The Case: Langford enters arbitration after three seasons of consistent offensive performance, posting at least a 112 wRC+ in all three seasons. He qualified in each of his first two seasons before falling short of qualification in his platform year, and he enters arbitration with 1,601 career PA, 55 HR and a 115 wRC+.

Oneil Cruz (2025, $3.3M salary) and Alec Burleson (2025, $3.3M salary) provide the recent historical foundation as 2x qualifiers with similar career bulk and power. Cruz entered with 1,553 career PA, 60 HR and a 100 wRC+, while Burleson entered with 1,541 PA, 48 HR and a 107 wRC+. Both qualified in their platform years and Burleson also carried a Silver Slugger, which gives the historical group clear platform-year and awards advantages despite Langford’s superior career offensive quality.

On the surface, that places Langford around the $3.3M group, but the current class should pull him higher. Andy Pages (2026, $3.7M proj. salary) enters with 1,641 career PA, 63 HR and a 112 wRC+, Wilyer Abreu (2026, $3.65M proj. salary) has 1,630 career PA, 63 HR and a 115 wRC+, while Jordan Walker (2026, $3.55M proj. salary) enters with 1,706 career PA, 56 HR and a 101 wRC+.

Langford’s career quality fits much better with this current-class group than the $3.3M lookback group, which allows him to move past the historical placement. However, his failure to qualify in the platform year and lack of the platform-year awards carried by some of these current-class comps should keep him at the very bottom of this tier.

The Rangers will argue that Langford not qualifying in his platform year separates him from this group and should also keep him below the lookback comps at $3.3M. It is a solid argument, but the career consistency that Langford possesses is something he does better than anybody in both the lookback comps and current-class comps and keeps him attached to that group. I project Langford at a $3.525M total salary.

Tender Prediction: Langford will be tendered a contract. This will be very interesting to monirot with how the current class shakes out and ending in a hearing wouldn’t be the most surprising outcome. Tender.

EVAN CARTER (2.170): $1,625,000

The Case: Carter enters arbitration after totaling 442 PA with 9 HR, 38 RBI, 16 SB and a 75 wRC+ in his platform year, bringing his career line to 899 PA, 24 HR, 90 RBI, 35 SB and a 93 wRC+.