Friday is the first day that 184 major leaguers who filed for free agency can begin negotiating on the open market, and the bidding for many could lead to some mega contracts—even as the country is in the midst of a significant economic downturn.

Among the free agents who are positioned for potential huge paydays are outfielder Manny Ramirez, lefthander C.C. Sabathia and firstbaseman Mark Teixeira—all of whom, coincidentally, were traded during the 2008 season and could be joining their third new team in a matter of months.

The trio also shares something else in common as they were all first-round draft picks at the time of their original signing—Ramirez with the Indians in 1991, Sabathia with the Indians in 1998 and Teixeira with the Rangers in 2001.

In all, there are 30 former first-round draft picks that are free agents, including outfielders Ken Griffey, the first overall pick in 1987, and Pat Burrell, the top selection in 1998.

Even as bonuses to draft picks have grown exponentially in the last 20 years (and paralleled, in many ways, the surge in major league salaries), many free agents will sign deals over the next several weeks for amounts that will dwarf the original contract they signed when drafted. Altogether, there are 16 free agents who received signing bonuses of $1 million or more.

Interestingly, Teixeira was signed to the highest bonus among all this year’s free agents, and he stands to sign the biggest deal this off-season, as well. Teixeira inked a major league contract seven years ago with the Rangers, as the fifth overall pick out of Georgia Tech, that provided a $4.5 million signing bonus and $9.5 million overall in guaranteed money—one of the richest contracts in draft history.

One free agent of note who probably won’t receive anything near what he received as a draft pick (if he receives an offer at all) is righthander Mark Prior, whose once promising career has been ravaged by injuries the last two seasons. Prior was picked three spots ahead of Teixeira in 2001 and signed for more guaranteed money ($10.5 million), but a slightly smaller signing bonus ($4 million).

This year’s free-agent crop also includes most of the 40-something big leaguers who were drafted and signed in the 1980s. Though none will be in line for big contracts as they are clearly on the downside of long, productive careers, all have long since paid back the original investment that clubs made in them.

Consider that lefthander Kenny Rogers, who was drafted by the Rangers in the 39th round in 1982 and ranks as the longest-standing draft pick to play in the big leagues in 2008, was signed for $1,500. Trevor Hoffman, the all-time saves leader, signed with the Reds as an 11th-rounder in 1989 for $3,000.

How about lefthander Jamie Moyer, who signed for $13,000 with the Cubs as a sixth-rounder in 1984—and yet played an instrumental role in leading the Phillies to a World Series title 24 years later? Or righthander Greg Maddux, taken by the Cubs four spots ahead of Moyer in the same 1984 draft? Though he appears on the verge of retirement, Maddox has paid back his $75,000 signing bonus time and again.

Other free agents who were pre-1990 draft picks and are probable future Hall of Famers include lefthander Tom Glavine (signed by the Braves in 1984 for $80,000), lefthander Randy Johnson ($60,000, Expos/1985), righthander Curt Schilling ($15,000, Red Sox/1986) and righthander John Smoltz ($60,500, Tigers/1985). Griffey received a mere $160,000 as the No. 1 pick in the 1987 draft.

While most of the draft inequities in this year’s free agent class involved players who signed prior to 1990, it’s appropriate to note that Ramirez signed for just $257,000 as a first-round pick in 1991. Seven years later, two other outfielders who are now free agents, Burrell and Corey Patterson, received bonuses in excess of $3 million as first-round selections.

Burrell (first overall) and Patterson (third), in fact, are two of six first-round picks from the 1998 draft who have become free agents 10 years later. The list also includes Sabathia, the 20th overall pick, who signed for $1.3 million.

Today’s Top 10 focuses on the 184 players that are free agents this off-season. We’ve taken the 10 players from the class who received the largest signing bonuses at the time of their original signing. All were first-round picks, and the order they were selected is noted: