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The 2024 MLB free agent class was full of players, particularly at the top. The offseason was unusual regarding when these players signed, yet nearly all of them fared well. Here are the most valuable contracts inked back then.
Most valuable MLB free agent signings from 2024
5) Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray got out ahead of the free agency circus by signing early for a lot. The St. Louis Cardinals inked the former All-Star to a three-year, $75 million deal. That $25 million salary is tied for the fifth-most any player signed for over the offseason. That's not bad considering how star-studded the 2024 class truly was.
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4) Cody Bellinger
Cody Bellinger had to wait for a long time to sign his contract. He barely returned to the building with the Chicago Cubs before Opening Day. It wasn't as long-term as he had initially hoped, but his contract was still very lucrative in comparison to most free agents.
He inked a three-year, $80 million deal that pays him $26.67 million per season, the fourth-most among signed 2024 free-agent contracts.
3) Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes were real last offseason. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees and New York Mets all reportedly offered him around $300 million total.
Ultimately, he signed with the Dodgers for 12 years, $325 million at an AAV of $27.08 million. It was a lot for an unproven player, but he's been magnificent in 2024.
2) Blake Snell
Opening Day came and went for Blake Snell without a new contract, but he eventually landed with the San Francisco Giants. He didn't get the years he initially wanted, but he did get the second-highest AAV.
The 2023 NL Cy Young winner signed for two years and $62 million, making him the second-highest-paid player from the 2024 class.
1) Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani had the biggest contract in American sports history, so he ranks at the top of this list. His unique two-way skills paved the way for a monstrous contract totaling $700 million with a $70 million AAV.
The Dodgers did some wizardry with how and when they paid him that money, but he's still the most valuable baseball contract ever and that may never change.
