Juan Soto, Tarik Skubal and the Subsequent 10 Gamers to Signal $100 Million-Plus Contracts

With one other MLB offseason proper across the nook, a recent crop of gamers throughout baseball will probably be becoming a member of the $100 million membership with new contracts this winter.

Final offseason, there have been seven nine-figure offers handed out by way of free company and in-house extensions:

That was down from a staggering 14 such contracts handed out throughout the 2022-23 offseason, which was headlined by Aaron Decide’s nine-year, $360 million deal to stick with the New York Yankees.

So, who will probably be among the many subsequent wave of stars to signal on the dotted line and be part of the ever-growing record of $100 million contracts?

Forward, we have predicted the following 10 gamers to signal nine-figure offers, with a mixture of names who’re free brokers this offseason, free brokers the next offseason and early extension candidates.

Let’s begin with a couple of totally different classes of honorable mentions to color a bigger image of the potential $100 million panorama.

SP Jack Flaherty
OF Teoscar Hernández
IF Ha-Seong Kim
SP Sean Manaea
OF Tyler O’Neill
OF Anthony Santander

None of those upcoming free brokers are a lock for a $100 million deal, however all are at the least within the dialog for that sort of payday.

Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander each provide comparable profiles to Nick Castellanos when he inked a five-year, $100 million cope with the Philadelphia Phillies as offensive-minded outfielders with middle-of-the-order run manufacturing means.

Jack Flaherty and Sean Manaea each pitched like frontline starters after signing one-year offers final offseason, and the previous has the added enchantment of simply turning 29 years previous a couple of days in the past. He’s the more than likely from this group to affix the $100 million membership.

Versatile infielder Ha-Seong Kim is one of the best out there shortstop possibility outdoors of Willy Adames, and he quietly racked up 15.3 WAR over the course of his four-year contract with the San Diego Padres.

The largest lengthy shot from this group is Tyler O’Neill given his prolonged harm historical past, however he is likely one of the youthful gamers within the class at 29 years previous and coming off a season through which he launched 31 house runs in 473 plate appearances.

OF Cody Bellinger
SP Gerrit Cole
SP Blake Snell

After taking a step backward relative to his 2023 rebound marketing campaign, Cody Bellinger may be finest served opting into his $27.5 million wage for the 2025 season and working it again with the Chicago Cubs. The 29-year-old is an extended shot for a $100 million deal this winter, however he is at the least price mentioning.

Blake Snell had a rocky begin to the 2024 season, however from July 9 by way of the top of the yr, he went 5-0 with a 1.23 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 114 strikeouts in 80.1 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .123 batting common. There is not any cause he should not safe $100 million this time round if agent Scott Boras can get out of his personal manner.

The largest wild card right here is Gerrit Cole, who can choose out of the ultimate 4 years and $144 million of his present deal. Nevertheless, the Yankees can void his opt-out by including a $36 million wage in 2029 to the again finish of his deal, in what can be his age-38 season.

2B Luis Arraez
SS Bo Bichette
SP Dylan Stop
SP Zac Gallen
SP Michael King
SP Ranger Suárez
OF Kyle Tucker
SP Framber Valdez

These are the headliners of the 2025-26 free-agent class—together with one notable participant who was included in our extension predictions—and with an opportunity to check the open market on the horizon, an extension has turn out to be far much less doubtless.

The Houston Astros may need to choose between Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez, particularly in the event that they re-up with Alex Bregman this winter. The Washington Nationals confronted the same choice with Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg after their World Sequence win in 2019.

Michael King and Ranger Suárez may be extra prone to land within the $70-80 million vary on new offers, whereas Dylan Stop and Zac Gallen are secure bets for $100 million-plus contracts and will use free company to assist safe the best doable payday.

Luis Arraez has expressed interest in signing an extension with the Padres, however he’s additionally not a lock to eclipse the $100 million mark given his considerably one-dimensional ability set. The identical is true of Bo Bichette after a disappointing, injury-plagued season, as he’ll doubtless must rebuild his worth in-season earlier than setting his sights on that degree of contract.

