1 of the top 30 free agents the Reds should sign this offseason

The World Series is over! Congratulations to Dusty Baker and the Houston Astros, but now it's time to officially look ahead to the 2022-23 offseason.

The New York Post just released their Top 30 free agents who'll be available this offseason. Among them, of course, are Jacob deGrom, Aaron Judge, and Trea Turner.

Every Cincinnati Reds fan knows that Nick Krall and the front office will not be big spenders this winter, but is there at least one player among the Top 30 that the club might consider signing during the offseason?

The Reds should make a run at Michael Conforto in free agency.

Michael Conforto, a former first-round pick of the New York Mets in 2014, did not play a single inning of Major League Baseball in 2022. After rejecting the Mets' qualifying offer, Conforto failed to sign a long-term contract prior to the MLB lockout and it was revealed earlier this year that the outfielder had suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery.

The New York Post believes that Conforto will need to sign a one-year "prove it" deal this offseason in order to reestablish his value. Then, at 30 years old, Conforto could re-enter the free agent market following the 2023 season with hopes of inking a long-term contract. The expert prediction for Conforto's contract is estimated at $14M.

The salary is certainly a number the Cincinnati Reds could match. Entering next season, only Joey Votto and Mike Moustakas have guaranteed contracts, and signing Michael Conforto to a one-year deal would accomplish two things.

First, Cincinnati's outfield depth is dreadful. One could argue that there's not a major league-caliber starting outfielder on the team's 40-man roster. If the season began today, fans would likely be looking at an Opening Day outfield of Jake Fraley, Nick Senzel, and Aristides Aquino. TJ Friedl and Stuart Fairchild would be in the mix as well, but none of those players are everyday outfielders.

Then there's the idea of flipping Conforto at the trade deadline for more minor league assets. Reds. Country saw what Cincinnati's front office was able to do with the expiring contracts of Tommy Pham, Tyler Naquin, and Brandon Drury last summer. The same thought process could apply to Conforto if he plays up to his potential.

Michael Conforto was an All-Star in 2017 and has posted an OPS+ of 100 in six of his seven major league seasons. If the Cincinnati Reds were to target any of the Top 30 free agents available this offseason, Conforto makes the most sense.