From November 2012 through May 2013, 27 players with less than six years of Major League service signed contract extensions. 23 of these deals were signed after January 15th, and it's safe to say extension season will begin this year a little before the January 17th figure exchange date for arbitration eligible players.
Here's the breakdown by service time from the last extension period:
- 1-2: 2
- 2-3, not Super Two: 2
- 2-3, Super Two: 4
- 3-4 years: 4
- 4-5 years: 8
- 5-6 years: 7
It was a pretty even distribution – four players who were not yet arbitration eligible were extended (all in March or later), while at the other end of the spectrum, seven players were headed into their contract years and signed extensions instead. Here's a look at each team's speculative extension candidates. The date of the team's last multiyear deal for a player with less than six years of service is in parentheses.
- Angels (2-5-13): Mike Trout
- Astros (7-13-13): Jason Castro
- Athletics (4-11-11): Jed Lowrie, Brandon Moss, Jim Johnson, Luke Gregerson, Craig Gentry, John Jaso, Josh Donaldson, A.J. Griffin, Jarrod Parker
- Blue Jays (3-27-13): Colby Rasmus, Brett Cecil
- Braves (1-4-11): Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Craig Kimbrel, Kris Medlen, Mike Minor, Chris Johnson, Andrelton Simmons, Julio Teheran
- Brewers (3-13-13): Jean Segura
- Cardinals (3-8-13): Matt Carpenter, Trevor Rosenthal, Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn
- Cubs (5-13-13): Jeff Samardzija, Travis Wood, Nate Schierholtz, Welington Castillo
- Diamondbacks (12-20-13): Mark Trumbo, Gerardo Parra, Pat Corbin, Wade Miley, A.J. Pollock
- Dodgers (2-7-12): Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen
- Giants (3-29-13): Brandon Belt, Pablo Sandoval
- Indians (2-7-13): Justin Masterson, Jason Kipnis, Corey Kluber
- Mariners (1-5-11): Kyle Seager
- Marlins (12-19-10): Giancarlo Stanton, Steve Cishek, Jose Fernandez
- Mets (4-4-12): Dillon Gee, Daniel Murphy, Bobby Parnell
- Nationals (1-18-13): Jordan Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Doug Fister, Stephen Strasburg, Tyler Clippard, Wilson Ramos, Bryce Harper
- Orioles (2-9-13): Chris Davis, Tommy Hunter, Matt Wieters, Manny Machado, Chris Tillman
- Padres (9-5-12): Andrew Cashner, Chase Headley, Ian Kennedy, Everth Cabrera, Tyson Ross, Eric Stults, Jedd Gyorko
- Phillies (2-19-12): Kyle Kendrick, Ben Revere, Domonic Brown
- Pirates (12-11-13): Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez, Mark Melancon, Gerrit Cole, Starling Marte
- Rangers (11-7-13): Jurickson Profar
- Rays (12-3-13): David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Alex Cobb, Chris Archer, Wil Myers, Desmond Jennings
- Red Sox (1-19-13): Junichi Tazawa, Xander Bogaerts
- Reds (2-12-13): Homer Bailey, Aroldis Chapman, Mike Leake, Todd Frazier
- Rockies (2-11-13): Nolan Arenado, Wilin Rosario, Tyler Chatwood, Rex Brothers
- Royals (3-30-12): Greg Holland, Eric Hosmer, Luke Hochevar, Lorenzo Cain
- Tigers (1-12-11): Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Austin Jackson
- Twins (12-6-12): No likely candidates
- White Sox (3-7-13): Jose Quintana
- Yankees (2-1-08): Ivan Nova, David Robertson, Brett Gardner
With over 100 extension candidates listed, obviously I have taken an inclusive approach. In each case, it makes sense to evaluate the history of the team, GM, and agent. For example, the Yankees generally don't do multiyear deals with their players before they reach free agency, though their contract six years ago with Robinson Cano was a huge win. And while agent Scott Boras typically encourages his clients to explore free agency, he was open to precedent-setting early deals for Elvis Andrus and Carlos Gonzalez (and was perhaps ordered to broker the team-friendly contract for Carlos Gomez).
I encourage you to explore the possibilities with extension candidates using the myriad of tools available at MLB Trade Rumors, including our extension tracker and arbitration tracker.
I think the Yankees should consider locking up Nova if he has a good year this upcoming season. You see the writing on the wall with pitching cost and it makes little sense to wait until he hits free agency.
I always thought they should have locked up Gardner, but he is about as good as gone with Ellsbury in tow I believe. He wants to be a center fielder and he should be.
D-Rob should be locked up now. He is a high-level setup reliever and those guys aren’t cheap. He has had fair consistency after his highlight season. Lock em up!
Could not agree more!