SS Elly De La Cruz, CIN
SS Gunnar Henderson, BAL
SS Zach Neto, LAA
SS Anthony Volpe, NYY
SS Masyn Winn, STL

Discovering a younger, on a regular basis shortstop will not be simple, and groups usually transfer shortly to signal these potential franchise cornerstones to a long-term deal if there’s mutual curiosity.

The Kansas Metropolis Royals and Colorado Rockies each hammered out long-term offers with Bobby Witt Jr. and Ezequiel Tovar final winter, and some extra younger shortstops might observe go well with this offseason.

Masyn Winn simply put collectively a terrific 2024 rookie season and appears like a transparent constructing block for a St. Louis Cardinals staff at a crossroads, whereas Elly De La Cruz, Gunnar Henderson, Zach Neto and Anthony Volpe took a big step ahead of their second yr within the huge leagues.

They will not all signal long-term offers, however there is a good probability at the least a kind of 5 guys will probably be locked up long-term by the point 2025 Opening Day rolls round.

1B Triston Casas, BOS
C William Contreras, MIL
SP Garrett Crochet, CWS
OF Oneil Cruz, PIT
SP Logan Gilbert, SEA
OF Riley Greene, DET
SP Tanner Houck, BOS
SP George Kirby, SEA
OF Steven Kwan, CLE
OF Wyatt Langford, TEX
OF Jackson Merrill, SD
C Cal Raleigh, SEA
SP Joe Ryan, MIN
SP Justin Steele, CHC
OF James Wooden, WAS

These gamers have been all a part of my preliminary record of logical potential $100 million extension candidates, and whereas they finally didn’t make the minimize for the ultimate record of 10, it might not be a shock to see any of them ink a long-term pact this winter.

Left-hander Garrett Crochet may be essentially the most intriguing title on this record, as he ended up staying with the Chicago White Sox on the deadline final yr due partly to his demand for an extension on the opposite facet of a possible commerce. He’s additionally the closest on this record to free company with membership management by way of 2026.

William Contreras, Logan Gilbert, Tanner Houck, Steven Kwan, Cal Raleigh, Joe Ryan and Justin Steele are all free brokers after the 2027 season, so they might begin to be extra of a precedence for his or her respective groups within the close to future.

Age: 29

There are at the moment eight shortstops enjoying on $100 million contracts, and after a lull in that market final winter, Willy Adames is the clear prime possibility this winter for groups seeking to improve on the place.

He hit .251/.331/.462 for a 118 OPS+ this season whereas setting career-high marks in hits (153), doubles (33), house runs (32), RBI (112), runs scored (93) and stolen bases (21) whereas posting his fourth straight 3-WAR season.

Adames is identical age Trevor Story and Javier Báez have been after they signed six-year, $140 million offers in free company, and some years down the street from these contracts, he might goal to barely eclipse that payday.

Contract Prediction: Six years, $144 million

Age: 29

In response to Joel Sherman of the New York Submit, slugger Pete Alonso turned down a seven-year, $158 million extension provide from the New York Mets in June 2023.

That supply was structured to intently resemble the ultimate seven seasons of the eight-year, $168 million extension Matt Olson signed with the Atlanta Braves, whereas Freddie Freeman’s six-year, $162 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers was additionally a part of the dialogue.

Olson is a Gold Glove defender, whereas Freeman is likely one of the finest contact hitters within the sport with an offensive profile that ought to age effectively. Alonso doesn’t present the identical secondary worth these gamers do and his extraordinarily power-centric sport is one which typically doesn’t age effectively, so it is onerous to see a market the place he instructions something past the extension provide he turned down.

Possibly the Mets provide him a bit extra to assist him save face, but when he would not re-sign with them, he may need to simply accept lower than he left on the desk in 2023.

