Juan Soto is 26 years old, a star since he debuted with the Washington Nationals at age 19, and now one of the most desirable free agents in history. It’s not often that a player of his ability reaches free agency at such a young age.

How valuable is he as a free agent? To find out we looked at the biggest free agent stars since 1990, asking this question: If all these players hit free agency at the same time — taking into account age, performances and accolades — who would be worth the most?

We started with an initial group of 59 standout players, considered their one-year WAR (their walk year), three-year WAR and eventual contract, and came up with a top-10 list of the most valuable free agents.

Let’s see where Soto ranks in our ultimate free agent mega-class.

Honorable mentions

To give some idea just how good a player has to be to make our top 10, the list of free agents who fell shy of making the cut includes Hall of Famers, MVPs and stars who signed deals worth well into the nine figures.

Greg Maddux, 1992-93: Maddux was 27 and coming off his first Cy Young season when he signed with the Atlanta Braves, but he was really just becoming the legendary pitcher we remember at this point. (He won three more Cy Young Awards in a row after joining Atlanta.)

Kevin Brown, 1998-99: The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Brown to the sport’s first $100 million contract, which executives and owners roundly criticized at the time. He does rank fourth on the list in three-year WAR at 23.7, but he was 34 when he signed so he doesn’t crack the top 10.

Jason Giambi, 2001-02: He was coming off a 9.2-WAR season and ranks seventh in three-year WAR, but at 31 and limited to first base, he doesn’t make the top of the list.

Pedro Martinez, 2004-05: He ranks 10th in three-year WAR and had just helped the Red Sox to a World Series title, but Martinez was 33 and coming off a 3.90 ERA that signaled the start of his decline from an all-time peak.

Adrian Beltre, 2004-05: He was 26 and coming off a 9.6-WAR season, but that year stood out as a fluke from the rest of his career to this point. He signed a five-year deal with the Mariners, but later had his best seasons with the Rangers.

Alex Rodriguez, 2007-08: A-Rod opted out of his original 10-year deal, but quickly re-signed with the Yankees for a 10-year, $275 million contract (that didn’t exactly work out other than the World Series title in 2009). This isn’t the only time you’ll see Rodriguez’s name on our list.

Robinson Cano, 2013-14: Ninth in three-year WAR coming off his best offensive seasons with the Yankees, Cano received a 10-year, $240 million deal from the Mariners — but was already 31 when he joined Seattle.

Carlos Correa, 2022-23: He was 28 and coming off a strong 7.2-WAR season, but then the Giants (and later Mets) backed out of a big deal over concerns about a previous injury.

(Note: I didn’t consider any players who had come over from Japan since we don’t have WAR data for them, but Shohei Ohtani, when he first hit free agency, would make the honorable mention list — not ranking higher because few believed then he could pull off the two-way performance and he was viewed primarily as a pitcher. Yoshinobu Yamamoto would also make the honorable mention list given his age and performance in Japan, while Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui would at least have been on the original list to evaluate. Roki Sasaki, given his age and ace potential, would also merit consideration.)

And now on to the top 10.

Age: 29 | 1-year WAR: 6.6 | 3-year WAR: 14.4 | Contract: 9 years, $324 million

Cole is the only pitcher to crack the top 10 and while he doesn’t rank high overall in three-year WAR, he was coming off consecutive monster seasons with the Astros after they had acquired him from the Pirates. He went 15-5 with a 2.88 ERA and 276 strikeouts in 2018 and then 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and 326 strikeouts in 2019, a season that he ended by going 16-0 with a 1.78 ERA over his final 22 starts.

Cole, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft, established records at the time for the largest contract ever given to a pitcher and for the highest annual average salary for any free agent at $36 million.

Did it work out? Pretty well so far, although he hasn’t quite matched those dominant numbers of 2019. Cole has gone 59-28 with a 3.12 ERA for the Yankees, winning the Cy Young Award in 2023 and finishing second in 2021. Since signing, he ranks second to Zack Wheeler among all pitchers in WAR (although a distant second). He did miss time this past season and after exercising an opt-out clause following the World Series, ended up going back to the Yankees under the same contract (he was hoping the Yankees would pick up an option year on the contract).

Age: 26 | 1-year: 1.8 | 3-year WAR: 8.1 | Contract: 13 years, $330 million

On a straight statistical analysis, Harper doesn’t deserve to be ranked in the top 10. His three-year WAR ranks last among the 59 players and his final season with the Nationals wasn’t spectacular, as he hit .249/.393/.496, with terrible defensive metrics dragging down his WAR. His age and star status made him one of the most hyped free agents of all time, however, and he had won an MVP Award with a monster season in 2015 (which didn’t fit in the three-year window) and had been hitting at an MVP level in 2017 before injuring his left knee slipping on first base in August.

Harper’s free agency ended up being a slow grind. The Yankees had traded for Giancarlo Stanton the year before, so they didn’t really have room for a third right fielder with Stanton and Aaron Judge. The Dodgers had been the favorite to sign Harper but were interested in only a short-term deal. The Giants reportedly made a 12-year, $310 million offer. Harper finally signed with the Phillies after spring training started, setting a then-record for largest total value contract.