It would be wise for the Giants to lock up Brandon Belt. Doing so sooner than later will likely work in their favor, especially if the second half of his 2013 is an indication of where he will pick up in 2014 (and hopefully, it is!).
With the TV deal, Brown needs to be locked up to a lesser Craig/Goldschmidt type deal. It wouldn’t hurt his trade value either.
I really think miggy needs to be signed soon or free agent market for him
Jon Lester needs to be added to the list.
He has 6+ service. This is looking at guys that are 0-6.
For this post, I kept it to players with less than six years of Major League service.
I think the Tigers should trade Scherzer or Porcello and not extend Scherzer and sign Tanaka. They will save money and will get some good young prospects. Maybe Porcello and Perez to the Jays for Loup and a pitching prospect not named Sanchez. Then your rotation is Scherzer/Verlander/Sanchez/Tanaka/Smyly.
And then extend Jackson, Martinez,Carbrera and Dirks.
Forget Bogaerts and his teamate JBJ. Both have aligned (or maligned) themselves early on to Boras. Any kind of early extension will be a gross overpay, like Andrus got.
For Sox guys with less than 6y, I’d like to see Andrew Miller on a 2y extension with team option on a 3rd since lefty specialists have hit the jackpot the last few years and not many of the ones who have hit it big boast a 97-99mph fb and knee bender curve. he’d be a big loss when/if he’s allowed to leave after he hits FA next winter.
Pablo Sandoval is another Giants candidate, I think; he has less than 6 years of service time and hits FA for the first time next year. Sabean has already talked about extending the Panda before the season starts. I love Sandoval but I think this would be a mistake because of his weight issues.
Have you seen the 3B free agents next year? Sandoval is 3 years younger than the next youngest one and he’s still a top 10-12 3B in MLB. An extension should have already happened.
Extend one of Desi or Zimmermann (whichever one seems more open to it) then wait and see if the MASN/Nats arbitration case is ever resolved (it probably won’t be, ever). Maybe then they can push past that $140 million limit Kilgore and Wagner guesstimated.
Extension on Cecil by the Blue Jays before trading him w/ Batista to the Mariners for James Paxton, Justin Smoak (possible replacement to Lind if he leaves to play elsewhere as rumored), Stefan Romero, Julio Morban, and John Hicks for AA and Jack Z can pull off the trade. What will it cost to acquire Cecil & Batista that will help both teams?
Highly doubt the Jays deal both of those guys without a Walker coming back in return.
If Taijuan Walker gets traded before the off season is over, what pitchers can the Seattle Mariners draft in the first round between Carlos Rodon (NC State), Brian Finnegan (Texas Christian), and Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) to recover for the possible big loss after the trade?
This is exactly why the Twins spending spree this off season has little negative impact on the teams future. They have no current players worthy of locking into deals so they for the next few years they can afford to be aggressive on the market. Though if Dozier improves on last season they might consider extending him.
I agree, Dozier seems the closest one to a candidate but there’s not much reason to do anything this winter. In theory, they could try to do something crazy with Buxton or Sano…the Rays probably would be trying right now.
Noticed the Twins are the only team missing candidates. Closest I can think of for them would be Dozier, Fien, and maybe Florimon.
Man that Braves list is depressing, basically the entire young core needs to be extended.
Angels really need to put a very large offer on the table to Trout now. Something in the 10/280 range. That would make him the highest paid player in MLB history (making Trout happy) and I’d much rather see LAA sign him to a ten year deal when he’s 22 than when he is 30.
I hate the Yankee policy of not talking contract during spring training or during the season before a player becomes a free-agent. They probably could have locked in Cano for something like 8/170 last spring training. Now we have Dean Anna, woooooohoooo!
Luke Hochevar!?
Seattle Mariners & Detroit Tigers should pull off the trade by packaging Rick Porcello or Max Scherzer and Andy Dirks to the Mariners for Erasmo Ramirez, Tyler Pike, catching prospect John Hicks (could be the starting or backup catcher for the Tigers in 2016 if either current catchers are free agents after 2015 season), Justin Smoak as an insurance at first base/DH, and either Leon Landry or Julio Morban. Porcello or Scherzer can be a reliable third or fourth starting pitcher in Seattle, while Dirks can provide offense & depth in the outfield to get the team back on track to end the drought of losing seasons for the past decade by making the playoffs just like the Pirates did the past season. What will it take for the Mariners to acquire Porcello/Scherzer & Dirks by sending some pieces to the Tigers?
Hey Tim I believe if I am not mistaken that Ernesto Freri (spell check) of the Angels would fall into the extension range for the halos as well. Seeing as to his recent success in the pen and his total years of league play he is one of the very few Angel bullpen arms that is actually worthy of it. Seeing the market this season on back end guys like Nathan, Benoit etc etc it would not be a bad move.