The Major League Baseball Players Association announced today that 156 players have filed for salary arbitration. Players and teams will formally exchange arbitration figures on Friday, and in the five to six weeks that follow, dozens of agreements will be reached. Players and teams that are unable to find a middle ground will head to arbitration hearings in mid to late February, and, on the flip-side of things, some will hammer out multi-year deals in order to avoid the process in the future (possibly even extending the contract into would-be free agent years).
We’re keeping track of all of the arbitration settlements in the 2016 version of MLBTR’s annual Arbitration Tracker (bear in mind that some agreements have already happened) and will continue to do so as each case is resolved, whether by one-year agreement, multi-year deal or hearing. Here’s a team-by-team rundown of the players that filed for arbitration, with each player’s service time in parenthesis in addition to MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s projected salary for each.
AL West
Angels
- Kole Calhoun (2.130) — $3.6MM
- Garrett Richards (3.148) – $6.8MM
- Fernando Salas (5.048) – $2.2MM
- Projected total spend: $12.6MM
Astros
- Jason Castro (5.104) – $4.6MM
- Josh Fields (3.000) – $800K
- Evan Gattis (3.000) – $3.4MM
- Marwin Gonzalez (3.133) – $1.9MM
- Dallas Keuchel (3.089) – $6.4MM
- Luis Valbuena (5.148) – $5.8MM
- Projected total spend: $22.9MM
Athletics
- Yonder Alonso (4.116) – $2.5MM
- Josh Reddick (5.050) – $7.0MM
- Fernando Rodriguez (4.032) – $1.3MM
- Danny Valencia (4.118) – $3.4MM
- Projected total spend: $14.2MM
Mariners
- Charlie Furbush (4.121) – $1.7MM
- Leonys Martin (3.063) – $3.75MM
- Evan Scribner (2.142) – $700K
- Projected total spend: $6.15MM
Rangers
- Robinson Chirinos (3.103) – $1.4MM
- Jake Diekman (3.049) – $1.0MM
- Mitch Moreland (5.067) – $5.6MM
- Jurickson Profar (2.167) – $508K
- Tanner Scheppers (3.111) – $800K
- Shawn Tolleson (3.122) – $2.6MM
- Tom Wilhelmsen (4.089) – $3.0MM
- Projected total spend: $14.908MM
AL Central
Indians
- Cody Allen (3.076) — $3.5MM
- Lonnie Chisenhall (3.158) — $3MM
- Jeff Manship (2.130) — $700K
- Bryan Shaw (4.081) — $2.8MM
- Josh Tomlin (4.151) — $3.1MM
- Projected total spend: $13.1MM
Royals
- Drew Butera (5.018) – $1.1MM
- Lorenzo Cain (4.074) – $6.1MM
- Louis Coleman (3.018) – $1.0MM
- Tony Cruz (4.105) – $1.0MM
- Danny Duffy (4.085) – $4.0MM
- Jarrod Dyson (4.088) – $1.7MM
- Mike Moustakas (4.111) – $5.7MM
- Projected total spend: $20.6MM
Tigers
- Jose Iglesias (3.036) – $1.5MM
- J.D. Martinez (4.036) – $7.8MM
- Andrew Romine (3.049) – $700K
- Justin Wilson (3.035) – $1.3MM
- Projected total spend: $11.3MM
Twins
- Eduardo Escobar (3.128) – $1.8MM
- Casey Fien (3.143) – $2.2MM
- Kevin Jepsen (5.163) – $6.0MM
- Tommy Milone (3.143) – $4.5MM
- Eduardo Nunez (4.090) – $1.5MM
- Trevor Plouffe (4.162) – $7.7MM
- Projected total spend: $23.7MM
White Sox
- Avisail Garcia (2.167) – $2.3MM
- Dan Jennings (2.171) – $700K
- Brett Lawrie (4.055) – $3.9MM
- Zach Putnam (2.135) – $800K
- Projected total spend: $7.7MM
AL East
Blue Jays
- Brett Cecil (5.152) – $3.4MM
- Jesse Chavez (5.108) – $4.7MM
- Steve Delabar (3.008) – $700K
- Josh Donaldson (3.158) – $12.0MM
- Drew Hutchison (3.128) – $2.6MM
- Aaron Loup (3.083) – $900K
- Michael Saunders (5.138) – $2.9MM
