 1B

DOB: March 17, 1986 (29 years old)
MLB service: 6.061
Projected contract: 5 years, $109 million

After regressing hard last season following his breakout 2013 campaign, Davis reintroduced himself as one of the game's most feared sluggers this summer: he led the AL in home runs (47) and isolated power (.300) while managing 5.6 WAR over 160 games. Davis also made less contact than all but two hitters - he led the majors with 208 strikeouts - but, when he did manage to get the bat on the ball, he hit it hard with almost unrivaled consistency. Only three players managed a higher hard-hit ball rate than Davis, who owns a respectable .256 average (.342 OBP) since 2012 despite fanning in 30.8 percent of plate appearances over that span. His contact woes notwithstanding, Davis led the majors in homers in two of the last three seasons, and wields nearly unparalleled power in an era where balls don't fly over the fence like they once did.

6. Alex Gordon, OF

DOB: Feb. 10, 1984 (31 years old)
MLB service: 8.092
Projected contract: 5 years, $92 million

Gordon has quietly emerged as one of the game's best corner outfielders since giving up on third base for good in 2011, amassing more wins above replacement over the last five seasons than all but eight players, with much of that value fueled by elite defense in left field. Only two players have compiled more defensive runs saved since 2011 than Gordon, who leads all outfielders with 66 assists over that span. His offensive production has improved, too, since his move to left field: Gordon posted a 122 wRC+ or higher in four of the last five years while averaging 18 homers and 35 doubles per season. Despite suffering a serious groin injury in 2015, the 31-year-old still hit .271/.377/.432 (120 OPS+) in 104 games.

7. Justin Upton, OF

DOB: Aug. 25, 1987 (28 years old)
MLB service: 8.060
Projected contract: 6 years, $130 million

While some remain optimistic that Upton, two years of shy of 30, can still become one of the league's true superstars, the former No. 1 pick appears firmly entrenched in good-but-not-exceptional territory. His durability is unimpeachable, and his power and plate discipline are both impressive, but Upton's contact issues and shakiness afield have prevented him from joining the game's elite. Upton posted a 121 OPS+ this season, but made less contact on pitches in the strike zone than all but five hitters en route to his lowest on-base percentage (.336) since his 2007 debut. Upton is consistent at the plate - he's one of just six players to hit at least 25 homers with an OPS+ above 120 in each of the last three seasons - but he isn't as well-rounded as some of the other outfielders on the market this winter.

8. Johnny Cueto, RHP

DOB: Feb. 15, 1986 (29 years old)
MLB service: 8.000
Projected contract: 6 years, $116 million

A midseason move to the AL likely depressed Cueto's market value, as the colorful right-hander - he of the 2.48 ERA (156 ERA+) with Cincinnati from 2011-14 - struggled mightily during his time in Kansas City. That said, Cueto's peripheral stats in 2015 (3.53 FIP) didn't deviate all that much from his career norms, so it's possible the 29-year-old was just unlucky down the stretch, wherein he allowed 101 hits in 81 1/3 innings for the Royals (11.2 per nine). Despite posting his worst ERA (3.44) since 2010, Cueto posted the best walk rate (5.3 percent) of his career this season, while his 20.3 percent strikeout rate was actually a slight improvement over his career mark. Cueto's hard-hit ball rate jumped more than 6 percent from last season, but his 73.7 percent strand rate - his worst mark since 2010 - still belied a decidedly above-average .281 BABIP. With few substantive symptoms of decline, then, Cueto should continue to perform as a No.1-2 type for the next several years.

9. Jordan Zimmermann, RHP

DOB: May 23, 1986 (29 years old)
MLB service: 6.154
Projected contract: 6 years, $117 million

After four straight seasons of furtive success, with plus-plus command fueling a 3.00 ERA (128 ERA+) and 4.34 strikeout-to-walk ratio from 2011-14, Zimmermann stumbled a bit this summer, posting his worst ERA (3.66) in five years with mediocre peripheral statistics. Amid a slight drop in velocity, Zimmermann's strikeout rate slipped more than 3 percent from last season, while his 89.9 percent contact rate on pitches inside the strike zone was his highest since 2010. Most notable, however, was the huge spike in Zimmermann's home run rate: he surrendered the ninth-most long balls in the National League (24) despite averaging just 0.72 per nine innings over the previous four seasons. Though he may qualify as a top starter on certain teams, Zimmermann may only be a No. 2-3 for a first-division club in the near future.

