What happened: Major League Baseball entered the offseason with the free-agent market divided into positional and value tiers. The structure establishes spending benchmarks across the league as all 30 clubs begin contract discussions for the 2027 campaign.

Why it matters: Tier distributions dictate the pace of offseason spending, establishing price ceilings for top talent before mid-tier negotiations begin. Front offices rely on these valuation brackets to allocate payroll and evaluate trade alternatives against open-market costs.

What to watch: Free agents are eligible to sign contracts with any club as negotiations accelerate ahead of the Winter Meetings.