The Best Value Contract on Every MLB Roster in 2022
Every MLB franchise is searching for value, whether it's a free-spending big-market team or a penny-pinching small-market squad.
Ahead, we set out to find the contract with the best value on each roster, sticking to a few key parameters.
First, no player earning more than $10 million was eligible. There are players earning that much who are still values relative to what they would command on the open market, but generally speaking, there are better picks than guys making eight figures.
Second, pre-arbitration players were also not included since the sport's financial structure means they are all making close to the league minimum. The article would simply devolve into a list of the best pre-arbitration player on every roster.
Beyond that, everyone else was up for inclusion.
Players were chosen based on who is providing the best value relative to their 2022 salary, and alongside their salary information from this year is a look at where they stand in the arbitration process or if their salary is a result of an extension or free-agency deal.
Let's get to it.
American League East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: RHP Jorge Lopez
Contract: $1.5 million (Arbitration Year 1)
With Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins both still carrying pre-arbitration status and John Means on the injured list following Tommy John surgery, the Orioles are short on options. After struggling to a 6.07 ERA in 121.2 innings last year, Lopez is enjoying a breakout season as a reliever, posting a 1.00 ERA and 0.96 WHIP while going 7-of-9 on save chances in 23 appearances.
Boston Red Sox: RHP Michael Wacha
Contract: $7 million (Free Agency)
Starters Michael Wacha ($7 million) and Nick Pivetta ($2.65 million) are both terrific values, but we'll give the nod to Wacha, who has a 1.99 ERA in 49.2 innings and tossed a complete game shutout against the Los Angeles Angels in his most recent start. Rafael Devers just missed being eligible for inclusion with an $11.2 million salary.
New York Yankees: RHP Clay Holmes
Contract: $1.1 million (Arbitration Year 1)
Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in an under-the-radar deadline deal last year, Holmes has emerged as one of the best relievers in baseball, with Aroldis Chapman (Achilles) and Jonathan Loaisiga (shoulder) both on the shelf. The sinkerballer has a 0.34 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 9.5 K/9 with four wins, eight saves and seven holds in 25 appearances.
Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Jeffrey Springs
Contract: $947,500 (Arbitration Year 1)
Springs could be this year's Ranger Suarez, as he started the year in the bullpen before moving into the starting rotation, where he has continued to thrive. The 29-year-old has a 1.62 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 44.1 innings spanning seven starts and eight relief appearances.
Toronto Blue Jays: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Contract: $7.9 million (Arbitration Year 1)
After struggling in May, Guerrero is back to raking, and he has a 129 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 31 RBI in 55 games a year after finishing as the runner-up in AL MVP voting. He won't be making under $10 million for much longer, but for now he remains one of the best arbitration-eligible values in the sport.
American League Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: SS Tim Anderson
Contract: $9.5 million (Extension)
Anderson is playing out the final guaranteed season of a six-year, $25 million extension he signed in March 2017. He has club options for 2023 ($12.5 million) and 2024 ($14 million), and even those figures are a bargain relative to his market value as one of the best shortstops in the game.
Cleveland Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber
Contract: $6 million (Arbitration Year 1)
While he has not quite matched the next-level dominance he showed en route to AL Cy Young honors in 2020, Bieber has still been a front-line starter over the past two seasons, posting a 3.06 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 202 strikeouts in 161.2 innings. Since he has two years of club control remaining, it might be time for the Cleveland front office to start talking extension.
Detroit Tigers: RHP Wily Peralta
Contract: $2.5 million (Free Agency)
Peralta quietly pitched to a 2.61 ERA in 51.2 innings over his final 10 starts during the 2021 season, and then he returned to the Tigers on a minor league deal following the lockout. He didn't break camp with the team after he was delayed in getting a work visa, but he's been a terrific multi-inning option out of the bullpen since being activated, posting a 0.81 ERA in 22.1 innings over 14 appearances.
Kansas City Royals: OF Andrew Benintendi
Contract: $8.5 million (Arbitration Year 3)
Still only 27 years old, Benintendi is going to cash in this winter as one of the youngest players in the upcoming free-agent class. The former Red Sox top prospect is hitting .315/.382/.405 for a 128 OPS+, and he'll be a hot commodity at the trade deadline if the Royals make him available.
