Back in January, arbitration-eligible players and teams who did not come to an agreement on a salary for the 2026 season at the deadline had to file for the salary they thought the player deserved. This year, 18 players exchanged figures with their clubs to head to arbitration. The Brewers had just one player among that 18, the same one they couldn’t agree with at the deadline last year, William Contreras.
Now that we’re into spring training, the hearings are all done and the verdicts delivered. Some of the 18 players were able to settle with their teams before going into a hearing, however.
The Brewers and William Contreras were one such example of that. Contreras filed for a $9.9 million salary while the Brewers filed at $8.55 million, but ultimately, just before heading into a hearing, the two settled on a $9.4 million salary with a club option for $14.5 million in 2027, Contreras’ last year of team control. That $9.4 million salary figure is a new record for a second-year arb-eligible catcher.
Here’s a quick rundown on the rest of the players who filed for salary figures after that January deadline:
Overall, 12 of the 18 players ended up going to hearings, with the players going 8-4 in those hearings. Six players, including William Contreras, were able to settle with the club prior to heading into the hearing. It was a good year for the players in 2026.
