Finding value in every roster spot.

Research

Studies of how clubs build, use and value rosters, from 2000 to 2025, plus minor league and transaction records since 2015. Each one asks a single question and shows its work.

Studies

  1. Player evaluation

    What Carries Over From Triple-A

    Strikeout rate travels to the majors almost intact. The batting line does not. And hitters 28 and older get a fraction of the chances, though their numbers translate just as well.

  2. Roster construction

    How Much Depth Is Worth

    Depth now throws 25% of a club's innings, and the gap between the best and worst depth in a season averages 18 wins.

  3. Transactions

    After the DFA

    Clubs designate 57% more players than a decade ago. Half clear waivers, and 60% of the players who are claimed get designated again within a year.

  4. Injuries

    Where Players Get Hurt

    Elbow placements are up 129% since 2015, against 24% for shoulders. The elbow now leads every body part for pitchers, ahead of the shoulder.

  5. League trends

    What the 2023 Rules Changed

    Steal attempts jumped 33% in one season and success hit a high. Left-handed hitters got back to even on balls in play, but not to their old edge.

  6. Player evaluation

    How Hitters Age Now

    Hitters still peak in their mid-20s, but they decline faster after 30. By 34 the typical hitter is 60 points of wOBA off his peak, against 44 in the 2000s.

The Long View

How Deep Clubs Go

Clubs use more players than they did 25 years ago, and their starters carry less of the load.

Players used per club

Average club, with the range from fewest to most. 2020 was a 60-game season.

3040506070802000200520102015202020252000: 46.0 (clubs ranged 36 to 56)2001: 44.6 (clubs ranged 35 to 53)2002: 44.0 (clubs ranged 35 to 59)2003: 44.9 (clubs ranged 34 to 57)2004: 44.8 (clubs ranged 36 to 58)2005: 44.3 (clubs ranged 36 to 55)2006: 45.9 (clubs ranged 37 to 57)2007: 46.1 (clubs ranged 40 to 54)2008: 46.1 (clubs ranged 39 to 59)2009: 46.3 (clubs ranged 41 to 56)2010: 45.2 (clubs ranged 37 to 57)2011: 46.3 (clubs ranged 42 to 55)2012: 46.9 (clubs ranged 38 to 56)2013: 46.9 (clubs ranged 39 to 56)2014: 47.8 (clubs ranged 39 to 64)2015: 49.5 (clubs ranged 40 to 60)2016: 49.4 (clubs ranged 41 to 60)2017: 49.8 (clubs ranged 41 to 61)2018: 51.1 (clubs ranged 41 to 63)2019: 52.2 (clubs ranged 43 to 67)2020: 45.3 (clubs ranged 38 to 61)2021: 56.9 (clubs ranged 45 to 69)2022: 56.1 (clubs ranged 43 to 68)2023: 53.8 (clubs ranged 41 to 66)2024: 55.0 (clubs ranged 44 to 70)2025: 56.4 (clubs ranged 44 to 71)
SeasonAverageFewestMost
202556.44471
202455.04470
202353.84166
202256.14368
202156.94569
202045.33861
201952.24367
201851.14163
201749.84161
201649.44160
201549.54060
201447.83964
201346.93956
201246.93856
201146.34255
201045.23757
200946.34156
200846.13959
200746.14054
200645.93757
200544.33655
200444.83658
200344.93457
200244.03559
200144.63553
200046.03656
Source: Roster Memo count of Retrosheet data

Share of innings thrown by a club's top five starters

Innings thrown by each club's five pitchers with the most starts.

