On Monday morning, the Cardinals and shortstop Paul DeJong finalized a six-year extension worth $26 million. According to several sources - including USA Today’s Bob Nightengale - it is the largest deal for a player with less than one year of service time.
As Derrick Goold reported, the deal also features two option years; these could bring the total value of the contract near $50 million.
DeJong debuted in late May last season and did not look back, as he quickly became the team’s everyday shortstop and one of the lineup’s premier power hitters. In 108 games, DeJong smashed 25 home runs with a 122 wRC+, helping equate to a 3.0 WAR. DeJong finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting to Dodgers All-Star Cody Bellinger.
The Cardinals and DeJong spoke about an extension in the early days of spring training, and those talks continued even after an agreement was reached on his salary for the 2018 season. DeJong is not arbitration-eligible until after the 2020 season and he would not be a free agent until after 2023 season. That kind of control gives the Cardinals considerable leverage when it comes to signing a longterm deal, but it also offers a sense of the shape his extension could take.
A year ago, the Cardinals agreed to terms with Stephen Piscotty on an extension right at the start of the regular season. In past years, the Cardinals have reached contract extensions with Allen Craig, Matt Carpenter, and Kolten Wong.
The 24-year-old DeJong, selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2015 Draft, batted .285/.325/.532 with 25 home runs and 65 RBIs in 108 games for St. Louis in 2017. He finished second to the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger in National League Rookie of the Year Award voting.
DeJong recorded an .857 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, third highest among MLB shortstops, during his first season in the big leagues.
