Bryan Woo’s breakout 2025 campaign didn’t just earn him accolades on the field – it’s now paying off in a big way off it, too. The Seattle Mariners right-hander has landed one of the largest pre-arbitration bonuses in Major League Baseball, pocketing a $1,540,676 reward for his All-Star season.
That figure nearly doubles Woo’s reported 2025 salary of $783,000 and stands as a testament to just how impactful he was this year. For context, the league minimum in 2025 sat at $760,000. Woo’s bonus ranks as the fourth-highest handed out from the pre-arbitration pool, trailing only NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (Pirates), Cristopher Sánchez (Phillies), and Hunter Brown (Astros).
And make no mistake – Woo earned every cent.
The 25-year-old was lights out in his second full MLB season, going 15-7 with a 2.94 ERA and a sparkling 0.93 WHIP across 30 starts. He racked up 198 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings – both career highs – and showed the kind of command and poise that teams dream of in a front-line starter. His performance didn’t just help anchor the Mariners’ rotation; it put him squarely in the national spotlight.
Woo earned his first All-Star selection, finished fifth in American League Cy Young voting, and was named to the All-MLB Second Team – all major milestones for a pitcher who’s still a year away from arbitration eligibility, which kicks in for him in 2027.
Seattle fans have been watching Woo’s development closely, and 2025 felt like the season where everything clicked. He combined elite strike-throwing with a fastball that played up in big moments, and his ability to work deep into games gave the Mariners a chance to win almost every time he took the mound. The bonus is a reflection of that value – not just in stats, but in presence.
Woo wasn’t the only Mariner to cash in from the pre-arb bonus pool. Outfielder Dominic Canzone also received a reward for his breakout season, pulling in $222,066 after a strong showing in the second half of the year.
Canzone, 28, spent much of 2024 in the minors, but made the most of his opportunity in 2025. He slashed .300 with an .840 OPS, adding 11 doubles and 11 home runs over 82 games. His emergence gave Seattle a much-needed offensive boost, especially in the outfield, and his bonus reflects a season that far exceeded expectations for a player earning the league minimum.
Elsewhere, Seattle native and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll received the fifth-highest bonus at $1,341,674 – another nod to the depth of young talent making waves across the league.
These bonuses come from MLB’s pre-arbitration pool, a system born out of the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the MLBPA. The idea is simple: reward players who outperform their early-career salaries. Bonuses are tied to award finishes – MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, All-MLB honors – and a WAR-based formula fills in the rest.
Players can only receive one bonus per year, based on the highest qualifying award. The top payouts include $2.5 million for MVP or Cy Young winners, $1.75 million for second place, and $1 million for fourth or fifth place finishes or All-MLB First Team selections. Woo’s All-MLB Second Team nod slotted him into the $500,000 tier, with the rest of his bonus coming from the WAR formula.
In a sport where young stars often outperform their paychecks, the pre-arb bonus pool is a step toward closing that gap. For Woo and Canzone, it’s more than just a check – it’s recognition of a season that helped define the Mariners’ 2025 campaign.
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