9. Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia Phillies, $7.7 million value; $575,000 salary
The Phillies may be a bit underwhelmed by Hoskins’ MLB production thus far. Following a promising 2017 when he launched 18 home runs in just 212 plate appearances, he had developed, if that’s not too strong a word, into a .240 hitter with acknowledged 30-home run power but also with numerous holes in his swing.
Given that he’s just completed his age 26 season and will not be arbitration-eligible until 2021, the Phillies can afford to wait. Beyond that, the data demonstrates that if Hoskins has not blossomed into superstar status he certainly is valuable.
His .454 slugging average, very much mid-range for the position, shows the growth Hoskins still needs to make. It translates to a value of slightly below $3.9 million. His base-reaching skills are another and more positive story. Hoskins drew a league-leading 116 walks in 2019, spiking a .364 on base average that valued out to more than $2.5 million.
Considering he made $575,000, barely more than the league minimum, that’s a nice return on investment.
He also worked at his job. Hoskins delivered nearly 1,400 innings on the field, tops at the position and worth nearly $1.2 million. His total of 122 assists, in part a byproduct of all that time on the field, ranked third and amounted to another $104,000.