- Drew Storen (5.140) – $8.8MM
- Projected total spend: $36MM
Orioles
- Brad Brach (3.063) — $1.1MM
- Zach Britton (3.158) — $6.9MM
- Ryan Flaherty (4.000) — $1.5MM
- Miguel Gonzalez (4.095) — $4.9MM
- Manny Machado (3.056) — $5.9MM
- Brian Matusz (5.156) — $3.4MM
- Chris Tillman (4.113) — $6.2MM
- Mark Trumbo (5.027) — $9.1MM
- Projected total spend: $39MM
Rays
- Alex Cobb (4.061) – $4.0MM
- Hank Conger (4.051) – $1.8MM
- Logan Forsythe (4.113) – $3.3MM
- Brandon Guyer (3.066) – $1.3MM
- Desmond Jennings (4.101) – $3.1MM
- Jake McGee (4.127) – $4.7MM
- Logan Morrison (5.069) – $4.1MM
- Erasmo Ramirez (2.158) – $2.8MM
- Rene Rivera (4.082) – $1.6MM
- Drew Smyly (3.154) – $3.9MM
- Projected total spend: $30.6MM
Red Sox
- Joe Kelly (3.101) — $3.2MM
- Robbie Ross (3.100) — $1.1MM
- Junichi Tazawa (5.086) — $3.3MM
- Projected total spend: $7.6MM
Yankees
- Dustin Ackley (4.087) – $3.1MM
- Aroldis Chapman (5.034) – $12.9MM
- Nathan Eovaldi (4.013) – $5.7MM
- Didi Gregorius (2.159) – $2.1MM
- Ivan Nova (5.024) – $4.4MM
- Michael Pineda (4.099) – $4.6MM
- Projected total spend: $32.8MM
NL West
Diamondbacks
- Welington Castillo (4.009) – $3.6MM
- Patrick Corbin (3.105) – $2.3MM
- Randall Delgado (3.100) – $1.0MM
- Rubby De La Rosa (3.097) – $3.2MM
- Daniel Hudson (5.117) – $2.0MM
- Shelby Miller (3.030) — $4.9MM
- A.J. Pollock (3.052) – $4.3MM
- Projected total spend: $21.3MM
Dodgers
- Luis Avilan (3.077) – $1.1MM
- Yasmani Grandal (3.115) – $2.7MM
- Chris Hatcher (2.146) – $900K
- Kenley Jansen (5.073) – $11.4MM
- Justin Turner (5.045) – $5.3MM
- Scott Van Slyke (2.151) – $1.2MM
- Projected total spend: $22.6MM
Giants
- Brandon Belt (4.128) – $6.2MM
- George Kontos (2.171) – $1.0MM
- Projected total spend: $7.2MM
Padres
- Andrew Cashner (5.126) – $7.0MM
- Derek Norris (3.102) – $3.4MM
- Drew Pomeranz (3.013) – $1.3MM
- Tyson Ross (4.126) – $10.0MM
- Projected total spend: $21.7MM
Rockies
- Nolan Arenado (2.155) — $6.6MM
- Charlie Blackmon (3.102) — $4.5MM
- DJ LeMahieu (3.128) — $3.7MM
- Projected total spend: $14.8MM
NL Central
Brewers
- Wily Peralta (3.033) – $2.8MM
- Jean Segura (3.065) – $3.2MM
- Will Smith (2.155) – $1.2MM
- Projected total spend: $7.2MM
Cardinals
- Matt Adams (3.033) – $1.5MM
- Seth Maness (2.154) – $1.2MM
- Brandon Moss (5.160) – $7.9MM
- Trevor Rosenthal (3.058) – $6.5MM
- Projected total spend: $17.1MM
Cubs
- Jake Arrieta (4.145) — $10.4MM
- Chris Coghlan (5.148) — $3.9MM
- Justin Grimm (2.170) — $1MM
- Hector Rondon (3.000) — $3.6MM
- Pedro Strop (4.156) — $4.7MM
- Adam Warren (3.036) — $1.5MM
- Travis Wood (5.004) — $6.4MM
- Projected total spend: $31.5MM
Pirates
- Francisco Cervelli (5.146) – $2.5MM
- Jared Hughes (3.162) – $2.2MM
- Jeff Locke (3.020) – $3.5MM
- Mark Melancon (5.098) – $10.0MM
- Jordy Mercer (3.095) – $1.8MM
- Chris Stewart (5.091) – $1.6MM
- Tony Watson (4.101) – $4.6MM
- Projected total spend: $26.2MM
Reds
- Zack Cozart (4.084) — $2.9MM
- J.J. Hoover (3.102) — $1.1MM
- Projected total spend: $4MM
NL East
Braves
- Arodys Vizcaino (2.168) — $1.1MM
- Chris Withrow (2.132) — $600K
- Projected total spend: $1.7MM
Marlins
- Carter Capps (3.007) – $800K
- Jose Fernandez (3.000) – $2.2MM
- Dee Gordon (3.154) – $5.9MM
- Adeiny Hechavarria (3.060) – $2.3MM
- Tom Koehler (3.016) – $3.9MM
- Bryan Morris (3.011) – $1.1MM
- David Phelps (3.156) – $2.5MM
