How many accrued seasons does a player need to qualify for Exclusive Rights Free Agency?

To qualify for Exclusive Rights Free Agency, a player must have zero accrued seasons. This means that a player who has not yet completed a full season of service is still eligible for this status. Exclusive Rights Free Agency is designed to allow teams to retain players who are relatively inexperienced and have not yet built a substantial enough career to warrant broader free agency rights.

Players in this category can be retained by their current team if the team offers them a one-year contract at the league minimum salary. This allows teams to maintain control over young or less experienced players, ensuring that they are not lost to other teams during free agency.

In contrast, players with accrued seasons (1 or more) are subject to different types of free agency classifications, which grant them greater freedom and negotiating power. Understanding this distinction helps clarify the purpose of Exclusive Rights Free Agency in maintaining roster continuity for teams while balancing player mobility based on experience.