The MLB off-season is officially upon us. As soon as the Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Mets to win the World Series, baseball’s second season (third if you count the postseason as the second season) was officially underway. Free agents have been allowed to sign with any team they wish since Friday, Nov. 6. The GM Meetings start today (Monday, Nov. 9) and continue until Thursday the 12 in Florida. These meetings will get the ball rolling on several off-season moves. While there may not be much activity, the ground work for key trades and signings will be laid over these few days. Then the hot stove really heats up between Dec. 7 and 10 when the Winter Meetings come to Nashville. These will be the busiest days of the off-season.

Some teams have already got in on the fun. The Tampa Bay Rays sent starting pitcher Nate Karns and two prospects to Seattle for shortstop Brad Miller, first baseman Logan Morrison and reliever Danny Farquhar. It is a move that allowed both teams to fill some of their needs before the madness begins. With all that said, let’s take a look at a position by position breakdown of some of the key names available via free agency as well as possible trade targets.

Catcher

The catching free agent market will be highlighted by Matt Wieters, formally of the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles extended Wieters a qualifying offer, which means any team that signs him will have to forfeit up a draft pick, something teams are usually hesitant to do. This could very well slow the catching market. Other free agent catchers who could land themselves in a starting role include Chris Iannetta and AJ Pierzynski. The trade market provides some more attractive options. The Milwaukee Brewers could trade star catcher Jonathan Lucroy if they decide to go the rebuilding route, which is very possible. Wilson Ramos of the Washington Nationals could use a change of scenery and his time in DC could very well come to a close. The San Diego Padres could have a fire sale, with Derek Norris possibly being a name to go. Some key teams who could be in the market for a catcher includes the Atlanta Braves, the Texas Rangers, the Los Angeles Angels, the Seattle Mariners, and the Orioles among others. The Braves have been linked to Georgia native Wieters for a while now.

First Base

The first base market is also highlighted by another Orioles free agent, slugger Chris Davis. Davis will be one of the more sought after free agent hitters this off-season, due to his incredible power. While he spent most of his time at first base for Baltimore, he could be placed in a corner outfield spot, although that is probably not ideal for defensive purposes. A team with an open DH spot can also go after Davis as well, since his primary value is in his thunderous bat. The Orioles lineup will have a major hole in it if he leaves, and they will likely make a solid effort to bring him back. Beyond him, the free agent market is not that appealing, with Mike Napoli and Byung-ho Park (who can only sign with the Minnesota Twins) of South Korea being the next best options. While there aren’t any top tier names on the trade front, there are a lot of names who could be moved. Some of those names include Mark Trumbo of the Mariners, Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Brewers’ Adam Lind, and Pedro Alvarez of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The need for first baseman isn’t that great however, so a guy with more flexibility like Trumbo is more likely to move. The Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, assuming Edwin Encarnacion remains the DH, are the only two teams who really need a first baseman. Other teams like the Oakland A’s, the Miami Marlins, and the Colorado Rockies could look for a platoon partner for their current first baseman, or just simply upgrade with a move.

Second Base

The free agent market for second base offers several options of players who can be played at multiple positions. World Series champ Ben Zobrist will be in high demand thanks to his ability to play a multitude of positions like second, short, and the outfield. NLCS hero Daniel Murphy hits the open market as a guy who can be played at second or third, although it’s his bat and not his defense that will drive his value. Another guy who will likely find a starting role will be former Los Angeles Dodger Howie Kendrick. Teams that decide to turn to the trade market can turn their attention to the NL Central. The Pirates may look to cut some salary this offseason, and as a result Neal Walker and his rising arbitration number could be moved. Then the Cubs have three middle infielders for two spots, which means one of Starlin Castro or Javier Baez is likely to be moved to starting pitching or a center fielder. Baez, the younger and cheaper of the two, would clearly hold more value with other teams looking to make a trade. The Angels, the White Sox, and the Dodgers are three teams that could definitely add a second baseman. The Braves and Yankees are two other teams that could theoretically go this route as well if they do not trust their current young players.