10. Ian Desmond, SS

DOB: Sept. 20, 1985 (30 years old)
MLB service: 6.027
Projected contract: 4 years, $60 million

Following a disappointing season both at the plate and in the field, Desmond - who led all MLB shortstops in WAR from 2012-14 - will likely regret turning down that seven-year, $107-million extension the Nationals offered him two winters ago. Though he averaged a 114 OPS+ and reached the 20-20 plateau in each of the last three seasons, Desmond endured his worst offensive season since 2011 this summer amid further changes in his batted-ball profile. Desmond just didn't make nearly as much hard contact as he used to, fueling career lows in batting average (.233) and on-base percentage (.290). He also struck out more often than he ever has (29.2 percent), watched his isolated power drop by nearly 25 points, and stole his fewest bases (13) since becoming an everyday player in 2010. Desmond still has more upside than most shortstops in the league, but his market won't be nearly as robust as it would've been even one year ago.

11. Ben Zobrist, UTIL

DOB: May 26, 1981 (34 years old)
MLB service: 8.134
Projected contract: 3 years, $46 million

Despite undergoing knee surgery three weeks after Opening Day, the league's pre-eminent utility man enjoyed another impressive season in 2015, spending time at four different positions while posting an .809 OPS (120 OPS+) over 126 games between the Oakland A's and Kansas City Royals. For a guy who doesn't know which position he's going to play on a daily basis, Zobrist has been the portrait of consistency over the last three seasons. According to popular defensive metrics, his work in the field was well below average this season, and he pretty much stopped stealing bases, but Zobrist also watched his isolated power jump markedly while posting the lowest strikeout rate of his career (10.5 percent). With a little improvement afield, Zobrist could once again be a top-25 player next summer, as he was in each of the previous three seasons.

12. Matt Wieters, C

DOB: May 21, 1986 (29 years old)
MLB service: 6.129
Projected contract: 4 years, $47 million

Once hailed as a perennial MVP candidate, Wieters' bat never really developed as scouts had hoped. Still, despite posting just a .739 OPS (97 wRC+) from 2009-13, Wieters' arm strength and deftness behind the plate helped him log more WAR than all but six catchers over that span before Tommy John surgery derailed his career in 2014. Upon returning to the lineup in June following 13 months of rehab, Wieters continued to post solid (though unspectacular) offensive numbers, but only caught on consecutive days a total of four times. Just a few months shy of his 30th birthday, that long-awaited breakout seems increasingly unlikely - but if he's healthy enough to catch 120 games for the next few seasons, Wieters should still be a top-10 catcher for the foreseeable future.

13. Scott Kazmir, LHP

DOB: Jan. 24, 1984 (31 years old)
MLB service: 9.119
Projected contract: 3 years, $48 million

Kazmir labored through a volatile season in 2015, wherein he was uprooted from the pitcher-friendly environs of Oakland in July and sent to a hitter's haven in Houston. The results were staggering, but the resilient left-hander still finished the season with a career-best 3.10 ERA (130 ERA+) and 1.21 WHIP over 183 innings. Kazmir, given his history, comes with some injury risk, and his strikeout rate has declined in each of the last two seasons. However, with above-average command and a plus changeup, the three-time All-Star should, at worst, be a serviceable mid-rotation starter for the next few seasons.

14. Daniel Murphy, 2B/3B

DOB: April 1, 1985 (30 years old)
MLB service: 6.109
Projected contract: 4 years, $46 million

The Mets' playoff run illustrated the frustrating duality of Daniel Murphy: a talented hitter with remarkable contact skills, but a mostly inept defender at both second and third base. Though he doesn't walk much, Murphy is one of just 10 qualified hitters to hit at least .280 in each of the last four seasons. In 2015, Murphy posted a 113 OPS+ - his best since 2011 - and established a new career high in homers (14) and isolated power (.168) while posting the lowest strikeout rate (7.1 percent) among qualified hitters. Still, his defensive shortcomings have limited him to 9.6 WAR since 2012, only the 12th-highest mark among second basemen. In a more hitter-friendly ballpark, Murphy's value could jump with some positive regression in his HR/FB rate, but his shaky glove will continue to undermine his contributions at the plate.

15. John Lackey, RHP

DOB: Oct. 23, 1978 (37 years old)
MLB service: 13.095
Projected contract: 2 years, $35 million

With Adam Wainwright sidelined by an Achilles injury, Lackey took over as the de facto ace in St. Louis' rotation this season, crafting a career-best 2.77 ERA (143 ERA+) with a 1.21 WHIP over 218 innings, his most since 2007. More than anything, though, Lackey benefited from good timing in 2015, managing the highest left-on-base rate of his career (82.6) and converting more double-play opportunities (19.5 percent) than all but two qualified starters. Beyond a slight improvement in his home-run rate, however, there weren't many positive changes in his peripheral stats, as Lackey posted a 3.57 FIP not far removed from his career mark. Still, the fiery veteran can be counted on for a high volume of innings next season, and his performance should vacillate from decent to good to surprisingly good.

Honorable mention

Hisashi Iwakuma, Howie Kendrick, Jeff Samardzija, Doug Fister, Denard Span, Marco Estrada, Yovani Gallardo, Mike Napoli, Brett Anderson