Houston Astros — Jose Altuve, second base
The value the Astros get for money is simply absurd — George Springer and his $3.9 million salary could have just as easily ended up representing them on this list — but the choice has to be Altuve. The diminutive infielder looks poised to lead the AL in hits for a fourth consecutive season, with a third batting title looking likely as well. Excelling in every phase of the game, the MVP candidate will make just $4.5 million this season despite arguably worth being eight times that.
Kansas City Royals — Salvador Perez, catcher
Perez is so incredibly valuable to the Royals for many reasons. His offense has never been elite, but he is once again displaying that he has power to hit 25 home runs. More importantly, he’s a Gold Glove defender — he has already won four — and he is the heart and soul of the Kansas City clubhouse. The Royals get all that for $4.2 million.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — Andrelton Simmons, shortstop
Simmons has long been regarded as baseball’s premier defensive shortstop, but his offense has taken a turn for the better in 2017. He’s hitting a career-high .304 and has already matched a personal best with 27 doubles. He continues to play excellent defense, making Simmons an exceptionally valuable player for his $8 million salary.
Los Angeles Dodgers — Corey Seager, shortstop
This could have very easily gone to Cody Bellinger, who’s on the rookie minimum himself, but Seager is the better all-around player. A .300-hitting shortstop with power, Seager is at the heart of everything that is good about the Dodgers, and he does it all at a premium position as well. At 23, he already has 49 career home runs and a .310 average. Arbitration is coming, but for now, the Dodgers are reveling in the fact that their star shortstop makes just $575,000.
Miami Marlins — Marcell Ozuna, outfielder
Ozuna was an All-Star for the second year in a row, and he’s putting together a career-best season. He’s hitting .300 for the first time; his 26 home runs is already a career-high; and he’s been playing a very good left field. He’s also cheap — his $3.5 million contract is a steal for someone putting up the offensive numbers that Ozuna is.
Milwaukee Brewers — Jimmy Nelson, pitcher
Instrumental in Milwaukee’s surprise success this season, Nelson has gone from a back-end guy to a staff leader with a 3.24 ERA and a strikeout rate of ten per nine innings. The Brewers must be thrilled with his evolution, and they must feel the same way about his salary. At under $550,000, Nelson’s costing them next to nothing and giving them near-ace production.
Minnesota Twins — Miguel Sano, third base
Minnesota’s young star looks poised to become one of baseball’s elite power hitters. It already looks within the realm of possibility that Sano could make it to 30 this year, and it’s easy to dream on the kind of monster bat he could possess within three to four years. He’ll be getting expensive by then, but he isn’t right now — he’ll pocket just $573,000 this season, all while leading the Twins in runs, RBIs, home runs and slugging percentage.
New York Mets — Jacob deGrom, pitcher
The only consistent bright spot on what has been a disappointing season for the Mets, deGrom remains one of baseball’s steadiest and most reliable arms. His ERA is up a tiny bit this season, but so are his strikeouts, and the Mets’ struggles have pretty much never been his fault. He gives them a lot of high-quality innings for the low price of just over $4 million this season.
New York Yankees — Aaron Judge, outfielder
Judge could well be on his way to the American League MVP. His numbers are amazing — 35 home runs already, a 1.037 OPS — but you don’t really grasp how incredible he is until you watch some of the feats he performs. He has been incredible, and the Yankees are not contending without him. Best of all? He is costing them only $545,000 this season, as he is still on the league minimum.
Oakland Athletics — Khris Davis, outfielder
Pretty much everyone who does well for Oakland is a bargain in some way given their avoidance of big contracts, but the power-hitting Davis certainly qualifies. While he’s not a particularly high-average hitter, he put up 42 home runs in 2016 and is already at 31 in 2017. The hard-hitting left fielder is making $5 million and seems fated to become another popular Oakland trade candidate.
