Multi-year contracts, and locking up pre-Arb players

[Frobby]

Just dropping a note in this thread about the Tigers locking up Colt Keith before he’s played a major league game.  Terms are 6 years, $26 mm and then 2030 club option at $10MM with a $2.6425MM buyout, 2031 option worth $13MM ($1MM buyout), and 2032 option worth $15MM ($2MM buyout).

[wildcard]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Just dropping a note in this thread about the Tigers locking up Colt Keith before he’s played a major league game.  Terms are 6 years, $26 mm and then 2030 club option at $10MM with a $2.6425MM buyout, 2031 option worth $13MM ($1MM buyout), and 2032 option worth $15MM ($2MM buyout).

That might be significant if it wasn't for the fact that the Tigers are a poorly run organization.

[NJOriolesFan]

I would love to see who of those listed are Boras clients

[emmett16]

7 hours ago, NJOriolesFan said:

I would love to see who of those listed are Boras clients

I believe he becomes the 4th player to sign a contract like that before playing an MLB game.  Other 3 were Chourio, Eloy Jimenez, & Luis Robert.  

[Frobby]

13 hours ago, emmett16 said:

I believe he becomes the 4th player to sign a contract like that before playing an MLB game.  Other 3 were Chourio, Eloy Jimenez, & Luis Robert.  

No, Scott Kingery and Evan White also were signed to long term deals before they ever played a major league game, as detailed earlier in this thread.   So Keith is the 6th to do it.  

[Just Regular]

The Colt Keith one reminds me of Brandon Lowe - infielders who received good not great bonuses.    Bonus of course as Elias has taught me the gold standard on pedigree, though announcers in the future I expect to marvel at "5th round pick" Coby Mayo.

Brandon Lowe 7.6.1994 commanded a $700k bonus, and has hit 279/371/459 in 1400 minors PA.

Colt Keith 8.14.2001 commanded a $500k bonus, and has hit 300/382/512 in 1000 minors PA.    Keith was a high school guy, not a Terp.

For the '24 AL East race, it has been a couple years since Lowe showed All-Star form.    I'm sure he knew when he signed that his future would involve Tyler Glasnows being recycled into Ryan Pepiots at damage to his opportunity to live out the dogpile dreams many of the kids/guys play for.     The last 3 years of his deal if options exercised look like they total to about 3/30.     His contract structure doesn't have a balloon year at the back like Zach Eflin as a signal to other Clubs the player's trade availability is higher that year.

 

[Just Regular]

The Jon Singleton one for me is the most directly lived experience for current Orioles executives - it blew up.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/06/astros-agree-to-extension-with-jon-singleton.html

I believe it may contribute to Elias/Sig being perhaps more risk averse than a league average GM/AGM to guarantee a Player that first $10M in exchange for an option year or three forever from now.     Apart from the market we're in, etc.

[Can_of_corn]

6 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

The Jon Singleton one for me is the most directly lived experience for current Orioles executives - it blew up.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/06/astros-agree-to-extension-with-jon-singleton.html

I believe it may contribute to Elias/Sig being perhaps more risk averse than a league average GM/AGM to guarantee a Player that first $10M in exchange for an option year or three forever from now.     Apart from the market we're in, etc.

Even when they go bad they aren't that damaging.  That's one free agent relief pitcher needing TJ in April.

Edited January 30 by Can_of_corn

[waroriole]

The title of this thread makes me think this should be on the MLB board. Not one of these things has occurred with the Orioles since this thread was created in 2022. 

[SteveA]

32 minutes ago, waroriole said:

The title of this thread makes me think this should be on the MLB board. Not one of these things has occurred with the Orioles since this thread was created in 2022. 

Well, it's sort of implicit in this discussion that this thread provides data relating to the pros and cons of this type of signing and can be a place where we discuss whether the Orioles should try to make similar deals.

So I feel it's appropriate on this board.

[waroriole]

1 hour ago, SteveA said:

Well, it's sort of implicit in this discussion that this thread provides data relating to the pros and cons of this type of signing and can be a place where we discuss whether the Orioles should try to make similar deals.

So I feel it's appropriate on this board.

Sorry don’t mind me just complaining about the team’s refusal to invest. 

Edited January 30 by waroriole

[Just Regular]

Craig Kimbrel and Felix Bautista have multi-year contracts.     Two Hall of Fame relievers!     What do people want?

[Sports Guy]

One to watch:

 

[Frobby]

Just to update some pre-Arb extensions:

1.  Bobby Witt (2 years of service) signed for a guaranteed 11 years, $288.788 mm.  Also, Witt can opt out before any of the final four years, and the Royals have options for three additional seasons.  

2.  SS Ezequiel Tovar (1+ years of service) signed with the Rockies for 7 years, $63.5 mm with an option for 2031 at $25 mm with a $2.5 mm buyout.  

3.  CF Ceddanne Rafaela (<1 year of service) is finalizing an 8 year, $50 mm deal with the Red Sox.  Details to be added when available.  

4.  I’d missed Aaron Ashby, who in mid-2022 signed a 5-year, $20.5 mm deal with options into two FA years at $9 mm at $13 mm.  He then promptly missed the entire 2023 season with a torn labrum that required surgery.  

5.  Brayan Bello, with one year of service, signed a 6 year, $55 mm extension with the Red Sox that also includes $24 mm in performance bonuses and a team option for an extra year at $21 mm with a $1 mm buyout.  

6.  I’d also missed that in 2022, after 1 year of service, the Sox had signed Garrett Whitlock to a 4 year, $18.75  deal through Arb 2, that also provides team options for $8.25 mm for Arb 3 and $10.4 mm for FA 1.   There are performance bonuses that could make the deal worth $44.5 mm if milestones are hit and the options are exercised.  

Edited April 9 by Frobby