What’s the difference between a regular agent and Scott Boras? A regular agent gets you paid, and Scott Boras gets you paid.
Boras’ reputation precedes him, and he lived up to the pedigree this past offseason. Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, Dylan Cease, Pete Alonso, and Ranger Suárez all signed contracts exceeding $140 million, and that’s not including Tigers ace Tarik Skubal’s MLB-record $32 million arbitration victory. There’s a reason why many of the sport’s best players link up with Boras ahead of hitting free agency.
Scott Boras clients who should seek a contract extension in 2026
Given his track record, it’d be hard to blame Boras for urging his clients to avoid suggesting they sign an extension this year. However, some might prefer to ensure their financial security in the short term rather than take the risk of holding off and then potentially losing their leverage following an injury or regression. We’ve identified four such players, including multiple who have positioned themselves to clear at least $100 million with their next contract.
Elly De La Cruz, SS, Cincinnati Reds
Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall confirmed this past offseason that the Reds offered De La Cruz an extension last year, though he didn’t expand on the details. However, The Athletic reported that the offer would have exceeded the 10-year, $225 million extension that Joey Votto signed in 2012.
Call it an unpopular decision, but I would have taken the contract if I were De La Cruz. Yes, he’s a five-tool player, but he’s an abysmal defender, and all it takes is one significant injury for the Reds to reconsider giving him a massive extension. To his credit, though, De La Cruz cut his strikeout rate from 31.3% to 25.9% in roughly the same number of plate appearances last year, and he’s still only 24.
Jeremy Peña, SS, Houston Astros
Peña has quietly been among the sport’s top shortstops in recent years, and he took a long-awaited next step offensively last year. After averaging a .707 OPS in his first three seasons, Peña posted an .840 OPS and 5.6 bWAR over nearly 550 plate appearances. With Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa in the back half of their careers, Peña and Yordan Alvarez have solidified their place as the next generation of Astros stars — assuming, of course, that Houston keeps Peña around long-term.
I’m not sure why the Astros wouldn’t want to re-sign Peña if he’s open to staying in Houston. He turns 29 in September and won’t hit free agency until 2028, so I suggest that he cash in if the Astros give him the opportunity. It’s worth noting that Pena was reportedly in deep discussions about a contract extension before switching to Boras last year.
Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels
After years of struggling to hit at the big-league level, Adell broke out with 37 home runs, 98 RBIs, and a .778 OPS for the Angels last year. Now, he’ll have a chance to prove those numbers weren’t a fluke, especially with Mike Trout’s injury history and disappointing 2025 season.
Adell has two years of team control remaining, and all it could take is a strong start to land him a multi-year extension. He won’t break the bank, nor should the Angels even contemplate such a decision. Nonetheless, we’ll see if Adell can show why the Angels made him the No. 10 pick nearly a decade ago.
Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Detroit Tigers
Torkelson’s 2.3 bWAR and .789 OPS last year marked career highs, though he went just 6-for-32 with 11 strikeouts in the playoffs. He doesn’t turn 27 until August, and there’s no reason to think that the Tigers won’t want to extend their starting first baseman. Torkelson, the 2020 No. 1 pick, is under team control through 2029.
Even if Torkelson doesn’t hit for average, his 11.1% walk rate last year makes us optimistic that he can grow into a reliable power hitter that the Tigers can also trust to consistently get on base. He almost won’t command the contract numbers that De La Cruz will, and it’s hard for me to envision him getting paid more than Peña, but the Tigers don’t need to pay him that kind of contract.
More MLB news and analysis: