5 Players Who Will Get Overpaid at MLB Winter Meetings

With so many talented free agents this offseason, but also so many desperate teams with money to spend, there's bound to be at least a few guys who will get overpaid. The Winter Meetings are set to get underway on Sunday, so a lot of action is expected to occur in the coming days. Here are a few players that could end up getting overpaid during the offseason.

5. Josh Donaldson

The 33-year-old Donaldson has just come off a renaissance season with the Braves, earning him NL Comeback Player of the Year. This doesn't mean that he's back to being a full-fledged star, however. While JD could certainly produce again in 2020, he's also primary candidate to be given more money than he's worth.

4. Nicholas Castellanos

Nicholas Castellanos is coming off an excellent second half at the plate for the Cubs, launching 16 homers in just 51 games. While he's still just 28 and may be the top outfielder in the free agent class, his defense remains cause for concern. He wasn't effective enough to take over third base duties in Detroit, and still struggled after transitioning to right field. While Castellanos is certainly talented, he may end up parlaying his big second half into a lucrative deal, one that may outweigh his production.

3. Rick Porcello

Coming off a horrific final season with the Red Sox, many baseball fans and teams still view Porcello in high regard for what he's done in the past. As a former Cy Young winner, Porcello has pedigree not many other free agent pitchers can boast. However, the right-hander logged a 5.52 ERA in 2019 and recorded a subpar 7.4 K/9, his lowest during his tenure in Boston. There's a real chance Porcello pockets more than he's worth in the offseason.

2. Stephen Strasburg

In terms of talent, Strasburg is just as good as any ace in the league. He proved this with his dominant 2019 postseason that got him World Series MVP. But the 31-year-old also has an extensive injury history, recording more than 30 starts in just three seasons out of his 10 in the league. While Stras is certainly one of the most talented players on the open market, he's expected to sign a massive deal, and he may not stay healthy enough for the contract to pay dividends.

1. Madison Bumgarner

There's no doubt Bumgarner is still a great pitcher, but he's often overrated based off that dominant 2014 postseason run he had. Bumgarner was also far more effective at home at Oracle Park -- a very pitcher-friendly park -- than he was on the road in 2019. He logged a 2.93 ERA at home but a concerning 5.29 ERA, which should be a big red flag for teams in the market for his services. Still, it's clear he's going to sign a big-money deal somewhere.