Did it work out? As well as can be expected. Harper has become an icon in Philadelphia, winning his second MVP Award in 2021 and then leading the Phillies to the postseason the past three seasons. He has had to move to first base and his MVP season and 2024 are his only top-10 MVP results with the Phillies, but he has hit .285/.391/.533 and remained one of the top hitters in baseball.

8. Manny Ramirez, 2000-01 (signed with Boston Red Sox)

Age: 29 | 1-year WAR: 4.8 | 3-year WAR: 17.4 | Contract: 8 years, $160 million

Ramirez was the Soto of his day: One of the best hitters in the game. His 2000 WAR was held down by an injury as he played just 118 games, but he hit .351/.457/.697, leading the AL in slugging percentage and driving in 122 runs. Indeed, he had averaged more than an RBI per game over the previous three seasons, knocking in 432 runs in 415 games. Like Soto, he was a defensive liability, but like Soto, his bat was so good it didn’t matter. The big difference is Ramirez was three years older when he hit free agency.

Did it work out? Just fine, thank you very much, at least until the end. While the “Manny being Manny” stories would only grow in stature during his time with the Red Sox, Ramirez continued to crush. In his first six seasons with Boston, he hit .316/.416/.610 and averaged 39 home runs and 119 RBIs. He won a batting title in 2002, hitting .351. In December 2003, the Red Sox did agree to trade Ramirez to the Rangers for Alex Rodriguez, a deal that ultimately fell apart when the MLBPA vetoed it because Rodriguez would have restructured his contract to take a pay cut.

Of course, that ended up working out for the Red Sox: They won the World Series in 2004 and again in 2007. Ramirez’s stormy relationship with the Red Sox led to more trade rumors and they finally dealt him to the Dodgers in 2008, the final year of his contract, after Ramirez told a reporter, “The Red Sox don’t deserve a player like me.” Ramirez would later face two suspensions for PED use.

7. Albert Pujols, 2011-12 (signed with Los Angeles Angels)

Age: 32 | 1-year WAR: 5.3 | 3-year WAR: 22.5 | Contract: 10 years, $240 million

In terms of pure hype, it’s difficult to top this one: Pujols was the biggest name in the sport, a three-time MVP winner and coming off a World Series title with the Cardinals — a victory that included a five-hit, three-homer showing in Game 3. But there were also signs he was entering his decline phase: He had hit .299 in 2011, the first time in his 11 seasons he hit under .300. His WAR slipped to 5.3 in 2011 after he had led the National League the previous six seasons. His OPS had declined from 1.101 in 2009 to 1.011 to .906. His age was certainly of some concern as well. Still, he was Albert Pujols, one of the best hitters in the game, and there was reason to believe that his 2011 season had just been a minor blip in production.

Pujols signed with the Angels at the end of the winter meetings, inking just the third contract to break the $200 million barrier (the other two both belonged to A-Rod). The Cardinals and — yes — the Marlins had been the other leading pursuers for Pujols. “This is a monumental day for Angel fans,” owner Arte Moreno said. “I will say that Albert Pujols’ age to me is not a concern,” Angels GM Jerry DiPoto said. “He’s an honorable man and a very respectful man. I’m not a scientist, but I can tell you he hits like he’s 27.”

Did it work out? Oops. Pujols no longer hit like he was 27. He surpassed an .800 OPS only once with the Angels (his first season there), made just one All-Star team and produced 12.7 WAR with them, unceremoniously getting released in his final season of the contract.

Age: 26 | 1-year WAR: 6.1 | 3-year WAR: 17.2 | Contract: 10 years, $300 million

Machado entered free agency the same offseason as Harper, when both were entering their age-26 seasons. I checked the original free agent rankings from that winter and almost all of the major publications had Machado ranked ahead of Harper, so putting Machado ahead of Harper here seems correct. Machado had been more consistent and offered more defensive value. He was, however, coming off a tumultuous postseason with the Dodgers when he loafed to first base on a play and then told Fox Sports that hustling is “not my cup of tea.”

While Harper ended up with the bigger total guarantee, Machado did top him in annual average salary. The Phillies, Yankees and White Sox had also been interested in Machado, with White Sox GM Kenny Williams expressing surprise that Machado chose the Padres over his team. “I honestly believe we had the best offer on the table,” Williams said, reportedly an eight-year, $250 million deal with club options that would have made it worth $320 million.

Did it work out? Machado finished third in the NL MVP voting in 2020 and then second in 2022, although he ranks just 18th among position players in WAR since signing. The Padres, after failing to make the playoffs since 2006, have made them three times with Machado. The long-term issue, however, is that Machado had an opt-out clause after 2023, so the Padres signed him to an 11-year, $350 million extension that is unlikely to age well.

5. Aaron Judge, 2022-23 (re-signed with New York Yankees)

Age: 31 | 1-year WAR: 10.5 | 3-year WAR: 19.6 | Contract: Nine years, $360 million

Judge is a little difficult to evaluate given his age, but he was so good in his walk year — only Barry Bonds in 2001 had a higher WAR entering free agency — that he still ranks 11th overall in three-year WAR, even though he missed much of 2020 with an injury (we did adjust playing time for COVID). One note: How a player does in his walk year certainly seems to have a bigger-than-it-should influence on a free agent’s contract, which explains how Judge still pocketed such a hefty deal despite his age.

