MLB Free Agency

The MLB is in postseason mode, but the league is not far away from being in offseason mode, which means some big-name outfielders will likely be on the move. There will be plenty of talent available in this position's free agent pool in 2013, and here are the top guys your team should be aiming for in the outfield.

Once MLB free agency begins this winter, a number of teams will be going after Josh Hamilton. He is the crown jewel of the 2013 MLB free agent market, and Hamilton will draw an incredible amount of attention.

Hamilton has been to the MLB All-Star Game in each of the past five season, and he has not disappointed with his production in 2012. There are few players in baseball that have the offensive abilities that Hamilton possesses.

With just a couple weeks left in the 2012 regular season, a number of pending free agents are likely playing their last games with their current teams, as many players will certainly change locations during the offseason.

When Josh Hamilton and his heavy bat test the market this offseason, there will be one team willing and able to surprise baseball fans in signing Major League Baseball’s most coveted free agent.

If you were the Texas Rangers and had a choice between OF Josh Hamilton and SP Zack Greinke, who would you choose? This is the dilemma the Rangers could have in the coming 2012-2013 offseason.

In an ideal world, Texas would be able to re-sign Hamilton and still sign free-agent ace Greinke. The Rangers do have a payroll of about $120.5 million in 2012, and success in the playoffs would bring in more revenue.

It comes as no surprise that a number of teams are thought to have submitted their initial bids to free-agent Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler's agents this past Thursday. Next to fellow Cuban Yoenis Cespedes and Japanese phenom Yu Darvish, Soler was the most talked-about international player this past winter.

Whenever an athlete is playing on the last year of his or her contract, it is crucial to have a good season in order to parlay that success into a long-term deal.

No matter a player's age, if he shows he can perform at a substantial level, he will greatly enhance his chances of a long-term deal.

Every free-agent class has its top-tier players, but for every good player that maintains their previous levels of excellence, such as Cole Hamels and Zack Greinke, there are guys who do not perform as well when the money is on the line. 

On March 7, Peter Gammons of the MLB Network reported that a scout thought that Cuban free agent outfielder Jorge Soler would sign with the Chicago Cubs for $27 million.

Today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that Soler has been deemed a free agent by the MLB, so he may now begin fielding official offers and may agree to play for a ball club.

During the offseason, we continually heard about three international players that teams really wanted to get their hands on: Yoenis Cespedes, Yu Darvish and Jorge Soler.

Cespedes and Darvish were both signed, but teams were unable to sign Soler until he was declared a free agent.

It's been a longtime coming, but the 20-year-old outfielder was declared a free agent this morning, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

We're a month into the 2012 season, and so far, it's been a season full of surprises. The Nationals, Orioles and White Sox are all either in first place or a game or two out, Derek Jeter and David Ortiz are both hitting near .400 and Albert Pujols has yet to hit a home run in an Angels uniform.