NEW YORK — Houston designated hitter Chris Carter, Kansas City reliever Kelvin Herrera and New York Mets closer Jennry Mejia are among 26 players with less than three years of major league service who have qualified for salary arbitration.
Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson, New York Yankees pitcher David Phelps, Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Garrett Richards also are among the so-called Super 2s.
Chicago White Sox reliever Javy Guerra, Houston infielder Marwin Gonzalez and Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana were the last players to make it, with 2 years, 133 days of major league service, up from 122 days last year and down from 139 after the 2012 season.
Major League Baseball and the players’ association finalized the list after confirming service time. The top 22 per cent of players by service time with at least two years but less than three are eligible for arbitration as long as they had at least 86 days this year. They join the older group of 3-to-6-year players.
Just missing the cut were Kansas City catcher Erik Kratz (2 years, 129 days) and Mets catcher Anthony Recker, Colorado shortstop DJ LeMahieu and Toronto right-hander Drew Hutchison (all 128).
Three of the Super 2s already are signed for next year as part of multiyear deals: Washington outfielder Bryce Harper, Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo and Quintana. A provision in Quintana’s contract says that because the cutoff was 133 days or lower, his 2015 salary rises from $850,000 to $3.4 million.
Minnesota pitchers Casey Fien and Tommy Milone qualified along with Pittsburgh pitchers Jared Hughes and Vance Worley. Also making it were pitcher Anthony Bass and outfielder Alex Presley of Houston; pitchers Zach Britton of Baltimore, Luis Coleman of Kansas City, Drew Smyly of Tampa Bay and Joe Wieland of San Diego; outfielders Collin Cowgill of the Angels and Shane Robinson of St. Louis; and catchers Martin Maldonado of Milwaukee and Hector Sanchez of San Francisco.
