Top 6 Players With Opt-Outs To Become Free Agents (& Whether They'll Exercise It)

There are several slam-dunk unrestricted free agents that all eyes will be on this coming winter, including the likes of Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman and Corbin Burnes. But there are a number of notable players who possess opt-outs in their contracts, that, if they choose to, can re-enter the free agent market as well.

Insider Jon Heyman went through a list of the Top 6 of these "potential" free agents, and it looks like this:

Blake Snell

The two-time Cy Young winner has a $30 million player option with the San Francisco Giants for next season, but after his incredible run since coming back from injury, including a no-hitter, "it would take a catastrophic injury" for him to pick up that option and forego free agency. Expect Snell to be the top pitcher on the market.

Matt Chapman

The defensive stalwart at the hot corner may have found a home in San Francisco, but he has a $17.5 million option, and as Heyman says, "he's certainly not going to take that option, he's certainly going to opt out." But he likes it in The Bay, and the Giants like him, so a re-signing could happen.

Gerrit Cole

He has a player opt-out after this season, but the New York Yankees' ace has four years and $144 million still to go on his deal should he choose to stay put in the Bronx. "If I was a betting man," says Heyman, "I'd say Cole probably does the opt-out, and the Yankees bring him back (re-sign him), which is their option." But with injury issues that he faced this season, an opt-out is not a certainty.

Sean Manaea

The 32-year-old New York Mets starter is having his best season in years, so he will most definitely opt out of his $13.5 million option. "That's an easy one," says Heyman. Manaea has gone 8-5 with the Mets with a 3.44 ERA and 125:51 K/BB ratio.

Jordan Montgomery

"At this point, he has not pitched well," said Heyman. The left-hander has a $25 million option, but will undoubtedly not opt out after compiling a 6.25 ERA with a 1.65 WHIP with the Arizona Diamondbacks this year. He'll take that $25 mill.

Cody Bellinger

Belli has not followed up his comeback season with the Chicago Cubs in 2023 with the same type of performance in 2024. It's not terrible by any means (like his 2020 through 2022 seasons), but it's more middle-of-the-road. Will he want to bail out of the two years and $52.5 million remaining on his Cubs deal? Heyman thinks he "can't" opt out this season, as his numbers just aren't good enough to take into free agency (.276, 12 homers). But Bellinger does have another opt-out again after next season.