Merrill Kelly

Arizona Diamondbacks, Starting Pitcher
Age: 37y-4m-22d (Oct 14, 1988)
Exp: 7 Years
Country: US
College: Arizona State
Drafted: Round 8 (#251 overall), 2010
Agent(s): Apex Baseball
2026 Payroll Salary

$18,000,000

2026 Cash

$19,000,000

Career Earnings

$36,611,086

2026-2027 Free Agent (CURRENT)

Merrill Kelly signed a 2 year, $40,000,000 contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, including $2,000,000 signing bonus, $40,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $20,000,000. In 2026, Kelly will earn a base salary of $17,000,000 and a signing bonus of $2,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $18,000,000.
Contract Terms:
2 yr(s) / $40,000,000
Average Salary:
$20,000,000
Signing Bonus:
$2,000,000
Free Agent:
2028 / UFA
YOS @ Signing:
7
Year Age YOS Status PayrollAnnual Luxury Tax Tax % League Tax Cash Annual Cash Cumulative
2026 37 7 $18,000,000 $20,000,000 8.20% $19,000,000 $19,000,000
2027 38 7 $22,000,000 $20,000,000 8.10% $21,000,000 $40,000,000
2028 39 7
Vesting
 $12,000,000 $20,000,000 - - $40,000,000
2028 40 -
UFA
Year Age Service Status Base Salary Signing Proration Incentives Likely Incentives Unlikely Trade Bonus Payroll Salary Luxury Tax
2026 37 7.000 $17,000,000 $1,000,000 - - $500,000 $18,000,000 $20,000,000
2027 38 - $21,000,000 $1,000,000 - - $500,000 $22,000,000 $20,000,000
2028 39 -
Vesting
 $12,000,000 - - - $500,000 $12,000,000 $20,000,000
2028 40 --
UFA
Year Age Status Base Salary Signing Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining AYC Cumulative AYC Remaining
2026 37 $17,000,000 $2,000,000 $19,000,000 $19,000,000 $40,000,000 $19,000,000 $20,000,000
2027 38 $21,000,000 - $21,000,000 $40,000,000 $21,000,000 $20,000,000 $21,000,000
2028 39
Vesting
 - - - $40,000,000 - - -
Contract Notes
  • Trade Assignment Bonus:  $500k
  • 2028 Option Vests with 170 innings in 2027
    Option escalates to $14M with 185 innings in 2027
Source: MLB contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

2023-2025 Extension

Contract Terms:
2 yr(s) / $18,000,000
Average Salary:
$9,000,000
Signing Bonus:
$1,000,000
Free Agent:
2026 / UFA
YOS @ Signing:
3
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2019-2022 Free Agent

Contract Terms:
2 yr(s) / $5,500,000
Average Salary:
$2,750,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
0
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2010-2010 Signing Bonus

Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $125,000
Average Salary:
$125,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
0
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Seasons

7 Years

Career Earnings thru 2026

$36,611,086

Earnings w/ Different Teams

2 teams

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Service Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2019 30
0
Active
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
2020 31
1
Injured
$1,111,111
$3,111,111
2021 32
2
Active / Club Exercised
$4,250,000
$7,361,111
2022 33
3
Active / Club Exercised
$6,250,000
$13,611,111
2023 34
4
Active
$8,000,000
$21,611,111
2024 35
5
Active
$8,000,000
$29,611,111
2025 36
6
Active / Club Exercised
Retained
$2,220,406
$4,779,569
$31,831,517
$36,611,086
Total      
$36,611,086
$31,831,517
$36,611,086
2026 37
7
Active
$19,000,000
2027 38
7
Active
$21,000,000
Total
$76,611,086

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Incentives Cash Cumulative
7 $33,390,681 $1,000,000 - $34,390,680
1 $2,220,406 - - $2,220,406
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2019
30
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
2020
31
$1,111,111
$1,111,111
$3,111,111
2021
32
$4,250,000
$4,250,000
$7,361,111
2022
33
$5,250,000
$1,000,000
$6,250,000
$13,611,111
2023
34
$8,000,000
$8,000,000
$21,611,111
2024
35
$8,000,000
$8,000,000
$29,611,111
2025
36
$2,220,406
$4,779,570
$2,220,406
$4,779,569
$31,831,517
$36,611,086
Total
$35,611,087
$1,000,000
$36,611,086
$31,831,517
$36,611,086
2026
37
$17,000,000
$2,000,000
$19,000,000
2027
38
$21,000,000
$21,000,000
Total
$73,611,087
$3,000,000
$76,611,086

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Incentives Cash Cumulative
7 $33,390,681 $1,000,000 - $34,390,680
1 $2,220,406 - - $2,220,406

