The Phillies announced on Thursday that the club signed outfielder Odubel Herrera to a five-year contract extension which will take the two sides through the 2021 season. Per Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Herrera is guaranteed $30.5 million. The contract includes club options for the 2022 and ’23 seasons worth $11.5 million and $12.5 million, respectively, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
Herrera, 24, would have been eligible for his first of three years of arbitration after the 2017 season. Brought up as a second baseman, the Phillies selected Herrera from the Rangers in the Rule 5 draft two years ago and moved him to center field. While he still needs some work on his routes, Herrera’s speed allowed him to make up for it and become a plus-defender. Over the last two seasons, he’s also hit .291/.353/.419 with 23 home runs, 90 RBI, 151 runs scored, and 41 stolen bases in 1,193 plate appearances.
Herrera was the Phillies’ lone representative at the 2016 All-Star Game.
The rebuilding Phillies have very little money on the books. Herrera’s is the first of what should be a handful of contract extensions the club agrees to in the next couple of seasons.
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