Talent Evaluator Predicts Gerrit Cole Will Aim for $300 Million Contract Right Away in Free Agency

Arguably the top player in the 2020 MLB free agent market is 28-year-old Astros flamethrower Gerrit Cole, currently coming off of a season in which he led the AL in ERA and strikeouts while taking Houston to the World Series.

With Houston unlikely to retain him as they look to stay under the luxury tax, several suitors will be willing to pony up a sum north of $300 million in order to seduce Cole to join their team.

One highly ranked evaluator predicts that the first ask from Gerrit Cole’s camp will be north of $300 million.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 12, 2019

If Cole continues to pitch at the transcendent level he reached last year, $300 million might be a bargain.

Cole went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA last season, striking out 326 and putting together a season that is likely going to win him the AL Cy Young. Cole has reinvented his style thanks to Astros pitching coach Brent Strom, and mastery of both the high 100 MPH fastball and dynamic curveball has made him baseball's single-most dominant pitcher.

To land Gerrit Cole and/or Stephen Strasburg teams like the #Yankees #Angels #Dodgers #Giants need to prepare for the fact that Cole is going to get close to $288m and Strasburg approximately $238m…here is the breakdown with comparable:https://t.co/tPJPGYo4K7
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) November 12, 2019

The best teams in baseball should be willing to give Cole a blank check if it means he'll help them get over the championship hump.