Minnesota Twins: IF Luis Arraez
Contract: $2.125 million (Arbitration Year 1)
One of baseball's premier contact hitters, Arraez leads the majors in batting average (.361) and on-base percentage (.448) entering play Thursday. The 25-year-old has played at least 25 games at first base, second base, third base and in left field in his career, and that versatility only adds to his value.
American League West
3 of 6
Houston Astros: LHP Framber Valdez
Contract: $3 million (Arbitration Year 1)
Signed out of the Dominican Republic for just $10,000 in 2015, Valdez has developed into one of the best left-handed starters in baseball. The 28-year-old is 6-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 69 innings this year, and he's controllable through 2025. Reliever Rafael Montero ($2.7 million) is also worthy of a mention.
Los Angeles Angels: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani
Contract: $5.5 million (Extension)
The Angels gave Ohtani a two-year, $8.5 million extension in February 2021 to buy out his first two years of arbitration, and he promptly won AL MVP with the greatest two-way season in MLB history. He will be arbitration-eligible one final time this offseason, and it's not out of the question to think his salary could quadruple.
Oakland Athletics: RHP Frankie Montas
Contract: $5.025 million (Arbitration Year 2)
Where will Montas be playing in August? The burly right-hander wasn't moved in Oakland's offseason fire sale, but he's a safe bet to be dealt at some point before the Aug. 2 trade deadline. The 29-year-old has a 3.06 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 70.2 innings, and he'd be more than just a rental, as he's under club control through 2023.
Seattle Mariners: SS J.P. Crawford
Contract: $6 million (Extension)
Crawford finally established himself as an everyday shortstop with a 3.8-WAR season in 2021, and the Mariners rewarded him with a five-year, $51 million extension. The 27-year-old is taking his offensive game to another level, improving on last year's 101 OPS+ with a .294/.382/.442 line that's good for a 144 OPS+ through 228 plate appearances.
Texas Rangers: LHP Martin Perez
Contract: $4 million (Free Agency)
The No. 1 prospect in the Texas farm system once upon a time, Perez saw his career come full circle when he signed a one-year deal with the Rangers this offseason following time with the Twins and Red Sox. After pitching to a 4.74 ERA in 114 innings last year, he's the AL Cy Young front-runner with a 1.56 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 69.1 innings.
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National League East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: 3B Austin Riley
Contract: $3.95 million (Arbitration Year 1)
Riley is backing up his 2021 breakout with a 135 OPS+ that includes 13 doubles, 15 home runs and 34 RBI, and he has three more years of arbitration eligibility after qualifying as a Super 2 this past winter. Max Fried ($6.5 million projected), Ozzie Albies ($5 million) and A.J. Minter ($2.2 million) also deserve mention.
Miami Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara
Contract: $3.8 million (Extension)
The Marlins have a wealth of young pitching talent, and Alcantara has separated himself from the pack as the clear ace of the staff. The 26-year-old has a 1.61 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a .190 opponents' batting average in 83.2 innings. His rotation running mate, Pablo Lopez ($2.45 million), is also an absolute steal.
New York Mets: 1B Pete Alonso
Contract: $7.4 million (Arbitration Year 1)
Alonso has been one of baseball's best power threats since he exploded onto the scene with a rookie-record 53 home runs in 2019, and he leads the NL in home runs (16) and RBI (54). His salary will likely climb north of $10 million in his second year of arbitration, and extension talks could pick up this winter. Jeff McNeil ($3 million) is also a major bargain.
Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Zach Eflin
Contract: $5.5 million (Arbitration Year 3)
Eflin is one of the few bargains on a bloated Phillies payroll, and with a 3.04 FIP in 51 innings this year, he is a sneaky candidate for a lucrative free-agency deal. The 6'6" right-hander will hit the open market for the first time this offseason at age 28.
Washington Nationals: RHP Tanner Rainey
Contract: $860,000 (Arbitration Year 1)
The Nationals roster is made up mostly of pre-arbitration players and a few overpaid veterans, but Rainey is an exception. The 29-year-old earned a modest raise in his first year of arbitration this offseason, and he has pitched well in the closer's role with a 3.06 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and seven saves.
