The Atlanta Braves have plenty of decisions to make this offseason after having their worst season since 2017 and missing the playoffs. In addition to all of the potential roster building moves the club needs to make, they also need to name a new manager.
However, one of the biggest tasks Alex Anthopoulos and company will have to take on is sifting through the arbitration eligible players and determining whether or to tender them a contract.
Here's how the Braves arbitration-eligible players are projected to make
The Braves have nine arbitration-eligible players headed into the 2025-2026 offseason. This might sound like a lot, considering they only had three players in 2024 go to arbitration. However, they did non-tender five arbitration and pre-arbitration eligible players last offseason. It was the second year in a row where Atlanta went on a non-tender spree.
Given this trend, it would not be shocking to see at least a handful of non-tenders this December.
MLB Trade Rumors recently broke down all arbitration eligible players.. Both Jake Fraley ($3.6 million) and Joel Payamps ($3.4 million) are projected to get over $3 million in arbitration. Given Fraley's limits as a fourth outfielder and Payamps underwhelming season with the Brewers and the Braves, it would not be shocking to see Atlanta cut these two veterans lose.
Likewise, while Jose Suarez is only projected to make $1.5 million, the Braves have shown that they are willing toi non-tender players over far less, and Suarez doesn't give the Braves the flexibility they would prefer, as the lefty is out of options.
Alek Manoah will be another interesting decision for the Braves to make. The 2022 All Star didn't even pitch in the bigs in 2025, and has struggled since 2023, but thanks to his performance as a rookie and during his sophomore season, MLB Trade Rumors still projects the big righty to make $2.2 million in arbitration.
On one hand, it would seem rather surprising for a club to claim a player off waivers late in the season just to release him. On the other hand, paying over $2 million to a pitcher who has struggled three straight seasons isn't very inspiring.
Dylan Lee, projected to make $1.9 million and Eli White, projected to make $1.2 million seem like locks to be tendered contracts. Lee has been one of the Braves most dependable relievers since 2022, while White's speed and defense makes it easy to give the 31-year-old a contract, even if the bat is a question mark.
Lastly, Nick Allen ($1.5 million), Joey Wentz ($1.1 million), and Vidal Brujan ($800,000) are all projected to make under $1.5 million.
Allen provides exceptional defense that would be worth keeping for next season at $1.5 million, even if he is one of the worst hitters in the last 25 years to receive 400+ plate appearances. Joey Wentz is cheap enough to provide rotational depth, though it is arguable that Wentz and Suarez are interchangeable.
Brujan, despite his cheap projections, could also be a non-tender candidate, as he is out of options. The switch-hitting utility player offers little in terms of offense, but is adequate enough with the glove and on the basepaths he might just be worth hanging onto.