Top 50 players available this winter, starting with Juan Soto WSOC TV [Video]

With the World Series behind us, it’s time to turn our attention to another winter of transactional activity featuring several high-profile free agencies that we’ve been anticipating for years. The first significant date on the hot stove calendar is almost here, as the general manager meetings — at which the earliest stages of free-agent negotiations and trade discussions take place — are scheduled for Nov. 4-7 in San Antonio. The MLB Winter Meetings, the much larger annual baseball industry gathering, will take place Dec. 8-11 in Dallas.

Teams have within five days of the conclusion of the World Series to make qualifying offers to pending free agents. This year, the QO is worth one-year and $21.05 million. These offers enable teams to recoup draft pick compensation should a free agent sign elsewhere and are traditionally offered to only a handful of players at the top of the free-agent class. Players who receive qualifying …