One of the beautiful things about the free-agent marketplace is that there are impact players available at all prices. This is where the smartest general managers have a chance to clean up.
Did you think the Astros had acquired one of baseball's best starting pitchers two years ago when they signed right-hander Charlie Morton to a two-year, $14-million deal? Or that the Brewers had found their ace when they signed lefty Wade Miley to a Minor League contract last offseason? There are deals like these every winter that reward teams for their smarts rather than their deep pockets.
So while the top of this free-agent class is getting much of the attention, let's consider nine under-the-radar free agents.
Catcher:Martin Maldonado
Age: 32
2018 salary: $3.9 million
2018 numbers: .627 OPS, nine homers, 0.9 WAR
Maldonado did not have a dazzling postseason, and he is not a great offensive player. But his strengths far overshadow his weaknesses. He threw out 49 percent of baserunners in 2018, tops in baseball, and he is an excellent pitch framer. Pitchers love throwing to him because he allows them to get into a rhythm to work at their best tempo.

First base:Mark Reynolds
Age: 35
2018 salary: $1 million
2018 numbers: .803 OPS, 13 homers, 86 games, 0.1 WAR
Reynolds hit 30 home runs for the Rockies in 2017, and then he found a chilly free-agent market, finally signing a Minor League deal with the Nationals -- in part because of a long relationship with GM Mike Rizzo. Reynolds joined the big league team on May 13 and homered twice in his first game. His numbers are better against left-handed pitching, but he has been productive enough as an everyday player to merit a look.

Second base:DJ LeMahieu
Age: 30
2018 salary: $8.5 million
2018 numbers: .749 OPS, 2.0 WAR, National League Gold Glove Award winner
LeMahieu is getting very little attention as clubs sort through the top available free agents, but he's a former batting champ, a three-time NL Gold Glove Award winner and a two-time All-Star. He's coming off a season with a career-high 15 home runs, which should increase his market value.

Third base:Jed Lowrie
Age: 34
2018 salary: $6 million
2018 numbers: .801 OPS, 23 homers, 37 doubles, 4.9 WAR
Lowrie will not be overlooked for long, because he can play almost any position and he remains a productive offensive player. His leadership was part of what made the A's successful during a 97-win 2018 season. He has played second base the past few years, but he is willing and able to play almost anywhere on the diamond.

Shortstop:Jose Iglesias
Age: 28
2018 salary: $6.275 million
2018 numbers: .699 OPS, 15 stolen bases, 2.5 WAR
Iglesias' on-base numbers have declined during the past three seasons, but there's a feeling among scouts that he's still capable of getting back close to the .336 OBP he had across three seasons before 2016. His defensive work ranges from solid to excellent, and while he's not a headliner in this free-agent class, he'll probably land a multi-year contract.

Outfield:Adam Jones
Age: 33
2018 salary: $17.3 million
2018 numbers: .732 OPS, 50 extra-base hits, 0.5 WAR
Jones may end up being one of the smarter signings of this offseason. His numbers were down a bit in 2018, but it's hard to put them in context given how badly the Orioles struggled as a team. He was one of the faces of the O's -- and one of their best producers -- during their rise back to prominence. Leadership is difficult to quantify, but his teammates say there's no one better.

Outfield:Nick Markakis
Age: 34
2018 salary: $11 million
2018 numbers: .806 OPS, 43 doubles, 2.6 WAR
Markakis' market will be interesting after one of his best seasons, one in which he contributed significantly to the Braves' return to the postseason. He has averaged 158 games, 35 doubles and a .351 OBP over the past six seasons. He won his third Gold Glove Award in right field this season.

Outfield:Carlos Gonzalez
Age: 33
2018 salary: $5 million
2018 numbers: .796 OPS, 52 extra-base hits, 1.7 WAR
Gonzalez returned to the Rockies this season after finding a chilly free-agent market in 2017. He produced again at about the same level he has in recent seasons. Gonzalez is unlikely to get more than a two-year contract, if that, but he's a player capable of contributing to a winning team.

Starting pitcher: Wade Miley
Age: 31
2018 salary: $2.5 million
2018 numbers: 1.23 ERA in four postseason starts, 2.57 ERA in 16 regular-season starts
Two trips to the disabled list limited Miley to 16 outings for the Brewers in 2018, but those injuries -- strained groin, strained right oblique -- may not dramatically impact his value given the shortage of quality starting pitching and how well he pitched in the postseason.
Closer:Brad Brach
Age: 32
2018 salary: $5.165 million
2018 numbers: 69 games, 3.59 ERA, 8.6 K/9
Brach pitched the best baseball of his career after being traded from the Orioles to the Braves, appearing in 27 games with a 1.52 ERA and a 269 ERA+. Given his age and the quality of his stuff, he figures to be a hot commodity once the top relievers land their deals.