2016-17 qualifying offer to be $17.2 million

Qualifying offers for MLB free agents who are hitting the market this offseason will be $17.2 million, per Ken Rosenthal.

Under the qualifying offer system, a player eligible for free agency who has been with the same team for the entire major league season may be tendered a qualifying offer within five days after the season ends. The player then has seven days to accept or decline the offer. Should he accept, he has a one year contract for the 2017 season at $17.2 million. Should he decline, he is a free agent, and a team signing him must forfeit a draft pick, while the team that made the qualifying offer receives a compensatory draft pick between the first and second rounds of the draft.

Last season, the qualifying offer was for $15.8 million, and three players -- Matt Wieters, Colby Rasmus and Brett Anderson -- accepted.

The Rangers have five free agents, though two of them — Carlos Gomez and Carlos Beltran — were acquired during the season, and thus are not eligible for a qualifying offer.

Ian Desmond is expected to receive a qualifying offer, which he is expected to reject, meaning the Rangers will receive a compensatory draft pick should he sign elsewhere. Mitch Moreland and Colby Lewis, the team’s other two free agents, almost certainly will not be tendered qualifying offers.