Philadelphia Phillies — Aaron Nola, pitcher
Nola gets little attention due to how bad the Phillies are, but the 24-year-old looks poised to be Philadelphia’s next ace. He’s struck out 117 batters in 112.1 innings, has a 3.12 ERA, and has generally made an otherwise poor team watchable on days he pitches. Like many of the young players on this list, he, too, is making the league minimum at $544,000.
Pittsburgh Pirates — Felipe Rivero, pitcher
Part of the deal that saw Mark Melancon head to the Washington Nationals last season, Rivero has very quickly and perhaps surprisingly evolved into one of baseball’s best relief pitchers. He managed to cut his walk rate and become more or less unhittable, collecting 10 saves with a 1.25 ERA this season. The 26-year-old Venezuelan is a minimum player, at $565,000.
San Diego Padres — Wil Myers, first baseman
Myers will probably never quite become what many dreamed he would be when he was one of baseball’s top prospects, but he’s still an effective and dangerous power hitter, even at spacious Petco Park. He hit 28 home runs in 2016 and is at 22 in 2017. Though his batting average is down, his ability to get on base and hit for power helps make up for those shortcomings. He’ll get expensive in the years to come, but for now, he’s on a modest $4.5 million salary for 2017.
San Francisco Giants — Madison Bumgarner, pitcher
Though he has missed much of 2017 thanks to a freak dirt bike injury, Bumgarner is still San Francisco’s best pitcher by a long shot and one of the game’s true aces. He has a 2.71 ERA in 10 starts, and he’s been his usual self whenever he’s been able to pitch. He’s making $11.5 million in 2017, a sum that would probably be tripled were he on the open market.
Seattle Mariners — James Paxton, pitcher
Though the talent was never in much doubt, injuries have always held the gifted lefty back. Paxton has more or less stayed healthy in 2017, and the Mariners have been rewarded with a 2.70 ERA and 12 wins. Even better, Paxton has managed to do it all for about $2.3 million. If Seattle makes the playoffs, he will be a big reason why.
St. Louis Cardinals — Carlos Martinez, pitcher
Martinez has seen his strikeout numbers rise to a career-best 9.6 per nine innings in 2017, despite a slight step back in the ERA department. It hardly matters — Martinez is still a very good pitcher who is still only 25, and seemingly on track to become St. Louis’s ace. His salary will go up — but for now, the Cardinals can ride Martinez while paying him a modest $3.7 million in 2017.
Tampa Bay Rays — Chris Archer, pitcher
One of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball, Archer has fanned 189 batters in 154 innings, and has a chance of topping his personal best of 252 strikeouts in 2015. His 3.80 ERA is a bit high, but he has a long track record of success. He’s signed to one of baseball’s most team-friendly deals, and is owed just under $5 million in 2017.
Texas Rangers — Alex Claudio, pitcher
Claudio is a unique case. He is a relief pitcher who doesn’t strike a lot of batters out, but retires a lot of opponents. His WHIP is under one, and the Rangers continue to slot him into a variety of different roles. This season the 25-year-old has posted five saves, seven holds and a 2.41 ERA. He’s a valuable, versatile piece whom Texas is paying a mere $545,000 in 2017.
Toronto Blue Jays — Roberto Osuna, pitcher
Despite a slightly inflated ERA, Osuna’s underlying numbers are all elite — one walk per nine, 12.08 strikeouts, a WHIP of 0.86. Osuna has filthy stuff and has been reliable in the ninth for Toronto since 2015, and shows no signs of letting up. He’s due to enter arbitration after this season, but for now, he’s a bargain at $552,000.
Washington Nationals — Anthony Rendon, third base
Rendon has really tapped into his remaining potential in 2017, becoming an offensive force for the Nationals. His batting average is over .300 for the first time in his career. He will almost certainly set a new career high in home runs, already matching his previous best of 21. 100 RBIs is within reach as well. This package will cost Washington just $5.8 million in 2017.
