The Braves have agreed to terms with 22-year-old second baseman Ozzie Albies on a long-term contract extension. Albies' new deal will pay him $35 million over seven years and also includes two option years. The club made the announcement on Thursday:
The Atlanta Braves today agreed to terms with INF Ozzie Albies on a seven-year contract extension through 2025 worth $35 million, with club options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/lzIYsn7PaM
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 11, 2019
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Told two option years for Albies are $7M each with $4M buyouts. So if both picked up, #Braves get Albies for 9 years, $45M.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 11, 2019
Albies was an All-Star in and 2018 put up an OPS+ of 102 with plus defense at second base and 14 stolen bases. After his hot start to 2019, he now boasts a career OPS+ of 106. Albies was ranked as high as the No. 11 overall prospect while in the minors, and given his track record of thriving despite being younger than his peer group he indeed has All-Star upside.
He's already a standout fielder at second base, and his bat still hasn't reached its upside. As such, this deal projects as possibly a massive bargain for the Braves. Assuming those two options are picked up, they'll have Albies under team control through his age-30 season and in the process buy out four of his free agent years. If they pick up those options, the Braves' total investment will be $45 million. Again, this is an absurd bargain from the standpoint of the team and, truth be told, a massive undersell of his long-term value on the part of Albies.
Albies' reported deal comes not long after the Braves inked Ronald Acuna, a generational young talent, to an eight-year, $100 million extension that includes options for 2027 and 2028. With those two foundational contributors locked up for years to come at discount rates, the Braves are well positioned to continue being a force in the NL East.