Third Base

The free agent market for third baseman is underwhelming to say the least. It is headlined by David Freese and Juan Uribe. With that being said, the trade market offers some intriguing alternatives. The Rays could look to add young talent and shed some salary, meaning it may be the off-season Evan Longoria is moved. While he hasn’t lived up to his first few seasons, he is clearly a more attractive option than anyone on the free agent market. The most interesting name, however, comes in the form of Jersey native and current Cincinnati Reds third baseman, Todd Frazier. The Reds need to add young talent, and Frazier is hands down one of the Reds' most attractive trade chips. A much cheaper and versatile option can be found in Miami in the form of Martin Prado. If the Twins are successful in signing Park, it could very well mean Trevor Plouffe and his rising arbitration number could be moved as well. Since Park would likely become their DH, and Miguel Sano is going to have to remain in the lineup, third base is his primary position to shift to.The Angels, White Sox, Indians, and Brewers will all be in the market to add someone on the hot corner. I would expect the Angels to make a strong play for either Longoria or Frazier depending on how the rest of their off-season shakes out, while the Brewers and White Sox may be more likely to go after a Prado or Plouffe if they fail to sign Freese.

Short Stop

Short stop is headlined by a younger player coming off a down year, leading to a contract cheaper than what would have been expected before this season started. That player is former National Ian Desmond. Since the Nationals have prospect Trea Turner to take over, Desmond’s days in DC are likely over. The market also features some veterans who could land themselves starting roles if the market shakes out the right way. Asdrubal Cabrera and Alexei Ramirez will likely be seen as the next best options behind Desmond, each capable of serving a stop gap role for a young guy who is a year or two away. Jimmy Rollins, despite a down season with the Dodgers and advancing age, will likely be viewed as a one year stop gap as well. The White Sox seem like a very plausible destination for Rollins, with prospect Tim Anderson possibly ready by mid-season this year. The trade market will be headlined by the same two Cubs players mentioned at second base, since both can play either position. Jose Reyes of the Rockies is another option, but the Rockies may find it difficult to find a team willing to taking on an injury prone and aging player with a bad contract. The White Sox, Padres, Twins, and possibly the Mets, are some of the teams that could be looking to add someone at short.

Outfield

There are four big name free agents in the outfield. Jason Heyward enters free agency at the prime age of 26, which will result in a mega deal due to his potential and the decent season he had for the Cardinals, who will attempt to bring him back. He has never put up monster numbers, so he will simply be paid based on what teams think he will grow into. Mets mid-season acquisition Yoenis Cespedes will likely prove to be too rich for the Mets’ taste and move on from New York. Justin Upton enters free agency at the prime age of 28 and boasts a powerful and dangerous bat. Royals fan favorite Alex Gordon may not be able to slug like Cespedes and Upton, but he knows how to hit and play the game right. He may have played his last game as a Royal unless he is willing to take a hometown discount. The second tier of outfielders includes names such as Gerrardo Parra, Dexter Fowler, Colby Rasmus, and Denard Span. There are some more big names on the trade market if a team doesn’t want to dish out a mega deal to any of the current free agents but want a star name. With new management in Los Angeles, Yasiel Puig’s days as a Dodger may be numbered. The Brewers, who I mentioned before, may look to rebuild, meaning Ryan Braun’s name could be bandied about in trade talks. After a strong finish to the season, it may finally be time Carlos Gonzalez is moved by Colorado, who held back from trading him at the trade deadline despite starting their rebuilding process. Many teams will be in the market for outfielders. To name a few who could look at corner outfielders, the Orioles, Royals, Tigers, Mariners, and Astros will be in the mix. As for teams looking to upgrade in center, the Cubs, Indians, Rays, and Mariners are all possibilities destinations for guys like Span and Fowler.

Starting Pitcher

Like with the outfielders, there are four huge names on the market for free agent starters. David Price, despite his post-season struggles, will likely land the biggest contract of all free agents, with the Cubs seen as the early favorites. Zack Greinke opted out of his current deal since he knows he will be able to get more than what he was signed for, since division rivals the Dodgers and Giants will likely duel it out for his services. Jordan Zimmermann will likely leave the shadows of Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer in Washington, as it is unlikely he will re-sign with the Nats. Coming off a World Series victory, Johnny Cueto will look to land his own big contract, and it's unlikely he returns to the Royals. The market is deep with plenty of mid rotation type of guys. From Mike Leake, to Jeff Samardzjia to Marco Estrada, there will be plenty of pitching to go around. Wei-Yin Chen, Scott Kazmir, Ian Kennedy and Yovani Gallardo will also be on the market looking for a new team. That’s before the trade market even comes into play, and that will just add to the list of names to be had. The Nationals may place Strasburg on the market since he is entering his final season on his contract, and it is very possible he won't remain after this season anyways. Sonny Gray, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Tyson Ross, and Julio Teheran could all be talked about in potential trades. Most teams will be in the market for starters, but the list for the big names will likely be much shorter. The big market teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, and Giants will likely be the most likely suitors for the big four.

