This offseason’s cutoff for Super Two arbitration eligibility has been set at two years and 118 days of service time, as Ronald Blum of the Associated Press reported on Friday. That is down from last winter’s cutoff, which was two years and 128 days.
Most players who aren’t on a guaranteed contract and have between three and six years of MLB service qualify for arbitration. The top 22% of players in service time with between two and three years also qualify one offseason early (so long as they spent at least 86 days of the preceding season on the active roster or MLB injured list).
Here are the thresholds from prior offseasons:
- 2022: 2.128
- 2021: 2.116
- 2020: 2.125
- 2019: 2.115
- 2018: 2.134
- 2017: 2.123
- 2016: 2.131
- 2015: 2.130
- 2014: 2.133
- 2013: 2.122
- 2012: 2.140
- 2011: 2.146
- 2010: 2.122
- 2009: 2.139
That’s generally not the most consequential cutoff for fans but can be quite meaningful for players. The most straightforward benefit is that early arbitration gives the player a raise over the approximate league minimum salary he’d otherwise have made. It also sets a higher baseline for arbitration raises, offering greater benefits over future seasons in a process designed to escalate salaries year over year.
As Blum points out, this year’s lower cutoff was beneficial for a few players. Marlins outfielder Jesús Sánchez and Yankees reliever Albert Abreu are the last qualifiers with matching service times at the 2.118 stopping point. Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo is narrowly above the mark at 2.119 years. While Abreu and Baddoo are fringe roster players who could ostensibly be non-tendered, Sánchez should comfortably hold a spot in Miami. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a $2MM salary. Blum adds that Dean Kremer, Alex Lange and William Contreras were among the notable players who landed just short of qualification.
24 players qualified for Super Two overall. Teams have until November 17 to determine whether to tender contracts to members of their arbitration class.
Need to have Swartz run an arb projection for John King and Phil Bickford.
I told them they needed to do that the day projections were published