Did it work out? Judge played just 106 games in 2023, but rebounded with a 2024 season that was even better than 2022, playing center field on a regular basis to boot. We’ll see how he ages and how healthy he can remain, but he has been so good that even with a decline he should remain enormously valuable.

4. Juan Soto, 2024-25

Age: 26 | 1-year WAR: 7.9 | 3-year WAR: 18.9 | Contract: ???

Given his age and consistent production, Soto comfortably comes in at No. 4 on our list. He projects to more offensive value than Harper and Machado had at the same age (although, interestingly enough, his top similar player on Baseball-Reference.com is Harper). Other similar batters through age 25 include Hall of Famers Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey Jr., Eddie Mathews and Mickey Mantle. Even if his defense eventually moves him to a DH role on the back end of a long deal, there’s no reason he can’t be an Edgar Martinez/David Ortiz type well into his late 30s.

Age: 28 | 1-year WAR: 9.0 | 3-year WAR: 26.7 | Contract: 6 years/$43.75 million

How often does the best player in baseball reach free agency? Not that often. Mike Trout was never a free agent. Mookie Betts signed an extension with the Dodgers. Pujols signed his first long-term contract with the Cardinals ahead of the 2004 season before testing free agency in 2011. Griffey was never a free agent in his prime.

Bonds, however, was the unquestioned best player when he hit free agency for the first time. He had been the NL MVP in 1990 and 1992 (and the runner-up in 1991, when he also should have won). With the Pirates in 1992, he hit .311/.456/.624 with 34 home runs, 39 stolen bases and a Gold Glove. And those numbers came before the offensive explosion that arrived in 1993-94. His three-year WAR clocks in as second best among the 59 players.

Bonds’ deal with the Giants was the largest total value and highest annual average salary at the time. “It’s a lot of money, but there’s only one Barry Bonds,” Giants owner Peter Magowan said. During an appearance on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” in 2022, Bonds said he nearly signed with the Yankees with a contract that would have matched Ryne Sandberg for the highest-paid player. The Braves had also tried to acquire Bonds before the 1992 season with the hope of signing him to an extension, a deal that was nearly set until Pirates manager Jim Leyland got wind of it. Instead, Magowan, who was in the process of buying the Giants, helped negotiate the record-setting deal.

Did it work out? Yes, with an exclamation point. Bonds would sign a couple more deals with the Giants, including a five-year, $90 million contract as a free agent after 2001. In all, he led the NL seven times in WAR while with San Francisco.

Age: 29 | 1-year WAR: 9.9 | 3-year WAR: 29.6 | Contract: 10 years, $700 million

Ohtani’s unique status as a dominant two-way player made him the most hyped free agent in history — even while coming off elbow surgery that would leave him unable to pitch in 2024. His three-year WAR tops the list and, entering his age-29 season, he remained comfortably in his prime years, although there was (and remains) risk with his future pitching value. While he signed for $700 million, most of the money was deferred, so MLB valued the deal at $460.8 million — still the biggest contract in MLB history. A value that Soto is likely to top.

Did it work out? I’d say the first year went pretty well.

1. Alex Rodriguez, 2000-01 (signed with Texas Rangers)

Age: 25 | 1-year WAR: 10.4 | 3-year WAR: 23.7 | Contract: 10 years, $252 million

A-Rod’s free agency was the absolute perfect storm. He had debuted in the majors at 18, so he hit free agency at a younger age than anyone else on our list. He had hit .358 in his age-20 season, went 40/40 at age 22 and hit .316/.420/.606 with 41 home runs for the Mariners in 2000 while playing a premium defensive position. His 10.4 WAR in his walk year ranks third highest and his three-year WAR also ranks third. He was young, marketable, bilingual and a player to build a franchise around.

Rodriguez had entered free agency expecting to sign with the Mets — maybe for $180 to $190 million. The Rangers signed him in what was an absolutely stunning deal at the time. The contract was not only the richest ever in professional sports, it doubled the $126 million contract Kevin Garnett had signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1997. Rodriguez’s annual $25.2 million salary was higher than the total 2000 payrolls of the Brewers, Twins and Royals. “This is an economic decision and a career decision,” Rodriguez said. Rangers owner Tom Hicks believed he had landed the player that would produce revenue streams and titles to match those of the Yankees.

While people across the game called it a “crisis” (MLB executive Sandy Alderson) and “catastrophic” (Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker), agent Scott Boras said this: “We don’t need revenue sharing. We need intellect sharing.”

Did it work out? Not for the Rangers. Rodriguez played exceptionally well, leading the AL in home runs all three seasons he was there, averaging 8.5 WAR and winning an MVP Award in 2003. But the Rangers finished under .500 all three seasons and decided they could no longer afford the contract. They eventually traded Rodriguez to the Yankees, even absorbing $67 million of the $171 million still owed him.