National League Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: RHP David Robertson
Contract: $3.5 million (Free Agency)
After making a comeback with Team USA during the Olympics last year and then catching on with the Tampa Bay Rays, Robertson joined a revamped Cubs bullpen and has pitched his way into the closer's role. The 37-year-old has a 1.66 ERA and 12.5 K/9 with seven saves in 19 appearances, and he's a safe bet to be traded this summer.
Cincinnati Reds: IF Brandon Drury
Contract: $900,000 (Arbitration Year 4)
The Reds signed a handful of established MLB players to minor league deals this offseason, and Drury has been the best of the bunch. The 29-year-old has a 122 OPS+ with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 30 RBI in 190 plate appearances, and he's seen time at all four infield spots.
Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes
Contract: $6.5 million (Arbitration Year 1)
The Brewers rank 19th in payroll, so it's no surprise there are a number of good values on their roster. The reigning NL Cy Young winner is an easy pick for a spot on this list, but Hunter Renfroe ($7.65 million), Willy Adames ($4.6 million), Eric Lauer ($2.425 million), Rowdy Tellez ($1.94 million) and Jace Peterson ($1.825 million) are all deserving of a mention.
Pittsburgh Pirates: LHP Jose Quintana
Contract: $2 million (Free Agency)
The Pirates struck gold in their latest round of offseason bargain hunting when they signed Quintana to a one-year, $2 million deal. The 33-year-old had a 6.43 ERA in 63 innings last year, but he's posted a 3.19 ERA over 53.2 innings in his first 11 starts this season, and he's poised to be a popular target at the trade deadline.
St. Louis Cardinals: OF Harrison Bader
Contract: $5.2 million (Extension)
With Tyler O'Neill ($3.4 million) off to a slow start following a 2021 breakout, his outfield partner, Harrison Bader, gets the nod here in the first season of a two-year, $10.4 million extension. The Gold Glove winner has steadily improved offensively, and he's flashing his wheels this season with an NL-leading 14 steals in 15 attempts.
National League West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: 2B Ketel Marte
Contract: $8.5 million (Extension)
Marte has racked up 16.5 WAR since joining the D-backs before the 2017 season, including a breakout 2019 campaign when he slugged 32 home runs and finished fourth in NL MVP balloting. The 28-year-old is in the final season of a five-year, $24 million extension, and a new five-year, $76 million deal will kick in next year.
Colorado Rockies: 1B C.J. Cron
Contract: $7.25 million (Free Agency)
The Rockies gave Cron a two-year, $14.5 million extension in October after he made good on a minor league deal in 2021 with a 131 OPS+ and 3.4 WAR in 142 games. A consistent power threat throughout his MLB career, he is hitting .286/.338/.539 with 14 home runs and 41 RBI in 56 games.
Los Angeles Dodgers: LHP Tyler Anderson
Contract: $8 million (Free Agency)
Julio Urias ($8 million) and Walker Buehler ($7.25 million) are both established top-of-the-rotation arms, but it's the veteran Anderson who is off to a better start this season, going 7-0 with a 2.59 ERA, 0.95 WHIP in 55.2 innings. His 3.12 FIP also bests Urias (4.62) and Buehler (3.86). Not bad for a one-year, $8 million depth signing.
San Diego Padres: RHP Joe Musgrove
Contract: $8.625 million (Arbitration Year 3)
After a breakout 2021 season, Musgrove has established himself as the best starting pitcher of the upcoming free-agent class. The 29-year-old is 6-0 with a 1.64 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 64 strikeouts in 66 innings, and he's recorded a quality start in each of his 10 appearances. Closer Taylor Rogers ($7.3 million) is also part of the upcoming free-agent crop.
San Francisco Giants: RHP Jakob Junis
Contract: $1.75 million (Arbitration Year 2)
Signed to a one-year, $1.75 million deal during the offseason after five years with the Kansas City Royals, Junis is the Giants' team leader with 1.8 WAR. The 29-year-old has a 2.51 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and a 35-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 43 innings, and he's quickly gone from afterthought to rotation staple.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, and accurate through Wednesday's games.
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