Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes received a record $3,436,343 from this year’s pre-arbitration bonus pool, raising his two-year total to $5,588,400 under the initiative to direct more money to top younger players.
A 23-year-old right-hander who debuted in May 2024, Skenes had an $875,000 salary in the major leagues after earning $564,946 in pay last year. He won’t be eligible for salary arbitration until after the 2026 season.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. had the previous high of $3,077,595 for the 2024 season. MLB and the union agreed to the $50 million annual pool in their March 2022 labor settlement.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez was second this year at $2,678,437 after earning a $576,282 bonus for 2024.
He was followed by Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown at $2,206,538, Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo at $1,540,676 and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll at $1,341,674, according to figures compiled by Major League Baseball and the players’ association.
Also topping $1 million were Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz at $1,297,017, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong at $1,206,207, Athletics catcher Drake Baldwin at $1,175,583, Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang at $1,155,884 and Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero at $1,068,739.
Milwaukee became the first team with as many as 10 players earning the bonuses in one year. The Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins tied for the second most this year with six each. Brewers players totaled the most money at $4,742,392, followed by Pittsburgh at $4,362,309 and the Athletics at $3,103,411.
Several of the players receiving bonus money have long-term contracts, a group that includes Carroll, Sánchez, Boston Red Sox outfielders Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela and pitcher Brayan Bello, Milwaukee outfielder Jackson Chourio and pitcher Aaron Ashby, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee, Detroit infielder Colt Keith and San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill.
A total of 101 players will receive the payments under a plan aimed to get more money to players without sufficient service time for salary arbitration eligibility going into the season, which was two years, 132 days. Players signed as foreign professionals are not eligible.
Eighteen players earned bonuses based on awards. An eligible player receives $2.5 million for winning an MVP or Cy Young Award, $1.75 million for second in the voting, $1.5 million for third, $1 million for fourth, fifth or selection to the All-MLB first team, $750,000 for Rookie of the Year, $500,000 for second in Rookie of the Year voting or All-MLB second team.
All-MLB teams are voted by fans, media members, broadcasters, former players and officials.
A player is eligible to receive the bonus for one achievement per year, earning only the highest amount. The remaining money is allocated by a WAR formula.
Washington Nationals outfielder Daylen Lile received the smallest bonus of $150,000 — while he was not among the top 100 by WAR, he finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.