Seattle Mariners

Reports: Mariners ink star rookie OF Julio Rodríguez to megadeal

Julio Rodríguez is going to be with the Seattle Mariners for a long time, and will be paid very handsomely as well.

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As was first reported by MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez and ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the superstar rookie center fielder is signing a contract extension with the Mariners that will make him one of the highest-paid players in baseball.

Per Sanchez, the deal is worth more than $200 million guaranteed and can be worth up to $450 million with escalators. Per Passan, the deal is “complicated” but is $210 million guaranteed for 14 years with a number of player and club options as well.

Rodríguez was one of the Mariners’ top prospects for years since signing as an international free agent for $1.75 million in 2017 at 16 years old and quickly became one of the best prospects in baseball.

Rodríguez broke camp with Seattle as the team’s everyday center fielder and has thrived. In 108 games, the rookie has slashed .269/.328/.471 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs and 23 stolen bases while worth 4.3 WAR. He became one of nine players 21 and younger to reach the 20 homer-20 stolen bases mark and is the youngest player in American League history to do so.