Just in time for the holidays.
The holidays are nearly upon us, and that usually means spending money. So a little holiday bonus is always appreciate (hint hint, nudge nudge). And four San Francisco Giants youngsters are getting one such bonus: catcher Patrick Bailey, infielder Tyler Fitzgerald, closer Ryan Walker, and outfielder Heliot Ramos.
Per the terms of the CBA, the league allots an annual $50 million pool to be dispersed among pre-arbitration players. The $50 million is funded equally by all 30 teams, and then dispersed amongst the top-performing pre-arb players. Large bonuses are handed out for players who perform well in Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Cy Young voting, and for players who made the All-MLB team. As such, Kansas City Royals superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. led all pre-arb bonuses this year at just over $3 million.
After the award bonuses, the rest of the pool is dispersed based on Wins Above Replacement.
The Associated Press released the full details of this year’s bonus pool, and Bailey, Fitzgerald, Walker, and Ramos are all taking home a healthy chunk of cash: $471,042 for Bailey; $409,573 for Fitzgerald; $382,315 for Walker; and $314,708 for Ramos.
While MLB players are certainly compensated well, that’s still a significant amount of money for pre-arbitration players, who make much less than players who have reached arbitration or free agency. Bailey and Walker’s salaries this year were $747,500, while Ramos and Fitzgerald’s were $742,000, and pro-rated to the days that they spent on they spent on the active roster, rather than optioned to AAA Sacramento (where they were still compensated, but at a much lower rate).
Last year, the Giants had two players earn pre-arb bonuses: Bailey ($375,306) and reliever Camilo Doval ($291,472). Full details were not revealed in 2022, the first year of the pool, but it was reported that pitcher Logan Webb received a bonus in excess of $500,000.
Congrats to Bailey, Fitzgerald, Walker, and Ramos, on awesome seasons and awesome paydays.