The Dodgers introduced at present that they’ve signed catcher Will Smith to a ten-year extension which runs by 2033. It’s reportedly a assure of $140MM with no opt-outs for the Apex Baseball shopper, although with deferrals. Smith will get a $30MM signing bonus, a wage of $13.55MM in 2024, salaries of $13MM from 2025 to 2027, $9.5MM from 2028 to 2032 and $9.95MM in 2033. The deferrals can be paid out at a price of $5MM yearly from 2034 to 2043 and the deal can have a aggressive steadiness tax hit of $12.2MM. As a result of this deal overwrites Smith’s earlier $8.55MM wage for the 2024 season, the pact is successfully a nine-year, $131.45MM deal when it comes to new cash.
It’s an early birthday current for Smith, who turns 29 tomorrow and has considerably quietly been probably the greatest catchers within the sport in recent times. Courting again to his 2019 debut by the tip of 2023, he hit 91 residence runs and drew walks in 10.9% of his plate appearances. His .261/.357/.483 batting line coming into the 2024 season interprets to a 128 wRC+. Amongst certified catchers over that span, solely Mitch Garver and Adley Rutschman had the next wRC+. Every of these two have been at 130 however in precisely half as many plate appearances.
His glovework has additionally acquired robust grades, together with 26 Defensive Runs Saved so far in his profession. Statcast considers him to have been roughly league common when it comes to blocking and controlling the working sport. It’s much less enthused about his framing however FanGraphs considers him to be proper round par in that division, whereas Baseball Prospectus considers him to be effectively above common. His 15.8 wins above alternative from FanGraphs for the reason that begin of 2019 are second amongst main catchers, behind solely J.T. Realmuto.
Smith was going into his second of three arbitration seasons. He made $5.25MM final yr and prevented arbitration again in January by agreeing to a wage of $8.55MM for 2024, although that wage has now been overwritten by the aforementioned $13.55MM determine. He would have been eligible for one more go at arbitration in 2025 earlier than qualifying totally free company after his age-30 season, however the Dodgers have locked him up as an alternative.
The construction of the contract stands out as uncommon, as a ten-year deal for a catcher is unprecedented. Per MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, which has information going again to the 2009-10 offseason, no backstop has ever signed a deal longer than eight years. Every of Joe Mauer, Buster Posey and Keibert Ruiz signed eight-year extensions, the longest offers for catchers previously decade-plus.
Catchers typically expertise a substantial amount of put on and tear as a result of rigors of the place, which may make it tough to attain longevity within the place. When it comes to offers three years or longer, the oldest age for the participant’s remaining season was 37, which applies to the three-year deal Carlos Ruiz signed with the Phillies again in 2013 and an extension Yadier Molina signed with the Cardinals. Russell Martin’s five-year cope with the Blue Jays went into his age-36 season, the oldest age for the ultimate season of any deal longer than three years for a catcher.
The Dodgers have dedicated to Smith for a long term than any of these offers and later into his profession. However in doing so, it appears they have been in a position to compromise when it comes to the typical annual worth and aggressive steadiness tax hit, which relies on AAV. Smith’s AAV can be simply $14MM earlier than accounting for deferrals, which decrease the present-day worth of the deal to $12.2MM. Mauer acquired a assure of $184MM and a $23MM AAV again in 2010. Posey acquired $166.5MM and a $20.8MM AAV in 2023. Martin’s five-year deal got here with an $82MM assure and $16.4MM AAV again in 2014.
That isn’t to counsel that Smith is nearly as good as these gamers, merely to level out that the assure isn’t as unprecedented because the size. Whereas the ten-year span is a brand new report for catchers, there are 13 offers with greater AAVs listed on the Contract Tracker.
Smith was probably taking a look at one shot at a life-changing deal when he hit free company after 2025, however he’ll lock up that cash now as an alternative of ready. Maybe he’s sacrificing some future incomes energy however he now foregoes any danger of a major damage chopping into these plans. The Dodgers get to maintain a catcher who has established himself as a key piece of the roster whereas tamping down the posh tax hit. The size of the deal will hold it on the books for a very long time however the modest wage shouldn’t be an albatross for a high-spending membership just like the Dodgers.
In the long term, there’ll inevitably be questions that have to be answered in regards to the domino results of this deal. Smith might have to be moved from behind the plate to a delegated hitter position over time however the presence of Shohei Ohtani will forestall Smith from getting any type of common position within the DH slot. The Dodgers even have three catching prospects which might be thought of to be high 100 skills in Diego Cartaya, Dalton Speeding and Thayron Liranzo. As these gamers strategy the majors, the membership may very well be going through a little bit of a logjam, although that might be drawback to have and will enable the Dodgers to bolster different areas of the roster through commerce.
For at present, it’s a pleasant little bit of safety for each the participant and the membership, cementing a relationship that had a ticking clock with lower than two years remaining.
Juan Toribio of MLB.com. first reported that the 2 sides have been engaged on a deal. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic first had the ten-year size whereas Jeff Passan of ESPN had the assure. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com added that there’s some deferred cash. Dylan Hernández of the Los Angeles Occasions relayed the signing bonus and the shortage of opt-outs. Feinsand later offered the complete breakdown and the CBT calculation.
