Miami

Marlins Near 7-Year Deal With Christian Yelich: Report

Christian Yelich and the Marlins are reportedly close to agreement on a 7-year contract

The Miami Marlins are on the verge of of signing Christian Yelich to a 7-year contract, according to a report from Yahoo.

The deal is expected to be worth nearly $50 million and shows a great deal of confidence in a player with little service time. Yelich was not going to be arbitration eligible until 2017 and then would have had three years in that process. Under this new deal, Yelich will be under team control through the 2021 season. There is also an option for the 2022 season worth an additional $15 million.

This deal shows a change in attitude for the Marlins who did not work out a similar deal with Giancarlo Stanton or Miguel Cabrera early in their careers. Stanton ended up signing a record-setting 13-year pact while Cabrera was shipped out when his price began to rise.

Yelich has done a lot in his brief time as a big leaguer. Sitting atop the Marlins lineup the last two years, Yelich has tallied a .285 batting average to go along with a .365 on-base percentage. In his first full year, Yelich improved upon his rookie campaign and became a critical part of the lineup.

This season, Yelich will likely hit second in the batting order between Dee Gordon and Stanton. His production could end up the most important in Miami's lineup. If Yelich does not reach base, Stanton could find himself walked more often than not. With Gordon expected to steal bases often, first base could be vacated often while Yelich is up.

The Marlins could still work out more extensions with their young talent. Those names could include Marcell Ozuna, Jose Fernandez and Adeiny Hechavarria among others.

Contact Us