The Dodgers on Thursday agreed to phrases with catcher Will Smith on a one-year deal, avoiding wage arbitration. Smith in 2024 will likely be paid $8.55 million, per multiplicity reports.
That is the second 12 months of arbitration eligibility for Smith, who has 4 years, 90 days of main league service time. He earned $5.25 million in 2023, and this new deal represents a 62.9 % improve.
The $8.55 million wage is a document for a catcher in his second 12 months of draft eligibility, for each Kiley McDaniel at ESPN and Dylan Hernández at the Los Angeles Times. Which makes some sense, as a number of the greatest catchers in latest reminiscence both broke out a little bit late (JT Realmuto) or signed long-term extensions earlier than even reaching arbitration (Buster Posey, Salvadore Pérez).
Sean Murphy, who’s in the identical service time class as Smith, final 12 months signed a six-year, $73 million contract with Atlanta that purchased his three years arb plus three years of free company, earn $9 million in 2024, for instance. . Murphy earned $4 million final 12 months, giving him $13 million over what would have been his first two years arb, whereas Smith earned $13.8 million going year-over-year.
MLB Commerce Rumors projected a wage of $9.3 million for Smith this season, whereas Cot's Baseball Contracts projected $9 million for the catcher. I guessed $9.45 million for Smith this season.
Smith has been the most effective catchers in baseball since his debut in 2019. Over the previous 5 seasons, Smith's 15.8 FanGraphs WAR is second amongst catchers, behind solely JT Realmuto (19.8). Since his first main league sport on Might 28, 2019, Smith's 91 residence runs are the second most by a catcher, trailing solely Salvador Pérez (105).
Smith made his first All-Star crew in 2023, and hit .261/.359/.438 with 19 residence runs, 21 doubles, and a 119 wRC+, tied for third on the Los Angeles Dodgers' first crew in scoring 900 runs in a season. .
