The Yankees will have arbitration business to sort through again this offseason, and the early projections suggest it will be a meaningful part of their 2027 payroll picture.

MLB Trade Rumors’ annual arbitration projections list nine Yankees, led by infielder Luis García Jr. along with José Caballero and Anthony Volpe. García’s projected figure is the biggest of the group by a wide margin. Together, the nine are projected to earn more than $36 million, a benchmark for what New York could be committing to as it balances roster strength against the books.

How arbitration works

Salary arbitration is the process through which teams and eligible players settle on a salary for the coming season. As MLB.com explains it, players generally become eligible after three years of service time, though some reach it earlier as “Super Two” players.

It gives players who haven’t yet reached the six years needed for free agency a way to be paid more in line with their track record. Cases typically weigh a player’s statistics, playing time, role, and the salaries of comparable players.

Most cases never get that far. Teams and players can agree on a number at any point before a hearing. If they don’t, each side submits a figure, and a panel of arbitrators picks one of the two. Offseason projections, then, are estimates rather than contracts, and they don’t guarantee anyone is headed to a hearing.

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The nine Yankees and their projected salaries

The projections come from MLB Trade Rumors and are built on Matt Swartz’s arbitration model, which accounts for playing time, position, role, and statistics, along with adjustments for salary inflation.

The total comes to $36.7 million, but that’s a reference point rather than a confirmed expense. Roster moves, agreed-upon deals, and other contract decisions this winter could change the picture.

2026 statistics

Hitters

Pitchers

Swartz’s model, published by MLB Trade Rumors, is a handy way to anticipate teams’ financial outlooks, but it doesn’t replace the actual negotiations between the two sides.

For New York, the challenge will be balancing continuity among its controllable players with the flexibility to keep adding to the roster. Arbitration will be one piece of that planning, especially if the organization wants to field a competitive club without losing sight of its 2027 financial commitments.

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