- A.J. Ramos (3.030) – $2.8MM
- Projected total spend: $21.5MM
Mets
- Lucas Duda (4.137) – $6.8MM
- Josh Edgin (3.015) – $600K
- Jeurys Familia (3.030) – $3.3MM
- Matt Harvey (3.072) – $4.7MM
- Jenrry Mejia (3.085) – $2.6MM
- Addison Reed (4.002) – $5.7MM
- Ruben Tejada (4.171) – $2.5MM
- Carlos Torres (3.114) – $800K
- Neil Walker (5.166) – $10.7MM
- Projected total spend: $37.7MM
Nationals
- Danny Espinosa (4.113) – $2.7MM
- Wilson Ramos (5.047) – $5.3MM
- Anthony Rendon (2.130) – $2.5MM
- Ben Revere (4.149) – $6.7MM
- Stephen Strasburg (5.118) – $10.5MM
- Projected total spend: $27.7MM
Phillies
- Freddy Galvis (3.021) – $1.9MM
- Jeanmar Gomez (4.063) – $1.5MM
- Jeremy Hellickson (5.045) – $6.6MM
- Projected total spend: $10MM
For more information on the arbitration process in general, readers can refer to our breakdown of Arbitration Basics. For those who wish to garner more insight into Swartz’s projection model, check out his explanation of the model and its limitations as well as MLBTR’s Arbitration Breakdown series, in which Swartz examines some unique cases that might leave the model more susceptible to inaccuracy than a standard arbitration case.
Leonys Martin at $3.75m is the first name/figure that stands out. 310 PA last year, never hit .275 or 10 homers in a season. Had a good amount of steals in his pre-platform years…that’s about it numbers-wise. (Though he did have over 100 strike outs each year, which looks pretty terrible for a non-power hitting CF.) I’d be shocked if he cracks $3m. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Mariners file at under $2m and win a hearing against him if has as inflated a sense of his arbitration value as the model does.
Martin already earned $3.75MM in 2015 as part of the five-year, $15.5MM contract he signed out of Cuba. Players almost never get pay cuts in arbitration, and the maximum cut allowed would be 20 percent of his salary. He’s guaranteed to make at least $3MM at least.
I don’t want to speak definitively for Matt, but I *believe* the $3.75MM projection is a reflection of the fact that his production isn’t necessarily worthy of a raise, but arbitration-eligible players just don’t really get pay cuts, either.
It seems like it would be more prudent for them to consider the AAV of a contract, rather than the value of its final year, which is kind of an arbitrary (pun intended) figure.
Huh… not sure why but I for some reason I thought Donaldson had more service time or was under a team friendly contract. So my guess is the Jays counter with $9.5MM and they settle somewhere around $10.5MM.
The $12MM figure doesn’t assume a hearing, so the model itself is projecting they’ll settle around 12. However, Donaldson’s case is really unique, which is why Matt covered it in this year’s Arbitration Breakdown series:
link to mlbtraderumors.com
Ah, thanks. I misread.
I love seeing the M’s have the lowest arbitration other than teams that are obviously tanking. If they surprise everyone and have a solid year, they could have some extra money to play with if the right names become available near the deadline.
profar hasn’t played in 2 seasons but wants a pay raise equal to 4 times his salary in 2015 !
No edit available. Should say 4 times his 2015 salary
The salary listed is the league minimum
2.167 is his service time number….