Injuries

Year Dates Reason
2024 ARI Apr 20, 2024 - Aug 11, 2024 Shoulder
2023 ARI Jun 27, 2023 - Jul 25, 2023 Calf
2021 ARI Aug 15, 2021 - Sep 15, 2021 COVID-19
2021 ARI May 04, 2021 - May 07, 2021 Undisclosed
2020 ARI Aug 24, 2020 - Sep 27, 2020 Shoulder
  • Dec 14, 2025 Signed a 2 year $40 million contract with Arizona (ARI)
  • Jul 31, 2025 Traded to Texas (TEX) from Arizona (ARI) for Kohl Drake, David Hagaman and Mitch Bratt
  • Nov 02, 2024 Arizona (ARI) exercised a $7 million option for 2025
  • Apr 01, 2022 Signed a 2 year $18 million contract extension with Arizona (ARI) - includes 2025 club Option
  • Nov 04, 2021 Arizona (ARI) exercised a $5.25 million option for 2022
  • Nov 01, 2020 Arizona (ARI) exercised a $4.25 million option for 2021
  • Dec 04, 2018 Signed a 2 year $5.5 million contract with Arizona (ARI)
  • Jun 10, 2010 Signed a contract with Tampa Bay (TB)
  • Jun 07, 2010 Drafted by Tampa Bay (TB): Round 8 (#251 overall)
Year Team GP GS H R ER BB K HR W L SV IP ERA WHIP WAR
2025 TEX 32 32 157 79 72 48 167 23 12 9 0 184.0 3.52 1.11 2.90
2024 ARI 13 13 67 35 33 19 63 11 5 1 0 73.7 4.03 1.17 1.00
2023 ARI 30 30 143 71 65 69 187 20 12 8 0 177.7 3.29 1.19 3.89
2022 ARI 33 33 167 77 75 61 177 21 13 8 0 200.3 3.37 1.14 3.77
2021 ARI 27 27 163 82 78 41 130 21 7 11 0 158.0 4.44 1.29 2.42
2020 ARI 5 5 26 9 9 5 29 5 3 2 0 31.3 2.59 0.99 1.28
2019 ARI 32 32 184 95 90 57 158 29 13 14 0 183.3 4.42 1.32 1.17

Calculated Market Value

$15.8M Avg. Annual Salary

Market Value

  • 1 years, $15,788,150
  • Avg. Salary: $15,788,150
  • MLB Rank: 110
  • SP Rank: 43

Current Contract

  • Free Agent: 2028
  • Avg. Salary: $20,000,000
  • MLB Rank: 74
  • SP Rank: 30

Comparable Players

We've selected the following players based on their age, contract status, and statistical production to compare Merrill Kelly to.

Player Length Value Avg. Salary Age When Signed
Jose Quintana 1 $4,000,000 $4,000,000 36
Nathan Eovaldi 3 $75,000,000 $25,000,000 34
Michael Wacha 3 $51,000,000 $17,000,000 33
Miles Mikolas 3 $55,750,000 $18,583,333 34
Averages 3 $46,437,500 $16,145,833 34.3

Base Calculated Value

After adjusting the above contracts as if signed at Kelly's current age (37), a linear regression is performed, providing us with the following initial value.

Length Value Avg. Salary
1 $15,861,111 $15,861,111

Statistical Comparisons

Now we'll compare our variables and Kelly statistically over the two seasons prior to their signing. In this case we're analyzing: GS/Yr, IP, K/9, BB/9, ERA, WHIP, FIP, WAR

Player GS/Yr IP K/9 BB/9 ERA WHIP FIP WAR
Jose Quintana
2023-2024
 22.00 5.59 7.14 3.09 3.66 1.28 4.04 3.24
Nathan Eovaldi
2023-2024
 27.00 5.83 8.50 2.58 3.72 1.12 3.86 3.38
Michael Wacha
2023-2024
 26.50 5.68 8.07 2.66 3.29 1.18 3.77 3.83
Miles Mikolas
2021-2022
 20.50 5.88 6.53 1.98 3.76 1.12 4.14 2.15
Average 24.00 5.75 7.56 2.58 3.61 1.18 3.95 3.15
Merrill Kelly
2024-2025
 22.50 5.73 7.94 2.34 3.78 1.14 4.00 2.96
Pct Change -6.25 -0.35 5.03 9.30 -4.71 3.39 -1.27 -6.03
Median Prime % Change -0.81%
Average Prime % Change -0.11%

Calculated Market Value: Merrill Kelly

After applying our Prime % figures into our base calculated value, we're given two values. The average of these values becomes our current calculated market value.

Terms Avg. Salary
1 years, $15,788,150 $15,788,150
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