Free Agent

 What is a Free Agent?

A free agent in baseball is a player who is not under contract with any team, and thus is free to sign with any team he wishes. In Major League Baseball, a player can become a free agent if he has played at least six years without signing a new contract, or has been sent to the minors six times.

Additionally, an amateur player who is not selected in the draft becomes a free agent

How is the term Free Agent used?

Free agency gives veteran players the opportunity to earn more money and play on a team of their choosing. Early in their careers, player salaries are limited by minimums and the arbitration system. Once players reach free agency, teams have no limit on the amount of money they can offer. The open market creates more leverage for players to get large contracts.

Free agency only became widely possible following a decision by arbitrator Peter Seitz in the cases of Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally. The two had played the 1975 season without a signed contract and challenged the reserve clause that allowed teams to retain their services indefinitely in the absence of such a contract: Messersmith and McNally argued successfully that teams were limited to exercise this option for one year only, after which their contractual obligation should be considered to have terminated. Facing the prospect of masses of players becoming free agents in future years, major league owners set up rules to govern how free agency would take effect

Free Agent Examples

You can see a list of players signed as free agents in a given year on the Transactions page on Baseball Reference.

Filed under Terms