The Chicago White Sox may be at the beginning of a rebuild, but they’re not wasting any time locking down players who could be part of their next championship team. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the White Sox have reportedly signed 23-year-old shortstop Tim Anderson to a record-setting six-year, $25 million contract.
At first blush, a six-year, $25 million contract doesn’t seem very record-setting — plenty of players have signed contracts for more money and more years. But in this case, it’s not the just the amount of money that matters, but the major league experience. Anderson has spent just four months in the majors, which makes this contract the largest ever for a player with less than a year of service time. Nightengale also reported that the contract includes two club options, which would keep Anderson with the White Sox until he’s 31 and eliminate two years of salary arbitration and one year of free agency.
Anderson made his major league debut in 2016, playing 99 games for the White Sox. He hit .283/.306/.432 with 22 doubles, six triples, and nine home runs. There’s definitely room for growth and improvement, as there is with every young player, but that’s extremely good for his first time in the majors.
It might seem strange for the White Sox to give out a contract extension to a player who’s spent just four months in the majors, but it’s right in line with their philosophy. They signed Chris Sale to a five-year, $32 million contract in 2013. Adam Eaton got a five-year, $23.5 million contract in 2014, the same year that Jose Quintana signed a five-year, $26.5 million deal. All of these deals, Anderson’s included, locked down young players on team-friendly deals that are easy to trade. And as we saw with Sale and Eaton, that certainly helps when you’re trying to rebuild.
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