MESA, Ariz. -- The Chicago Cubs re-signed 21 players with 0-3 years of service time, including rookie of the year Kris Bryant. With no obligation to give him a raise, the Cubs increased Bryant’s salary from the prorated minimum to $652,000.
Other notable contracts include Kyle Schwarber ($522,000), Addison Russell ($527,000), Tommy La Stella ($532,000), Kyle Hendricks ($541,000) and Javier Baez ($521,000).
The raise for Bryant comes after he failed to make the team out of spring training last season, putting his free agency off for an extra year, but it’s higher than third-year player Gerrit Cole of the Pittsburgh Pirates received after he won 19 games last season. Cole publicly complained recently of a salary increase from $531,000 to just $541,000. Teams can pay players with less than three years of service time whatever they want, so the Cubs took care of their award winning third baseman giving him a decent raise.
Also being re-signed:
Right-handed pitchers Dallas Beeler, Aaron Brooks, Carl Edwards Jr., Pierce Johnson, Spencer Patton and Neil Ramirez.
Left-handed pitchers Eric Jokisch, C.J. Riefenhauser and Zac Rosscup.
Catcher Willson Contreras.
Infielders Arismendy Alcantara, Jeimer Candelario, Christian Villanueva and Dan Vogelbach.
Outfielder Matt Szczur.