Contract Prediction: Seven years, $160 million

Age: 30

Nailing down a possible contract determine for Alex Bregman is hard.

He is older than Rafael Devers (26) and Austin Riley (25) have been after they signed extensions north of $200 million, and he is not as achieved as Manny Machado who inked a brand new 11-year, $350 million cope with the San Diego Padres.

He signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Houston Astros when he was 25 years previous, so he’ll doubtless be on the lookout for a increase over the $20 million AAV of that deal, however he has additionally by no means matched the elite-level manufacturing he put up in 2019 previous to signing that extension.

The six-year, $151 million deal Matt Chapman signed with the San Francisco Giants in September is a related latest comp, although he’s a yr older than Bregman and coming off a greater 2024 marketing campaign.

A shorter deal at the next AAV may be the place he finally lands.

Contract Prediction: 5 years, $150 million

Age: 29

Again in July, I wrote an article making 10 daring predictions for the second half of the 2024 MLB season, and a kind of was a long-term extension for Corbin Burnes from the Baltimore Orioles.

The 2 sides didn’t find yourself coming collectively on a brand new contract, however the determine I floated in that article nonetheless is smart as his potential incomes energy.

A seven-year, $255.5 million contract would give him a $36.5 million AAV, coming in simply forward of the $36 million AAV of Gerrit Cole’s cope with the New York Yankees.

That quantity is a logical goal for Burnes as a perennial Cy Younger candidate and the highest beginning pitcher available on the market, and if he prefers a long-term contract over a shorter cope with the next AAV, he ought to be capable to hit that mark.

Contract Prediction: Seven years, $255.5 million

Age: 30

There are some harm issues surrounding Max Fried after he missed vital time in 2023 with a forearm pressure, however even with that harm limiting him to solely 14 begins that season, he has nonetheless been probably the most productive starters in baseball during the last 5 years.

For the reason that begin of the 2020 season when he put collectively a breakout efficiency and completed fifth in NL Cy Younger voting, he has gone 54-25 with a 2.81 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 624 strikeouts in 659 innings.

His 19.1 WAR throughout that five-year span trails only Zack Wheeler (25.4) and Gerrit Cole (19.9) amongst all pitchers, and that ought to assist drive his worth in free company.

The six-year, $162 million deal Carlos Rodón signed with the New York Yankees appears to be like like an affordable comparability given his comparable top-of-the-rotation upside, and Fried would possibly be capable to prime that because of fewer harm crimson flags.

Contract Prediction: Six years, $168 million

Age: 25

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had his finest season since ending runner-up in 2021 AL MVP voting this previous season, hitting .323/.396/.544 for a 196 OPS+ with 44 doubles, 30 house runs, 103 RBI and 6.2 WAR in 159 video games.

Nonetheless solely 25 years previous, he’s set to succeed in free company following the 2025 season, and he has made it clear up to now he would like to remain in Toronto:

His asking value has little question climbed relative to the place it was this time a yr in the past when he was coming off a good-not-great 2023 season. However after opting in opposition to buying and selling him on the deadline, the Blue Jays appear poised to at the least sit down on the negotiating desk this offseason.

The ten-year, $313.5 million extension Rafael Devers signed with the Boston Crimson Sox may be one of the best latest comparability for his market worth given their comparable offensive profiles and age.

Contract Prediction: 10 years, $320 million

Age: 26

The Kansas Metropolis Royals locked up the current and future face of the franchise in February when the signed Bobby Witt Jr. to an 11-year, $288.8 million extension. And after a shock journey to the postseason whereas successful 30 extra video games than they did in 2023, they might be motivated to proceed locking up core items.

The logical subsequent goal for a long-term deal is budding ace Cole Ragans, who backed up his stellar second half of the 2023 season with a full-fledged breakout atop the Kansas Metropolis rotation.