20%40%60%80%2000200520102015202020252000: 56% (clubs ranged 40% to 69%)2001: 56% (clubs ranged 46% to 67%)2002: 56% (clubs ranged 44% to 72%)2003: 57% (clubs ranged 41% to 71%)2004: 56% (clubs ranged 47% to 69%)2005: 59% (clubs ranged 42% to 72%)2006: 55% (clubs ranged 39% to 71%)2007: 56% (clubs ranged 40% to 66%)2008: 55% (clubs ranged 44% to 66%)2009: 53% (clubs ranged 38% to 66%)2010: 57% (clubs ranged 45% to 66%)2011: 58% (clubs ranged 46% to 68%)2012: 55% (clubs ranged 34% to 70%)2013: 55% (clubs ranged 44% to 68%)2014: 55% (clubs ranged 43% to 65%)2015: 53% (clubs ranged 41% to 65%)2016: 52% (clubs ranged 39% to 65%)2017: 50% (clubs ranged 35% to 60%)2018: 50% (clubs ranged 32% to 63%)2019: 48% (clubs ranged 30% to 59%)2020: 49% (clubs ranged 36% to 59%)2021: 46% (clubs ranged 36% to 57%)2022: 48% (clubs ranged 35% to 59%)2023: 47% (clubs ranged 38% to 57%)2024: 48% (clubs ranged 31% to 61%)2025: 48% (clubs ranged 37% to 57%)
SeasonAverageFewestMost
202547.5%36.6%56.7%
202447.8%30.6%61.2%
202346.7%37.7%57.2%
202248.3%35.0%58.6%
202146.1%35.6%57.3%
202048.9%36.3%58.5%
201948.4%29.7%59.1%
201849.7%32.1%62.8%
201750.1%35.0%60.1%
201652.1%38.7%64.7%
201553.0%40.5%65.1%
201455.2%42.5%65.4%
201355.2%43.7%68.4%
201254.5%34.0%69.9%
201157.9%45.6%67.8%
201057.1%45.3%66.0%
200953.4%38.3%66.3%
200855.3%43.7%65.7%
200755.5%40.2%66.2%
200654.8%39.3%71.1%
200558.9%42.1%72.0%
200456.4%46.8%68.5%
200357.2%40.9%71.2%
200256.2%44.2%71.6%
200156.1%46.3%66.7%
200055.6%39.7%69.0%
Source: Roster Memo count of Retrosheet data

Share of plate appearances taken by a club's top nine hitters

Plate appearances taken by each club's nine hitters with the most.

50%60%70%80%90%2000200520102015202020252000: 73% (clubs ranged 67% to 84%)2001: 74% (clubs ranged 62% to 84%)2002: 74% (clubs ranged 63% to 84%)2003: 73% (clubs ranged 58% to 84%)2004: 74% (clubs ranged 62% to 84%)2005: 75% (clubs ranged 60% to 86%)2006: 74% (clubs ranged 64% to 84%)2007: 75% (clubs ranged 64% to 87%)2008: 73% (clubs ranged 61% to 83%)2009: 73% (clubs ranged 59% to 83%)2010: 73% (clubs ranged 62% to 82%)2011: 72% (clubs ranged 57% to 84%)2012: 72% (clubs ranged 58% to 86%)2013: 73% (clubs ranged 62% to 84%)2014: 73% (clubs ranged 62% to 85%)2015: 73% (clubs ranged 65% to 82%)2016: 74% (clubs ranged 62% to 82%)2017: 73% (clubs ranged 61% to 84%)2018: 72% (clubs ranged 64% to 82%)2019: 72% (clubs ranged 62% to 80%)2020: 75% (clubs ranged 67% to 83%)2021: 70% (clubs ranged 56% to 81%)2022: 72% (clubs ranged 58% to 83%)2023: 73% (clubs ranged 61% to 87%)2024: 73% (clubs ranged 63% to 81%)2025: 74% (clubs ranged 62% to 86%)
SeasonAverageFewestMost
202573.5%62.2%86.0%
202472.9%62.7%81.1%
202372.6%61.1%87.2%
202271.6%57.7%83.3%
202169.8%56.0%80.6%
202075.4%66.9%83.1%
201971.7%61.5%80.0%
201872.4%64.2%81.8%
201773.2%60.7%83.6%
201673.7%62.2%81.7%
201572.7%65.0%82.2%
201472.6%61.6%84.9%
201372.8%61.5%83.9%
201272.1%58.4%85.6%
201171.7%57.0%83.9%
201072.6%61.7%82.2%
200973.1%58.7%83.4%
200873.2%61.4%83.1%
200774.9%63.9%87.3%
200673.9%63.5%83.7%
200574.8%60.2%85.9%
200474.1%62.2%83.7%
200373.0%58.2%84.2%
200273.9%63.0%83.8%
200173.7%61.9%83.5%
200072.5%66.9%83.8%
Source: Roster Memo count of Retrosheet data

Who Plays

Debuts, and how old the players taking the at-bats and innings are.

