The St. Louis Cardinals weren't active in free agency or on the trade market this offseason, but they just took care of one of their own players - second baseman Kolten Wong.
Wong agreed to a five-year contract extension, the Cardinals announced on Twitter and via a press release. The deal also comes with a team option for the 2021 season.
Wong, 25, was not eligible for arbitration until next offseason, but St. Louis made a prudent financial move in locking him up through his arbitration years in addition to his first few years of free agency. The team did not report the financial details of the contract, but Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reported the second baseman will earn $25.5 million over the next five years. Additionally, the team option is worth $12.5 million (or a $1 million buyout). Stay tuned for an update from the Cardinals on that front.
The first-round selection in the 2011 draft made his MLB debut in 2013 and has been the team's starting second baseman for the past two seasons. He owns a career .250/.303/.374 stat line with 129 runs scored, 23 home runs, 103 RBI and 38 stolen bases in 295 career games.
This is a good deal for both sides, as St. Louis likely saves money in the long run while Wong is given some financial security early on in his MLB career. The Cardinals are banking on Wong making progress in subsequent seasons, especially after his rookie campaign in 2014, during which he finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. He hit 12 home runs and stole 20 bases in just 113 games.
Last year some of his numbers took a dip, but Wong improved on most fronts after hitting .262/.321/.386 with 71 runs scored, 11 home runs, 61 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 150 games.
Wong's deal mirrors that of Jaime Garcia's (five years, $38.5 million), Matt Carpenter's (six years, $52 million) and Lance Lynn's (three years, $22 million), as the Cardinals seemingly prefer to avoid the arbitration process in its entirety for some players.
The Cards are hopeful Wong continues on his current path. The youngster has accumulated a 4.3 WAR as well as 14 defensive runs saves (DRS) over the past two seasons (263 games).
