The Colorado Rockies rewarded Ezequiel Tovar with an extension deal after his 2023 performance.
The two parties agreed on a $63.5 million deal for seven years.
"We are excited to be able to secure Ezequiel's future in Denver with this extension," Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt said.
"He has already proven he is one of the best shortstops in baseball, and we see him as a cornerstone of this franchise for years to come."
Tovar, 22, came to the Rockies in 2017 as an international free agent. From there, he split his time between the rookie-level Grand Junction Rockies and the Low-A Boise Hawks.
Read more: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Claims Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara Stole Money From Him, Told Lies
He played 153 games last season, posting a .253/.287/.408 average with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs. He also tied the Rockies' record for most doubles with 37.
Ezequiel Tovar contract terms
The new deal, which supersedes the one-year contract he agreed on February 29, will keep him with the team until 2030, with a team option for 2031.
The team option can raise the total of his contract to $84 million.
He will receive a $1.5 million signing bonus and a salary of $1.5 million for 2024.
The annual salary will increase every year: $4 million in 2025, $5 million in 2026, $8 million in 2027, $11 million by the following year, $14 million by 2029, and $16 million in the final year.
Best young players by MLB.com
Tovar is among the Top 10 young players to break out in 2024.
"Tovar is certainly going to be a Gold Glove Award candidate going into his sophomore season. If he can add some value at the plate, he'll take a big step in the right direction in 2024," the site wrote about him.
Other names on the list are Henry Davis of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Patrick Bailey of the San Francisco Giants, Joey Wiemer of the Milwaukee Brewers, Grayson Rodriguez of the Baltimore Orioles, Francisco Alvarez of the New York Mets, Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees, Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals, Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros, Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds.
From this list, though, Tovar has one of the most lucrative deals even though he is among the ones who arrived late in the MLB.
Only Francisco Alvarez and Grayson Rodriguez will earn more in 2024. The rest will earn less than $1 million.
Alvarez is in his third year and hit 25 homers as a rookie, joining Matt Nokes (32), Mike Piazza (35), and Wilin Rosario (28) as the only rookies to reach those numbers.
He has already earned $3.7 million in his young career. Based on market projections, he is expected to sign a massive contract soon.
Grayson Rodriguez, 24, is another player expected to make a mark in the MLB 2024 season and be paid handsomely.
The young pitcher already has $5 million in career earnings and $4.3 million through a signing bonus.
Experts also project that he would strike a massive deal in the near future.
Related article: Jackson Chourio Contract, Player Comparison, Age - Getting to Know Brewers' Record-Breaking Prospect
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