Major league debuts

Players who made their major league debut that season. 2020 was a 60-game season.

1502002503003502000200520102015202020252000: 2042001: 1992002: 2042003: 1822004: 2082005: 2062006: 2212007: 2112008: 2382009: 2042010: 2032011: 2392012: 2062013: 2302014: 2342015: 2552016: 2572017: 2622018: 2472019: 2612020: 2122021: 2652022: 3032023: 2612024: 2552025: 243
SeasonValue
2025243
2024255
2023261
2022303
2021265
2020212
2019261
2018247
2017262
2016257
2015255
2014234
2013230
2012206
2011239
2010203
2009204
2008238
2007211
2006221
2005206
2004208
2003182
2002204
2001199
2000204
Source: Roster Memo count of Retrosheet data

Average age of hitters, weighted by playing time

Each hitter's age, weighted by his plate appearances.

2828.52929.5302000200520102015202020252000: 29.62001: 29.72002: 29.72003: 29.72004: 29.82005: 29.72006: 29.72007: 29.62008: 29.32009: 29.42010: 29.42011: 29.32012: 29.02013: 29.02014: 29.02015: 28.92016: 29.02017: 28.82018: 28.62019: 28.42020: 28.62021: 28.92022: 28.82023: 28.52024: 28.52025: 28.4
SeasonValue
202528.4
202428.5
202328.5
202228.8
202128.9
202028.6
201928.4
201828.6
201728.8
201629.0
201528.9
201429.0
201329.0
201229.0
201129.3
201029.4
200929.4
200829.3
200729.6
200629.7
200529.7
200429.8
200329.7
200229.7
200129.7
200029.6
Source: Roster Memo count of Retrosheet data

Average age of pitchers, weighted by innings

Each pitcher's age, weighted by his innings.

28.528.82929.329.529.82000200520102015202020252000: 29.32001: 29.12002: 29.22003: 29.12004: 29.52005: 29.52006: 29.12007: 29.12008: 28.92009: 28.72010: 28.72011: 28.72012: 28.82013: 28.72014: 28.92015: 28.82016: 28.72017: 28.92018: 28.82019: 28.82020: 28.72021: 29.12022: 29.22023: 29.42024: 29.42025: 29.6
SeasonValue
202529.6
202429.4
202329.4
202229.2
202129.1
202028.7
201928.8
201828.8
201728.9
201628.7
201528.8
201428.9
201328.7
201228.8
201128.7
201028.7
200928.7
200828.9
200729.1
200629.1
200529.5
200429.5
200329.1
200229.2
200129.1
200029.3
Source: Roster Memo count of Retrosheet data

The Shuttle

Moves between the majors and minors, from MLB transaction records.

Options to the minors

Optional assignments to the minors, all clubs. 2020 was a 60-game season.

7501,0001,2501,5001,7502,0002015202020262015: 1,2152016: 1,2572017: 1,3422018: 1,4782019: 1,5312020: 9612021: 1,8592022: 1,6812023: 1,5572024: 1,5122025: 1,5222026: 1,542
SeasonValue
20261,542
20251,522
20241,512
20231,557
20221,681
20211,859
2020961
20191,531
20181,478
20171,342
20161,257
20151,215
Source: Roster Memo count of MLB transactions

Injured list placements

Injured list placements with major league clubs. The 10-day list replaced the 15-day list in 2017, and 2020 and 2021 carried COVID-era rules.

4006008001,0001,2001,4002015202020262015: 5162016: 5492017: 6962018: 7302019: 7232020: 5302021: 1,3002022: 1,0572023: 8892024: 8302025: 8602026: 888
SeasonValue
2026888
2025860
2024830
2023889
20221,057
20211,300
2020530
2019723
2018730
2017696
2016549
2015516
Source: Roster Memo count of MLB transactions

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at "www.retrosheet.org".