As the hot stove heats up, we’re going position by position to preview the 2025-26 class of free agents. We began with catchers Wednesday and looked at outfielders Friday, with 2026 seasonal ages listed next to their names.

There is little doubt the Orioles will add to their infield before opening day. But there are two vastly different paths they could take to do so.

The first is a safe one. Given that the O’s have established starters at each position in the infield, they’d be well within their rights to sign a cheap, versatile backup, while saving their resources for high-priced pitching.

The second would require a leap of faith. Baltimore could prioritize talent over fit, pushing its chips in on a star infielder and reshuffling the rest of the roster to accommodate him.

The first two names on this list might be worth not only the tens of millions it will take to sign them but the fit questions that would follow them. If the front office decides to save resources for pitching and an outfielder, the latter four on the list would be worth a look.

Pete Alonso, 31

Ryan Mountcastle was just tendered a contract. Coby Mayo came on strong at the end of the season. None of that should matter if Baltimore could steal Pete Alonso from New York this offseason.

Alonso is a five-time All-Star who has never hit fewer than 34 home runs in an unabbreviated season. He is the kind of impact bat you sign first, then clear space for later. The defense is bad, and the price tag will be high. Neither of those factors should dissuade the Orioles from signing him.

Alex Bregman, 32

Bregman would be a harder sell than Alonso but not for lack of talent. The first-year Red Sox third baseman hit .273 with 18 homers in 2025, returning to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2019. He missed six weeks with a quadriceps injury, but Bregman showed he has plenty of good baseball left.

His fit on the Orioles’ roster, however, would be awkward. Jordan Westburg is no Rafael Devers on defense; he’s an above-average defender at third and shouldn’t be moved. Could the O’s stick Bregman at second base and shift Jackson Holliday to center field? Maybe, but Bregman hasn’t played the position since 2018 and Holliday has never logged so much as an inning in the outfield in his professional career. Talent trumps all, but this would take serious tinkering.

Ramón Urías, 32

The Orioles had their cake and ate it too with Andrew Kittredge. Why not do it with Urías? The third baseman was somewhat surprisingly shipped out before July’s trade deadline, dealt to the Astros despite carrying an extra year of team control. Houston decided it didn’t want to use it, though, nontendering him. The O’s know exactly what they’d be getting in Urías, who went from waiver claim to useful veteran in six seasons in Baltimore. But his offensive production has dipped and his defense is no longer Gold Glove caliber. Baltimore should aim higher.

Willi Castro, 29

There’s a lot to like about Castro. He’s a recent All-Star. He’s a switch hitter. He’s a threat on the bases. He can play the infield or the outfield. What more can you ask for in a bench piece?

Dig a little deeper, and that’s where Castro’s value starts to become questionable. His 2024 All-Star season with the Twins was hardly remarkable: just 12 home runs and a .717 OPS. He has just one season with more than 14 stolen bases. And, after being dealt to the Cubs at this past deadline, he struggled mightily, posting a .170 batting average in 34 games. If the O’s are looking for a more reliable version of Jorge Mateo, Castro fits the bill. But don’t expect much more.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 31

If it wasn’t already, it should be clear by now that Kiner-Falefa is not an everyday player. Sure, he’s a .262 career hitter and former Gold Glover at third base. But he doesn’t hit enough homers — 36 in eight seasons — or walk enough — 5.3% career rate — to justify a regular spot in a competitive lineup. Kiner-Falefa did little to help himself in the Blue Jays’ trip to the World Series, too, batting .162 in 15 postseason games.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t be a solid bench bat. Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias could also be intrigued by the idea of using Kiner-Falefa in center field, a position he manned for 41 games in 2023.

Dylan Moore, 33

Moore is the ultimate utilityman. He’s played every position except catcher in his seven-year career. His ridiculous versatility would give new manager Craig Albernaz a safety net in the infield and outfield. Think Kiké Hernández without the World Series rings. Moore is not much of a hitter, with a .206 career batting average and .693 OPS. But he’s a righty bat who doesn’t swing at pitches out of the strike zone and walks at a decent clip. A one-year deal in the range of $5 million wouldn’t be a bad bet.