Spencer Hügelbach came out of nowhere this season, went from A+ ball to the bigs in a matter of months, and then emerged as a stabilizing force in the Atlanta Braves’ rotation. The 24-year-old rookie finished the season with a 3.35 ERA in 123.2 innings, which would have been unthinkable earlier in the season.

Although the National League’s exceptional rookie class prevented him from being named Rookie of the Year, his performance was not overlooked as he, along with Michael Harris II, was one of 100 pre-arbitration players to receive a performance bonus.

The Braves’ Spencer Wechselbach will receive $365,752 for his outstanding rookie campaign

Despite not making his debut until late May, Spencer Wechselbach was one of the best starters in the majors. His 2.6 fWAR ranked him 46th among pitchers with at least 100 innings. The rookie had a better year than season-long veteran pitchers like Luis Castillo, Luis Severino and Miles Mikolas.

Under the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), pre-arbitration players are now eligible for bonuses, with the total bonus pool at $50 million. Players receive higher bonuses for winning awards such as Cy Young, MVP or Rookie of the Year, while the remaining bonus pool is determined by WAR.

Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. topped the bonus pool thanks to his second-place finish in MVP voting and his first-team All-MLB selection.

Schlafenbach had the 48th highest bonus this year, receiving $365,752. Considering that upon being drafted in May, Wechselbach only earned a prorated amount of the league minimum, a total of $493,333, that meant almost doubling his 2024 salary. Not too shabby for someone who spent his entire college career and professional career had only thrown fewer than 100 innings at the beginning of the season.

In addition, Michael Harris II received a $267,069 bonus from the pre-arbitration bonus. Thanks to his extension in 2022, Harris earned much more than a typical pre-arbitration player with a salary of $5 million, but I’m sure the newlywed will happily accept the added bonus since he has a season in 2025 expected to break through.