Since the day he first signed as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic, the Mariners have always known they have something special in Julio Rodriguez.
And as he grew from potential-filled prospect, to baseball phenom, to every-day center fielder and now the face of their franchise, the idea of him wearing any other uniform but theirs six years from now wasn’t an option.
Now, they are making sure he stays a Mariners for years to come with a massive long-term contract extension.
Major League Baseball sources confirmed the initial report MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez that the Mariners and Julio Rodriguez are close to finalizing a long-term contract extension with more than $200 million in guaranteed money that could reach up to $450 million with bonuses and incentives.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the deal is for 14 years and includes player and team options.
As a 21-year-old rookie, Rodriguez has been the Mariners best player this season. In 108 games, he’s posted a .269/.328/.471 slash line with 19 doubles, three triples, 20 homers, 64 RBI, 64 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. Per Baseball Reference, he has 4.3 wins above replacement, which is highest on the team. With a solo home run on Wednesday, he became the first Mariners player to tally 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season since Mike Cameron did it in 2003 and the first rookie to do it since Marty Cordova of the Twins in 1995. He is the fastest player in American League history to reach 20 homes and 20 stolen bases in his career, accomplishing it in 107 games, surpassing Mike Trout, who did it in 112 career games.
He’s the leading candidate for the American League Rookie of the Year award and was the Mariners’ initial selection for the 2022 All-Star game.
Rodriguez’s mixture of charisma and talent accentuated by the joy that he brings to the field every day has already elevated him into a superstar status in the Pacific Northwest reminiscent to Ken Griffey Jr.’s arrival in 1989.
His performance in the home-run derby where he finished second to Juan Soto while displaying his ebullient personality and Herculean baseball gifts to a national audience has elevated him as one of the future stars of Major League Baseball.
This story will be updated.