It all adds up. Right now, Leon is the 16th highest paid player on our 40 man roster.
Again, I'm not for trading JBJ, but let's assume no JBJ, Leon, Wright, Hembree and all the FAs-to-be: Porcello, Moreland, Pearce, Nunez, Holt?, Thornburg, here's what we have for next year:
31 Price
28 Betts (projected last arb)
25 Sale
22 JD
20 Bogey
17 Eovaldi
14 Pedey (maybe get him to retire)
7 ERod (3rd of 4 arbs)
4 Vaz
4 Beni (1st of 3 arbs)
3 Barnes (2 or 3 arb)
2 Workman (3 of 3)
$177M +$15M player benefits= $192M
That leaves $16M for 14 ML players and 15 minor leaguers.
Pre-arb: Devers, Brasier, Chavis, Johnson, Velazquez, Brewer, Lin, Poyner, Walden, DHernandez, Lakins, Shawaryn, STravis?, DReyes?, JSmith?, JTaylor?, Chatham (rule 5 keeper) & Dalbec (rule 5 keeper). Maybe Ockimey and another rule 5'er or Feltman. That leaves 7-9 minor league slots open, not counting anyone we sign or keep.
14 ML contracts x min wage= $8-9M
15 minor league deals= $3M
That leaves us $5M to upgrade over a min salary player, maybe more if we trade some more salary or Pedey retires (in my dreams, I know).
We can maybe keep Holt or sign a low-cost pen arms, and have this for our 25 man roster:
SP (5): Sale, Price, Eovaldi, ERod, DHernandez
SP/RP (2): Johnson, Velazquez
RP (5): Barnes, Brasier, Workman, __FA__? (or Brewer, Lakins or Feltman)
C (2): Vaz & Centeno
1B (1): Devers
2B (2): Pedey & Holt?
3B (1): Dalbec
SS (1): Bogey
LF (1): JD
CF (1): Betts
RF (1): Beni
DH (1): Chavis
25th Man: Lin or Chatham (Duran?)
That's 4-5 rookies or near rookies on the 25 man roster.