Closer

There aren’t any big name closers available via free agency this off-season. Tyler Clippard and Darren O'Day lead the group, and they could very easily end up as setup men somewhere. The same can be said for Joakim Soria, who is probably the next best option out there. The trade market is a lot different however, boasting several high profile names. Like with Frazier, the Reds could very well dangle Aroldis Chapman to add prospects, with the Diamondbacks being connected since last year's trade deadline. The Padres fire sale will likely see star closer Craig Kimbrel leave San Diego. The Pirates could look to move Mark Melancon for the same reason Neal Walker is on the market, shedding payroll. Then add in the two disgruntled guys at the end of the Nationals pen, Jonathan Papelbon and Drew Storen. The Tigers, Rangers, Rockies, Astros, DBacks, and Nationals could all be on the hunt for a closer.

Predictions

Matt Wieters will head back home to Georgia and sign with the Braves. The Brewers will trade Jonathan Lucroy to the Angels, in their first big acquisition of the off-season. The Dodgers and Nationals will swap catchers, with Yasmani Grandal headed to DC and Wilson Ramos to the Dodgers, in the hopes that a change of scenery will help each player. Chris Davis will leave Baltimore for the Northwest, signing with the Seattle Mariners. This will lead to the M’s trading Mark Trumbo to Toronto and getting back Kevin Pillar and a prospect. Needing to add offense, the Orioles will overpay for Daniel Murphy’s services, while Ben Zobrist resigns with Kansas City. The Pirates shed some salary by sending Neal Walker to the Dodgers, who could care less what their payroll looks like. Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins stay together, with both signing with the White Sox. The Angels unload the rest of their farm system by trading for Todd Frazier. In a blockbuster three team deal, the Indians get a prospect as well as third baseman Evan Longoria, with Carlos Carrasco headed to the Cubs, and Javier Baez and prospects going to Tampa. The Twins enter the fun by signing Ian Desmond to be their shortstop. The Pirates add Asdrubal Cabrera on a cheap deal to replace Walker. The White Sox make their splash, signing Yoenis Cespedes. Jason Heyward will remain a Cardinal and receive an opt-out clause in his deal. Justin Upton will take his talent and power to Detroit. The Astros add a nice veteran presence in Alex Gordon, whom I will be sad to see leave the Royals. While Ryan Braun stays put in Milwaukee, Yasiel Puig will be moving to Baltimore. Dave Dombrowski will have an active off-season re-shaping the Red Sox, and first he will unload some prospects for Carlos Gonzalez.

The Dodgers will look to add a big name pitcher, and after losing Zack Greinke to division rival Giants, they outbid the Cubs for David Price. The Cubs then turn their attention to Jordan Zimmermann to make a monster rotation with Lester, Arrietta, and Carrasco. Dombrowski adds a big name arm when he signs Johnny Cueto to lead the Boston rotation. The Diamondbacks get their closer when they finally agree to the price the Reds are asking for Aroldis Chapman. And just when you thought Dombrowski was done, he makes the move that has everyone talking until spring training. The Red Sox get Craig Kimbrel and James Shields (along with his mega contract), and sends lots of prospects, as well as Hanley Ramirez (and his mega contract) to San Diego. This deal will give them a top line closer, a very capable starter as well as serving as a bad contract swap.

That is just a general overview of some things to look for this off-season, along with a bunch of my own personal predictions. It is very possible not a single one of my predictions comes true, as one key move can alter the rest of the off-season, but it's a ton of fun to make them. A surprise entrant for a key free agent or two happens every off-season. So what do you think, where will these big names be playing in 2016? Who switches uniforms and who stays where they are? Will Dave Dombrowski blow up the Red Sox farm system? Let's here what you have to say!