In recent weeks, the Cardinals have locked up ace Carlos Martinez and franchise catcher Yadier Molina for years to come, and now they’re agreed to terms with right fielder Stephen Piscotty on a multiyear contract extension that runs through the 2022 season and includes an option for 2023. The team announced the deal on Monday.
As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, the deal will guarantee Piscotty $33.5 million. The 2023 option is for $15 million but incentives and escalators could push that figure to $18 million. In other words, the contract is potentially worth more than $50 million.
Piscotty, 26, was originally the 36 overall choice of the 2012 draft out of Stanford. He’s batted .282/.349/.467 across, as of Sunday night, parts of three big-league seasons and shown much better power since retooling his swing. He’s also a capable defender in right field.
Piscotty entered the 2017 season with one year and 76 days of major-league service time. That means he’s not arbitration-eligible until after the 2018 season and isn’t slated for free agency until after the 2021 season. As such, his new contract will cover all of Piscotty’s arbitration years and two free agent years provided the option is exercised.
