Mariners sign rising star Julio Rodriguez for a long-term contract extension

The Seattle Mariners Rising All-Star Player Julio Rodriguez has signed a long-term extension that could be one of the biggest contracts in Major League Baseball history. The Mariners announced the deal during Friday night’s game:

The initial warranty is 12 years and 210 million dollars, Ken Rosenthal reports. With the deal starting next season, that adds up to Rodriguez until the 2034 season, as stated in the Mariners announcement. From there, Rosenthal reported a five-year player option of $90 million, meaning Rodriguez could turn this into a 17-year deal worth $300 million.

A guarantee of at least $210 million makes Rodriguez’s extension the largest-ever contract for a player with less than two years of service time in the Major League. The largest current total contract in MLB history is the $426.5 million extension that Mike Trout signed with the Los Angeles Angels in March 2019.

Rodriguez, 21, quickly realized the promise that made him one of the top overall prospects in every baseball game coming into 2022. In 108 games for Seattle this season, Rodriguez wrote a slash of .269/.328/.471 with 20 Home runs and 23 stolen bases. This combination of strength and speed recently allowed Rodriguez to become the 12th rookie ever to achieve a 20-20 season. In addition, it has so far been ranked as a defensive asset in a vital position in the center of the field. Rodríguez stands as One of the top nominees for this year’s NBA Rookie Award Honours.

Before his extension could be completed, Rodríguez was due to be appointed to the free agency after the 2027 season. Rodríguez originally signed with the Mariners in 2017 as an international free agent outside the Dominican Republic. After that, he thrived in the sailor system and advanced rapidly. Prior to being promoted to Seattle, Rodriguez earned a 0.955 OPS across parts of three seasons despite being much smaller than his peer group in every degree.

This season Rodríguez has been a vital part of the Mariners who are currently on track for 88 wins and last in the AL. The Mariners haven’t reached the postseason since 2001, the longest dry spell in the North American major professional games.