Pete Crow-Armstrong leads 2026 MLB pre-arbitration pool
Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong — search fans often type pete crowarmstrong — is again projected to take the top share of MLB's $50 million pre-arbitration bonus pool, with a WAR-based payout of $1,179,587 through July 6 per a league memo obtained by The Associated Press. The midseason ranking, reported by ESPN, underscores how young stars can earn real money before arbitration.
Key Takeaways
- Crow-Armstrong leads the 2026 pre-arbitration bonus pool at a projected $1,179,587.
- Payouts come from a $50 million pool created in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement.
- Miami's Otto Lopez ranks second at $910,239, followed by Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski.
- One hundred eligible players share the WAR-based awards; foreign professionals signed abroad are excluded.
- The players' association has proposed lifting the pool to $180 million next year.
Who is leading the 2026 MLB pre-arbitration bonus pool?
Per the memo MLB sent to teams, players, and agents, Crow-Armstrong sits first among pre-arbitration earners. He started Friday hitting .282 with 21 home runs, 55 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and a .900 OPS.
Last season he also led at the midpoint ($1,091,102) and finished at $1,206,207. He took home $342,128 from the pool in 2024. For more emerging-star coverage, see Future Tech & AI Wonders.
How is the $50 million pre-arbitration bonus pool paid out?
The pool, part of the 2022 CBA, steers extra cash to players who lack enough service time for salary arbitration. The arbitration cutoff for 2026 was 2 years, 140 days of major league service. A management-union committee set the WAR formula that allocates bonuses after awards.
One hundred players receive payments. Most earn near the major league minimum, though a few already have multiyear deals. Crow-Armstrong is making $894,000 this season and starts a $115 million, six-year contract in 2027.
Separate award bonuses also feed the program: $2.5 million for an MVP or Cy Young, sliding amounts for lower finishes, plus Rookie of the Year and all-MLB team payouts. Distribution for awards was $12.75 million last year.
Who else ranks near the top of the bonus list?
Behind Crow-Armstrong, Otto Lopez is projected for $910,239. Milwaukee right-hander Jacob Misiorowski follows at $896,407, then St. Louis second baseman JJ Wetherholt ($879,874) and Detroit catcher Dillon Dingler ($797,802).
Also in the top 10: Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle ($786,326), Washington outfielder James Wood ($711,330), Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz ($639,780), Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler ($637,145), and White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas ($635,299).
Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes topped last year's pool at $3,436,343 and is projected for $402,921 this season. In bargaining for a new deal, the union proposed raising the pool to $180 million next year with $15 million annual hikes, and making multiyear signees ineligible going forward.