Among the Brewers’ core of young players, Sal Frilick has become an integral part of the Brewers’ outfield. Frilick was known for his strong defense during his first few years in the majors. He then took it to the next level in 2025 and became a threat in the batting order, further increasing his value. With four years left on the team, he’ll also be entering an arbitration year where he can command a hefty salary. With several other players also filing for arbitration at the same time, does Frilick’s contract extension make sense? If so, what would it look like?
In 2025, Frilick became a threat on the offensive end and his career took a big step forward. He hit .288/.351/,405 in 594 games and also had 12 home runs, 63 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. That’s good for 110 OPS+ and 3.6 fWAR. He did take a step back defensively, but still has positive value (nine defensive points saved in 2025, compared to 16 points saved in 2024). Frilick also has a 2024 Gold Glove Award on his resume. Earlier today, Paul released the Brewers’ 2026 ZiPS projections. They let Frelick take a step back but still had a strong season with 572 PA, 100 OPS+, and 2.6 WAR.
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Frilick’s salary won’t be an issue in 2026, as he’s still a pre-arbitration player and will be near the major league minimum. However, his first year of arbitration is approaching and should be in 2027. He will be one of several young players to be subject to arbitration at the same time. With so many potential arbitration players in the future, an extension can provide some salary certainty. If the Brewers wanted to make that happen with Frilick, what would it look like? What other players could provide good comparisons?
In terms of comparable players right now, one of the best I can find is Steven Kwan of the Guardians. In 2025, he batted .272/.330/.374 with 11 home runs and 21 stolen bases. He posted a 3.2 fWAR and won four consecutive Gold Glove Awards. Frelick is great offensively, but Kwan is great defensively (32 DRS in left field between 2024 and 2025). While Kwan has yet to sign a contract extension, he is entering his second season in arbitration. Mr. Kwan will earn $4.175 million in the first year of 2025, with an estimated salary of $8 million in 2026.
Another player who provides a good comparison is the Reds’ TJ Friedl. Friedel is more of a threat offensively than defensively, but has some similar numbers. In 2025, he hit .261/.364/.378 with 14 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases — for an fWAR of 2.9. Friedell’s best season came in his first full season in the majors, when he hit 18 home runs, 66 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and a 4.1 fWAR in 138 games. Friedel also has upside playing midfield, but has negative overall defensive value (-10 DRS in 2025). He is entering his first year of arbitration with a projected salary of $4.9 million.
However, when it comes to re-signing young outfielders, one of the current standards is set by the Pirates’ Brian Reynolds. Reynolds signed an eight-year contract extension in 2023 worth $106.75 million. That’s also after he signed a two-year, $13.5 million contract as a Super Two player in 2022. Reynolds came into these contracts with a stronger resume, having posted a 3.7 fWAR season in 2019 and a 6.3 fWAR season in 2021. He has since calmed down, but has regularly found himself in the second league. WAR range for each season between 2022 and 2024. Last season was his worst year since 2020, with 1.1 fWAR in 154 games. In his final three arbitration years, he earned $7 million, $10.25 million, and $12.25 million, respectively. This will be his first year as a free agent, and he will make $14.25 million this season as part of his extension. He is signed for $15.25 million per year from 2027 to 2030.
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While Reynolds signed the contract after a string of very good seasons, it does help set the standard for what to expect from Frilick. Even accounting for inflation, it’s hard to see him getting more than what Reynolds did in the extension. Frilick also won’t have as many years of free agency to buy out. Since he’s already 25, an extension won’t prevent him from trying free agency after his contract ends. He could sign a five-year deal and then become a free agent at age 30.
Taking these factors into consideration, Frilick’s contract extension may look like this. The structure below will be extended for five years in the amount of $41.5 million.
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2026: $1 million (last year before arbitration)
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2027: $4.5 million (first year of arbitration)
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2028: $8.5 million (second year of arbitration)
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2029: $12.5 million (last year of arbitration)
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2030: $15 million (first year of free agency)
Since Frilick still has one year of pre-arbitration time, he won’t get much in 2026 as he’ll still be making around the minimum. The arbitration amount puts him in line with what players of his ilk will get, while his production will be slightly less than what Reynolds would get in an extension.
This is a reasonable improvement for wages, but there are some reasons not to. First, Frilick has dealt with some injuries in 2025. He missed some Illinois games with a hamstring injury and also suffered a knee injury late in the season. While neither scenario is expected to last until 2026, it’s still worth watching. Additionally, outfielder is one of the “easier” positions to fill. While it may be difficult to play right field like Frilick did, outfielders tend to be plentiful and players can shift to the position more easily.
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Frilick has proven his place in this team over the past few years. He continues to improve and develop as a player and has a track record of getting stronger year after year. As the young Brewers continue to emerge, payroll will continue to be a concern in the coming years. An extension for Frilick could help resolve these issues and retain a core player for years to come.
