Merrill Kelly

Arizona Diamondbacks, Starting Pitcher
Age: 36-49d (Oct 14, 1988)
Exp: 6.000 Years
Country: US
College: Arizona State
Drafted: Round 8 (#251 overall), 2010
Agent(s): Apex Baseball
2025 Payroll Salary

$7,000,000

2025 Cash

$7,000,000

Career Earnings

$29,611,111

2023-2025 Extension (CURRENT)

Merrill Kelly signed a 2 year , $18,000,000 contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, including $1,000,000 signing bonus, $18,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $9,000,000. In 2025, Kelly will earn a base salary of $7,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $7,000,000 and a dead cap value of $1,000,000.
Contract Terms:
2 yr(s) / $18,000,000
Average Salary:
$9,000,000
Signing Bonus:
$1,000,000
Free Agent:
2026 / UFA
Year Age Status PayrollAnnual Luxury Tax Tax % League Tax Cash Annual Cash Cumulative
2023 34 $8,500,000 $9,000,000 3.86% $8,000,000 $8,000,000
2024 35 $8,500,000 $9,000,000 3.80% $8,000,000 $16,000,000
2025 36
Club
$7,000,000 $7,000,000 2.90% $7,000,000 $23,000,000
2026 37
UFA
Year Age Service Status Base Salary Signing Proration Incentives Likely Incentives Unlikely Payroll Salary Luxury Tax
2023 34 4.000 $8,000,000 $500,000 - - $8,500,000 $9,000,000
2024 35 5.000 $8,000,000 $500,000 - - $8,500,000 $9,000,000
2025 36 6.000
Club
$7,000,000 - - - $7,000,000 $7,000,000
2026 37 --
UFA
Year Age Status Base Salary Cash Total Cash Cumulative AYC Cumulative AYC Remaining
2023 34 $8,000,000 $8,000,000 $8,000,000 $8,000,000 $7,666,667
2024 35 $8,000,000 $8,000,000 $16,000,000 $8,000,000 $7,500,000
2025 36
Club
$7,000,000 $7,000,000 $23,000,000 $7,666,667 $7,000,000
Contract Notes
  • 2025 Club Option includes a $1M buyout
Source: MLB contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

2019-2022 free-agent-xxb

Merrill Kelly signed a 2 year , $5,500,000 contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, including $5,500,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $2,750,000.
Contract Terms:
2 yr(s) / $5,500,000
Average Salary:
$2,750,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
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2010-2010 Signing Bonus

Merrill Kelly signed a 1 year , $125,000 contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, including $125,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $125,000.
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $125,000
Average Salary:
$125,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
Spotrac Premium Tools
To see the rest of the Merrill Kelly's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Already Subscribed? Login Here
Seasons

6.000 Years

Career Earnings thru 2025

$29,611,111

Earnings w/ Different Teams

1 team

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2019 30
Active
$2,000,000
$2,000,000
2020 31
Injured
$1,111,111
$3,111,111
2021 32
Active / Club Exercised
$4,250,000
$7,361,111
2022 33
Active / Club Exercised
$6,250,000
$13,611,111
2023 34
Active
$8,000,000
$21,611,111
2024 35
Active
$8,000,000
$29,611,111
Total      
$29,611,111
$29,611,111
2025 36
Active / Club Exercised
$7,000,000
Total
$36,611,111

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Incentives Cash Cumulative
6 $28,611,111 $1,000,000 - $29,611,111
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
Total
$28,611,111
$1,000,000
$29,611,111
$29,611,111
2025
36
$7,000,000
$7,000,000
Total
$35,611,111
$1,000,000
$36,611,111

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Incentives Cash Cumulative
6 $28,611,111 $1,000,000 - $29,611,111

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
  • 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
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 1.19

Calculated Market Value

$17.3M Avg. Annual Salary

Market Value

  • 2 years, $34,568,606
  • Avg. Salary: $17,284,303
  • MLB Rank: 72
  • SP Rank: 26

Current Contract

  • Free Agent: 2026
  • Avg. Salary: $9,000,000
  • MLB Rank: 143
  • SP Rank: 53

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
Sonny Gray 3 $75,000,000 $25,000,000 34
Yu Darvish 6 $108,000,000 $18,000,000 36
Kyle Gibson 1 $13,000,000 $13,000,000 36
Seth Lugo 3 $45,000,000 $15,000,000 34
Averages 3 $60,250,000 $17,750,000 35.0

Base Calculated Value

After adjusting the above contracts as if signed at Kelly's current age (36), a linear regression is performed, providing us with the following initial value.

Length Value Avg. Salary
3 $53,803,278 $17,934,426

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, GP%, WAR

Player GS/Yr IP K/9 BB/9 ERA WHIP FIP GP% WAR
Sonny Gray
2022-2023
 28.00 5.42 8.88 2.70 2.94 1.14 3.12 17.28 4.72
Yu Darvish
2021-2022
 30.00 6.02 9.94 2.04 3.66 1.02 3.60 18.52 3.39
Kyle Gibson
2022-2023
 32.00 5.62 7.54 2.58 4.89 1.33 4.20 19.75 0.67
Seth Lugo
2022-2023
 13.00 2.40 9.08 2.35 3.59 1.19 3.80 27.08 3.50
Average 25.75 4.87 8.86 2.42 3.77 1.17 3.68 20.66 3.07
Merrill Kelly
2023-2024
 21.50 5.84 8.59 2.91 3.66 1.18 4.05 13.23 3.87
Pct Change -16.50 19.92 -3.05 -20.25 2.92 -0.85 -10.05 -35.96 26.06
Median Prime % Change -3.05%
Average Prime % Change -4.20%

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
2 years, $34,568,606 $17,284,303

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TRANSACTIONS

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)

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