Every MLB deal, ranked by the Contract Value Index — our grade for what a team actually gets back per dollar committed.
Baseball has no salary cap, but every front office still answers to a budget — and the nine-figure free-agent deal that ages badly can sink a payroll for a decade. This page grades every MLB signing, trade, and extension by the only thing that matters at the ledger: value returned per dollar spent.
The grade is our Contract Value Index (CVI), FanVerdicts’ flagship contract-value metric. Below we surface the deals returning the most value, the ones returning the least, and break out the game’s most overpaid contracts from its sharpest bargains.
A productive season on a pre-arbitration salary can grade far higher than an All-Star year on a record contract — because value is the spread between what a club pays and what it actually gets back on the field.
Cuts and releases are excluded — the Contract Value Index is not a valid signal on a non-contract move. Grades reflect value to the team, not raw talent.
Contracts where MLB front offices are getting the most back per dollar. These earn the strongest Contract Value Index (CVI) grades on the board.
| # | Player |
|---|
| Avg / Yr |
|---|
| CVI |
|---|
| 1 | Austin SlaterLF · Mets | $1.0M | A+ A+ |
| 2 | Paul SkenesSP · Pirates | $1.1M | A+ A+ |
| 3 | Ezequiel DuranSS · Rangers | $1.4M | A+ A+ |
| 4 | Andres MunozRP · Mariners | $1.9M | A+ A+ |
| 5 | Gabe SpeierRP · Mariners | $2.1M | A+ A+ |
| 6 | Dylan LeeRP · Braves | $2.2M | A+ A+ |
| 7 | Alex VesiaRP · Dodgers | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 8 | Kyle BradishSP · Orioles | $3.5M | A+ A+ |
| 9 | Shane McClanahanSP · Rays | $3.6M | A+ A+ |
| 10 | Adrian MorejonRP · Padres | $3.9M | A+ A+ |
| 11 | Mason MillerRP · Padres | $4.0M | A+ A+ |
| 12 | Aaron AshbyRP · Brewers | $4.1M | A+ A+ |
The contracts our grading flags as the weakest returns relative to cost — the deals most likely to age poorly.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nolan Arenado3B · Diamondbacks | $32.5M | F F |
| 2 | Dansby SwansonSS · Cubs | $25.3M | F F |
| 3 | Sean ManaeaSP · Mets | $25.0M | F F |
| 4 | Marcus Semien2B · Mets | $25.0M | F F |
| 5 | Joc Pederson1B · Rangers | $18.5M | F F |
| 6 | Masataka YoshidaLF · Red Sox | $18.0M | F F |
| 7 | Taijuan WalkerSP · Phillies | $18.0M | F F |
| 8 | Lance McCullers Jr.SP · Astros | $17.0M | F F |
| 9 | Andres Gimenez2B · Blue Jays | $15.2M | F F |
| 10 | Salvador PerezC · Royals | $12.5M | F F |
| 11 | Ryan McMahon3B · Yankees | $11.7M | F F |
| 12 | Antonio SenzatelaSP · Rockies | $10.1M | F F |
High average-annual-value contracts carrying a weak CVI grade — big money, light return. Ranked by how far the grade falls and how large the commitment is.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nolan Arenado3B · Diamondbacks | $32.5M | F F |
| 2 | Dansby SwansonSS · Cubs | $25.3M | F F |
| 3 | Sean ManaeaSP · Mets | $25.0M | F F |
| 4 | Marcus Semien2B · Mets | $25.0M | F F |
| 5 | Joc Pederson1B · Rangers | $18.5M | F F |
| 6 | Masataka YoshidaLF · Red Sox | $18.0M | F F |
| 7 | Taijuan WalkerSP · Phillies | $18.0M | F F |
| 8 | Lance McCullers Jr.SP · Astros | $17.0M | F F |
| 9 | Andres Gimenez2B · Blue Jays | $15.2M | F F |
| 10 | Salvador PerezC · Royals | $12.5M | F F |
Strong CVI grades on below-median salaries — the bargains a smart front office locked up. The closest thing to a free win on the ledger.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin SlaterLF · Mets | $1.0M | A+ A+ |
| 2 | Paul SkenesSP · Pirates | $1.1M | A+ A+ |
| 3 | Ezequiel DuranSS · Rangers | $1.4M | A+ A+ |
| 4 | Andres MunozRP · Mariners | $1.9M | A+ A+ |
| 5 | Gabe SpeierRP · Mariners | $2.1M | A+ A+ |
| 6 | Dylan LeeRP · Braves | $2.2M | A+ A+ |
| 7 | Alex VesiaRP · Dodgers | $2.3M | A+ A+ |
| 8 | Kyle BradishSP · Orioles | $3.5M | A+ A+ |
| 9 | Shane McClanahanSP · Rays | $3.6M | A+ A+ |
| 10 | Adrian MorejonRP · Padres | $3.9M | A+ A+ |
The Contract Value Index (CVI) is FanVerdicts' grade for how much on-field value a team captures for every dollar of a contract — weighing pay against production, role, and term. It is the platform's flagship contract-value grade. A high CVI grade means the team is winning the deal; a low grade means it is paying a premium it may not recover. Read the full methodology.