As the hot stove continues to cook, we are just over a month away until pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
One part of the offseason that is not always enjoyable is the arbitration season. Under MLB guidelines, arbitration is the process of determining a player’s salary for an upcoming season.
Thursday, January 9, 2025, by 1 p.m. EST, is the deadline for teams to exchange arbitration figures. It is possible that there will be many names signing contracts for the 2025 season.
To be eligible for arbitration, a player must spend two to three years on a team’s 26-man roster or MLB injured list. Players will negotiate with their organization based on their performance and other comparable players to come to an agreement.
If a one-year or multi-year settlement can not be reached by the hearing date, the case is brought before a panel of arbitrators. After hearing arguments from both sides, the panel selects either the salary figure of either the player or the club as the player’s salary for the upcoming season.
Hearings for arbitration eligible players who don’t reach an agreement will be assigned between January 27 and February 14.
The Orioles did have a dozen players eligible for arbitration this season, but infielder Emmanuel Rivera agreed to a $1 million deal in November, leaving 11 players left unsigned for the season.
Those players are as follows:
- RHP Dean Kremer (Agreed to $2.95 million deal per Andy Kostka)
- RHP Kyle Bradish (Agreed to $2.35 million deal per Mark Feinsand)
- RHP Tyler Wells (Agreed to $2.075 million deal per Andy Kostka)
- LHP Trevor Rogers (Agreed to $2.6 million deal per Mark Feinsand)
- LHP Keegan Akin (Agreed to $1.475 million deal per Jake Rill)
- LHP Gregory Soto (Agreed to $5.35 million deal per Andy Kostka)
- C Adley Rutschman (Agreed to $5.5 million deal per Mark Feinsand)
- 1B Ryan Mountcastle (Agreed to $6.787 million deal per Mark Feinsand)
- INF/OF Jorge Mateo
- INF Ramón Urías (Agreed to $3.15 million deal per Roch Kubatko)
- OF Cedric Mullins (Agreed to $8.725 million deal per Mark Feinsand)
For players such as Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, their injuries and expected mid-season returns could keep their salary as it was last season.
For other players like Adley Rutschman, their expectations and continued role with the team could end in a long-term deal.
We will update this article as information changes and figures are announced. Once again, the deadline is 1 p.m. EST.
What are your thoughts on these players and the contracts they might earn? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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