The left-hander logged a 2.64 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 71.2 innings final season after coming over from the Texas Rangers in a deadline deal that despatched Aroldis Chapman the opposite manner, and he constructed on that efficiency this yr by ending 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 223 strikeouts in 186.1 innings.

He’s underneath membership management by way of 2028 and won’t be arbitration-eligible for the primary time till subsequent offseason, however the Royals might get out forward of that by shopping for out all of his arbitration seasons and a yr or two of free company with an extension.

Logan Webb had two years of arbitration and three years of free company purchased out when he signed his five-year, $90 million extension in 2023. The Royals might give him a pleasant increase relative to the league-minimum for 2025 after which observe the same blueprint.

Contract Prediction: Six years, $100 million

Age: 26

Discovering a franchise catcher is extraordinarily tough, and guys comparable to Yadier Molina, Buster Posey and Salvador Pérez spending their total careers with one staff speaks to how motivated groups are to maintain guys like that round for the long run.

The Baltimore Orioles totally anticipated Adley Rutschman to be that form of participant after they chosen him with the No. 1 general decide within the 2019 draft, and three years into his MLB profession, he has two All-Star choices, a Silver Slugger and 13.1 WAR in 415 video games.

The truth that he hit simply .207/.282/.303 with three house runs after the All-Star break might give the Orioles some cause for pause, however he nonetheless completed the season with a 107 OPS+ and three.4 WAR in 148 video games.

Ultimately, they might use prime prospect Samuel Basallo to soak up a couple of begins per week, permitting Rutschman to see a bit extra motion at designated hitter in an effort to maintain him recent for a full season. Both manner, he has proved to be a franchise-caliber catcher worthy of an early extension.

Posey signed a nine-year, $167 million cope with the San Francisco Giants on the identical age and with roughly the identical quantity of service time, however that was again in 2013, so it is affordable to anticipate Rutschman to command an honest quantity extra over the same size of time.

Contract Prediction: 9 years, $180 million

Age: 27

Left-hander Tarik Skubal was a scorching title on the rumor mill this spring, however the Detroit Tigers opted in opposition to buying and selling away their ace, and he ended up main their torrid playoff push whereas placing collectively a season that may nearly actually be rewarded with unanimous AL Cy Younger honors.

After posting a 2.80 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 80.1 innings in his return from flexor tendon surgical procedure in 2023, he was completely dominant this season, successful the AL Triple Crown whereas going 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 228 strikeouts in 192 innings.

His wage is projected to spike from $2.65 million in 2024 to $8 million in his second yr of arbitration, and the Tigers might purchase out his last two years of arbitration and dip into his free-agency years with a long-term extension this winter.

The narrative has shifted after a stunning journey to the playoffs, and after promoting off some veteran items on the commerce deadline, this now appears to be like like a staff on the rise with a promising younger core and a homegrown ace who deserves a long-term deal.

Shopping for out his last two years of arbitration and $8 million and $14 million after which including on 4 potential free-agency years at $30 million every might be good frequent floor for participant and staff because the Tigers construct towards a sustainable contender.

Contract Prediction: Six years, $142 million

Age: 25

Given his age and stellar observe document that has put him on a legit Corridor of Fame trajectory, Juan Soto is headed for an enormous payday this winter.

He could not eclipse the 10-year, $700 million megadeal Shohei Ohtani obtained final winter, and that has to do with Ohtani’s unmatched marketability and distinctive two-way ability set, however he’s going to receives a commission like few different free brokers earlier than him.

The 12-year, $426.5 million extension Mike Trout signed with the Los Angeles Angels is the second-largest contract ever handed out, and he was two years older than Soto when he agreed to that deal.

Giving him a $40 million AAV would match the extension Aaron Decide signed when it comes to annual worth, and tacking on a number of extra years relative to the nine-year extension Decide signed is smart given Soto’s age.

On the very least, anticipate to see baseball’s second-ever $500 million-plus deal this winter.

Contract Prediction: 15 years, $600 million