MLBTR has learned that this offseason’s Super League arbitration eligibility deadline will likely be around two years and 139 or 140 days of service time. MLB should finalize the deadline in the coming weeks.
This year’s Super Two class should increase slightly from last offseason, when they had 2.132 years of service. Players are automatically eligible for arbitration when they have served three years and have not yet signed a guaranteed contract. Top 22% of players with two to three years of service also Eligible (as long as they spent at least 86 days on the active roster or MLB injured list last season).
Earning early arbitration status is a great boost to a player’s earning potential. He earned a salary above the MLB minimum one year earlier than most other 2-3 year players. Arbitration pay is also designed to scale as players build the service, so there will be compounding benefits from working on a larger platform in the coming years.
Here are the official thresholds from previous offseasons:
- 2024: 2.132
- 2023: 2.118
- 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
Matt McLean He is the only player in MLB to have served two years and 140 days at the end of the year. MLBTR writer Matt Swartz projects the Cincinnati second baseman’s salary to be $2.6MM. The league minimum salary next year is $780,000, so McClain will likely be making nearly $2MM extra in a matter of days (not to mention the earnings that will keep growing if the Reds sign him to a contract in the coming years).
There are three pitchers with 2.139 years of service: Cincinnati starting pitcher Brandon Williamsonseattle reliever Jackson Kovaland tampa bay relievers Manuel Rodriguez. Their status won’t be known until MLB finalizes the deadline, but regardless, none of these players will have command above the league minimum. They spent most of last season (in Williamson’s case) on the injured list.
No one in MLB has exactly 2.138 or 2.137 years of service. Therefore, the age of these three players is 2.136 years – Lukas Elceg, Patrick Baileyand Ryan Walker — would be the latest blunder. If they qualify for arbitration, their expected price will be between $1.9MM and $2.5MM. This would be a nice development for the Giants, who would save roughly $4MM from an already light arbitration class if Bailey and Walker do get another season at the minimum.
Blake Perkins, Cody Clemens, Brian Hoyne and Zach Kelly are other players who were eligible for the Super Second Team at last year’s cutoff but may not make the grade due to the slightly higher bar. Grayson Rodriguez (2.129), Reese Olson (2.123), Brian Wu (2.121), Andrew Abbott (2.119) and Ellie de la Cruz (2.118) is one of the notable players missing a few weeks.
Famous players include did Those who qualify for Super Two besides McLean include Zach Neto (2.170), Michael Garcia (2.168), Mason Miller (2.166), Blaise Turand (2.165) and Francisco Alvarez (2.164). MLBTR’s projections for all arbitration-eligible players can be viewed here .
