The RosterResource Pages Are Now in Offseason Mode

The RosterResource Depth Charts and Payroll pages are officially in offseason mode, meaning that all free agents have been removed from their 2022 teams and a projected 26-man roster for Opening Day 2023 is displayed. Additionally, our Free Agent Tracker, Offseason Transaction Tracker, Injury Report, and Closer Depth Chart are also live.

As roster moves occur and news is reported, each feature will be updated almost immediately. Here’s an explanation of these very important offseason features.

Roster/Depth Chart

These visual interpretations of each team’s projected roster and organizational depth are always updated to reflect the latest news around the league. It’s important to note that the offseason pages project an Opening Day roster. Once we incorporate 2023 statistical projections — you can always see the latest here and here — you will notice that certain players currently listed in the Minor League section have a significant amount of projected playing time and are expected to play an integral role during the upcoming season. The same goes for players who are on the Projected Injured List or, in the case of Fernando Tatis Jr., on the Restricted List for the first 20 games of the season.

If you find yourself scratching your head about a particular projection, it’s very likely that you’ve just discovered a team need. Or, considering how many position battles aren’t resolved until late in Spring Training, we might just have differing opinions on who currently has an edge for a role or a roster spot.

Since offseason moves do not become official right away, I use my best judgement to decide when a free agent signing or trade is reflected on the site. There have been a few occasions over the years when I have had to “undo” a reported move (i.e. when Dexter Fowler agreed to a contract with the Orioles on February 23, 2016 before re-signing with Cubs on February 25, 2016). For the most part, a roster move will be reflected once enough credible reporters have confirmed that it’s a done deal.

Options remaining and Rule 5 eligibility have been updated through the 2022 season. These are unofficial and based on my own count. Certain players can be granted a fourth option, which is usually not widely reported. Major league service time is also updated through the 2022 season.

If a player has an “R5” in the “Options or R5 status” column, they are projected to be eligible for the Rule 5 draft on December 7. Players not on the 40-man roster who show options remaining because of previous major league experience are also eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Teams have until November 15 to add players to their 40-man roster, which protects those who would have otherwise been exposed in the Rule 5 draft.

Below the 26-man roster projection is a Projected Injured List, 2023 Contract Options section, and the “Minor Leaguers You Should Know” section, sorted by primary position. The purpose of this section is to identify players who are moving through the farm system toward the majors. Once I determine that a player is no longer making progress, I remove them from the page.

Below is an overview of the criteria I have used to determine whether a player is notable enough to be included.

Players are automatically included if they meet any of the following criteria:

• On the 40-man roster.
• Is a non-roster invitee (not on the 40-man roster) to major league camp during 2023 spring training.
• Is a top 30 prospect in the organization, per the most recent rankings on The Board.
• Was selected in the top 10 rounds of the last two amateur drafts.

Players are also included if they’ve met some combination of the following criteria:

• Had a productive 2022 season:
  • Typically a .700+ OPS or better for position players; could be slightly lower for catchers, second basemen, shortstops, and center fielders if speed, on-base ability, and/or defense are strong attributes.
  • Typically a sub-4.00 ERA with average BB/9 rate (4.0 and under) and above-average K/9 rate (8.0 and over), with the caveat that relievers in the low minors must do significantly better to be recognized.
• If a player did not meet the criteria based on statistical production, other factors such as ceiling, position, age, and level are taken into account.

A more thorough explanation of this feature can be found here.

Payroll

Here is what is included on our Payroll pages:

• Contract details (years, total, options, and opt-outs)
• Year-by-year salary breakdown
• Major league Service Time (updated at the conclusion of each season)
• Arbitration eligibility and Free Agency years
• AAV (average annual value of contract)
• Luxury tax estimate

During the offseason, the salary breakdown for a new contract is spread evenly as an “estimated salary” until official numbers are reported. Estimated salaries will be displayed in italics. Projected salaries for arbitration-eligible players, courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors, are displayed in italics with a light green background.

With the luxury tax penalties playing an important role in how much teams spend on their rosters, we have an entire section on each page that shows a breakdown of how we came up with the projection, as well as a luxury tax explanation.

A more thorough explanation of this feature can be found here.

Free Agent Tracker

Our 2023 Free Agent Tracker is now live. There are currently around 240 players on the list; more will be added during the weeks following the postseason as teams continue to clear space on their 40-man rosters. The tracker will also be regularly updated throughout the offseason as qualifying offers are made, accepted, and rejected, and free agents find their new homes.

You can filter by status (signed/unsigned), previous team, and signing team, and export the data for your own analysis. You can also sort by a player’s handedness, age, 2022 WAR, and 2023 projected WAR.

Also displayed are the results of our annual contract crowdsourcing project, which include median contract total, years, and average annual value. Unsurprisingly, FanGraphs’ readers were nearly right on the money by predicting a five-year, $100 million contract for reliever Edwin Diaz, who re-signed with the Mets for five years and $102 million.

Offseason Transaction Tracker

Slightly different than our normal Transaction Tracker, which gives readers the ability to see a running list of transactions, our offseason version helps to answer simple questions such as: What roster moves did I miss? Which players has each team added? Which players has each team lost?

If you only want to see one specific type of transaction, you can toggle between free agents, extensions, contract options, trades, arbitration, and anything else related to the 40-man roster. For specific team lists, each transaction is marked as an addition (+), subtraction (-), or neutral.

• “Additions” include any player acquisition that isn’t a re-signing.
• “Subtractions” include any player who becomes a free agent or leaves via trade or waiver claim.
• “Neutral” means that the transaction did not involve a player switching teams or becoming a free agent.

As of now, my Twitter account is the main source of communication in regards to anything related to the RosterResource depth charts and features. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to report any errors.