The Rays officially announced Saturday that they have signed Wander Franco to a record length that will keep him under contract for more than a decade. The pact is for 11 years and a guaranteed $ 182 million plus a club option for 2033. If the team exercises the option and the player reaches incentives, he can earn up to US $ 223 million in the next 12 years.
Franco, who was baseball’s No. 1 prospect for two years, lived up to expectations by hitting .288 / .347 / .463 with a historic 43-game streak on base and 3.5 WAR on his debut. He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting despite playing just 70 games.
The Rays have completed extensions like this before. Players like Evan Longoria, Matt Moore, Chris Archer and Brandon Lowe signed long-term contracts early in their careers. But for every official deal, there are amounts of conversations that go nowhere and of which the public is not aware.
This is not an urgent matter in terms of how many years Franco has left under the Rays’ contractual control. Under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, Franco would not be eligible for arbitration until after the 2024 season and would not reach free agency until after the 2027 season ended. Even with the way the Rays constantly change their roles. roster, a potential superstar like Franco wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
It’s a fascinating idea, though: A club with one of the lowest payrolls in the majors reaching a deal for a record extension of more than 10 years with an extremely talented player who has yet to play his first full season in the majors. Leagues, nor has he reached 21 years of age.
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Official: Franco signs extension with the Rays