Bang for your buck: 5 bargain free agents that could pay off big

Just under a year ago, the Houston Astros made what seemed to be a negligible signing. They came to terms on a two-year, $14-million deal with Charlie Morton, a 33-year-old pitcher who'd missed almost all of the previous season with a hamstring injury.

In the weeks that followed, the Astros watched teams overspend on other starting pitchers, with names such as Edinson Volquez (two years, $22 million), Andrew Cashner (one year, $10 million), Jason Hammel (two years, $16 million) signing new deals. Morton, though, turned out to be the best of the bunch. He exceeded expectations by pitching to a fantastic 3.46 FIP across 27 regular-season starts, then capped off his year with terrific performances in Games 4 and 7 of the World Series.

It's possible to capitalize on the free-agent market without overspending, as the Astros did, and while the 2017 class isn't incredibly deep, it does offer some potential bargains.

Here are five of the best bang-for-the-buck free agents.

Tyler Chatwood, SP

Projected contract: Three years, $20 million

Chatwood is one of the youngest free-agent starters hitting the market and may fly under the radar with talented arms such as Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta, and Alex Cobb available.

The 27-year-old has intriguing upside, especially away from Coors Field. In 12 starts (17 appearances) in hitter-friendly Denver, the right-hander posted a 6.01 ERA. However, in 13 road starts and 16 appearances, he pitched to a 3.49 ERA. His career 4.2 BB/9 is a cause for concern, but Chatwood's ability to generate ground balls is promising. Since 2016, among starters with 150 innings, Chatwood's recorded a 57.2 percent ground-ball rate, good for sixth-best in baseball. A team looking for help in the back end of its rotation would be wise to consider him.

Jarrod Dyson, OF

Projected contract: Two years, $12 million

In terms of defense and speed, few outfielders have provided more value than Dyson over the years.

Like other players on this list, the 33-year-old comes with risk. He required season-ending pelvic surgery in 2016 and he struggles against southpaws (career .215./291/.259). Health permitting, however, Dyson warrants a starting job. Since 2013, he's accrued 12.5 WAR with 154 stolen bases - fourth-most in baseball among qualified outfielders. He could also serve as an above-average platoon player on a contending team.

Tommy Hunter, RP

Projected contract: Two years, $12 million

Relievers such as Wade Davis, Greg Holland, Brandon Morrow, and Anthony Swarzak should attract significant interest - and money - this offseason, but patient shoppers could find a steal in Hunter, a journeyman coming off an impressive season in Tampa Bay.

Converted from a starter in 2012, Hunter has since pitched to a 3.15 ERA out of the bullpen. One promising recent development is the uptick in velocity on his cutter, which went from 91.8 mph in 2016 to 94.4 in 2017. He's also got a 96.7-mph sinker and a consistent 97.2-mph fastball.

Eduardo Nunez, IF/OF

Projected contract: Two years, $14 million

The 30-year-old Nunez, who started his major-league career with four years of backup duty for the Yankees, is an intriguing option despite fairly limited upside.

If he can stay healthy, the team that signs him will get a two-to-three win player who offers positional versatility, decent offense (combined 109 wRC+ since 2016), and speed on the basepaths (64 stolen bases in two years). He's appeared in over 100 games only twice in his career, so he isn't likely to get a long-term deal - but that's good news for bargain hunters.

Carlos Gonzalez, OF

Projected contract: One year, $12 million

Gonzalez's days as an MVP candidate are long gone. The 32-year-old is coming off the worst season of his 10-year career, though you wouldn't know it based on his numbers in Coors, where he hit .323/.403/.520. Away from the only home park he's ever known, though, he was abysmal, slashing .203/.274/.332 with 71 strikeouts.

He's likely headed for a one-year pact to prove his worth, as he struggles versus lefties (career .261/.297/.435) and teams won't be convinced he can provide value in a different ballpark. Thanks to a strong second half (.314/.390/.531) and his ability to hit for power, the organization that takes a chance on him will get a motivated player with a knack for crushing right-handed pitching. If he switches leagues, he could be a great fit as a designated hitter.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

(Contract projections courtesy: MLB Trade Rumors)