Although the 22-year-old has yet to debut in the major leagues, Detroit didn’t hesitate to secure the second baseman, offering a significant six-year, $28.6 million contract extension.
The Detroit Tigers believe Colt Keith has the potential to become a second baseman like Gleyber Torres of the New York Yankees. Keith, 22, has never played a day in the majors. A six-year, $28.6 million signing for Colt Keith would save the Tigers about $12 million and give them three years of control if they’re right.
What if they were wrong? Well, that’s very expensive, but the kind of money a franchise can bring in, as the Philadelphia Phillies losing Scott Kingery and Evan White to the Seattle Mariners ($24 million each over six years) shows is not.
That’s why this agreement makes sense for both parties. The Tigers can buy at least three more years of control and get a player at a discount if he contributes every day. They also send a signal that the organization is committed to its young players as a result of the rebuild.
Colt Keith gains financial security and leaves behind the usual cost issues that most young players face.
You will see more of these offers, but they will be limited in number. These contracts make sense from a risk/reward perspective if 1) the player is a high-level player who has performed consistently well in the minors; 2) The organization knows the size of its players so well that it is confident that financial security will not dampen the player’s desire to be bigger. 3) He is a position player. Pitchers are hard to predict, mostly because of injuries.
Here’s what else you need to know about the deal:
Keith is a left tackle who is slightly taller than Jeff Kent. Keith is a solid offensive player with good hitting skills, above average strength for a second baseman, and a modern approach. Consider fellow left-hander and first baseman Jason Kipnis. While Keith is a quiet, eager fool, Kipnis has become a team leader in Cleveland. One commenter said the Kipnis comparison was too low. “I think he can be a better offensive player.” Kipnis is a two-time All-Star and has a career OPS of .750 and an OPS+ of 102.
Clot Keith can also play third base, but the Tigers expect him to focus on second base this offseason, where he must prove he can play regularly to earn a starting spot.
The Tigers’ top second baseman Jace John, 23, will spend most of his time at third base, having only played in the Arizona Fall League.
The Detroit Tigers have plenty of young left-handed pitchers. Keith, Jung, Riley Green, 23 yrs. Parker Platy, age 24, age 24. and Kelly Carpenter, 26, are all legitimate hitters who are already ready or will be ready soon. This is similar to the scheme the Arizona Diamondbacks and Baltimore Orioles used to build their playoff teams last year.
Just when you thought that if changeups were banned, the focus would be on the defensive ability and second basemen’s athleticism, but hitting the second baseman became a trend. Keith is a starter with Edward Julien of the Minnesota Twins and Nolan Gorman of St. Louis.
Louis Cardinals (another great player for Colt Keith), joins veterans like Torres, Jose Altuve, and Brandon Lowe, and excels at defense.He is probably… the most famous starter on offense. Asked about the trend, one official explained, “Investigating violations is probably harder than ever.”
Mr. Torres will earn $36,225,000 over his six-year tenure with the company. Mr. Colt Keith will earn $24 million over the same period. He’s going to have to pay another $4,642,500 in buyouts in years 7, 8, and 9, but if he’s going to match Torres, those three will be taken away and Detroit will essentially In other words, buy his first three years for free for millions $38.
There are maturity issues associated with senior performance that could make the contract worthwhile. Torres, who is making $14.2 million this year, is a free agent for the same three years, making $1 million 45 (DJ LeMahieu money).and $69.9 million (Javier Báez Fund). ). This is a general estimate. Strive to maximize your annual return or spend less on safety purchases.
Colt Keith was a better pitcher in the minors than his contract teammates, Kingery and White, at the time of his contract, and he was a better pitcher than his current major league teammates, Torres and Gorman. With these selected comps, he looks most like Kipnis with a bit more power and swing and miss:
Minor League Statistics When Reaching Majors
| Player | G | AVG/OBP/SLG | OPS | K% |
| Keith | 239 | .300/.382/.512 | .894 | 21.5 |
| Kipnis | 254 | .297/.377/.486 | 863 | 17.6 |
| Gorman | 350 | .270/.339/.496 | 834 | 27.5 |
| White | 230 | .296/.361/.471 | 832 | 20.4 |
| Torres | 376 | .285/.363/.421 | 784 | 20.2 |
| Kingery | 329 | .284/.324/.437 | 761 | 16.6 |
Colt Keith becomes the seventh player to commit to a long-term contract prior to making his major league debut. Among the preceding six, two, Luis Robert Jr. (six years, $50 million) and Eloy Jiménez (six years, $43 million), have seen success. However, three deals, involving Kingery, White, and Jon Singleton (five years, $10 million each), have proven less favorable, while Jackson Chourio (eight years, $82 million) is just embarking on his journey.
