Rankings/List

It's no secret that the Chicago Cubs have been in a rebuild for the past couple of seasons, and the effort has resulted in several top prospects working their way through the organization. Some top prospects are still at least a year away from playing at Wrigley Field, while others could be making their way to the Friendly Confines within the calendar year.

Marlon Byrd, Bartolo Colon, Scott Feldman, Francisco Liriano, Mike Napoli, Hyun-jin Ryu and Koji Uehara all signed free-agent deals last offseason. All seven made the general manager who signed them look like a genius because their performances far exceeded their contracts.

Which free-agent signees from this offseason will be part of the "Biggest Bargains" group for 2014? Here are my top seven picks. 

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Excluding pre-arbitration players like Todd Frazier and Zack Cozart, the Cincinnati Reds have 18 players who are either signed to big league contracts or have been assigned a salary through arbitration.

As much as fans may like to, you can't fault a player for signing a contract he's offered. Professional athletes have a limited window to earn their money, and it's to their benefit to get as much of as they possibly can.

There are no perfect offseasons, though Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington came pretty close last offseason.

The New York Mets currently have a number of their top prospects on the verge of making the major leagues. Whether they make the team’s Opening Day roster or are called up later in the season is another question.

Not every MLB player is looking forward to 2014. For some, the new season represents a pivotal juncture in their respective careers.

This is of course called a “make-or-break season.” While some players like Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Ryan Howard appear to be albatrosses, their contractual security is paramount to their 2014 production.

The New York Mets have been pretty active in free agency this winter. Despite that Matt Harvey will miss the 2014 MLB season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Sandy Alderson and the front office are moving ahead with their plan of infusing this roster with productive players to be competitive.

If you're a fan of young, high-ceiling pitching prospects, then it doesn't get much better than the Toronto Blue Jays' system.

Right-hander Marcus Stroman is poised to make an impact in the major leagues next season, and he may have opened the year in the starting rotation if not for a 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in early 2013. Regardless, the 22-year-old's aggressive approach and command of three plus pitches will make him a fixture in the starting rotation for years to come.

There have already been a number of trades this offseason, and there are bound to be at least a few more.

While evaluating deals that have gone down is always on the agenda, it's just as fun to look forward to the next names—big or small—who seem destined to be moved in the near future for one reason or another.

There have been several free-agent signings thus far that, at least potentially, have a solid chance of becoming great values for their new teams.

The Blue Jays picked up catcher Dioner Navarro for two years and $8 million after he posted a .856 OPS with 13 homers in 89 games last season. Corey Hart signed a contract with Seattle that guarantees him only $6 million. If he bounces back from knee surgery and returns to the player who posted a .830 OPS between 2007 and 2012, the additional $13 million he could earn from incentives will still be a great bargain.