Braves, Austin Riley agree to 10-year, $212 million extension, giving him largest contract in team history

Mon, Aug 1, 2022
MLB News (AP)

The Atlanta Braves on Monday announced that they have signed third baseman Austin Riley to a 10-year, $212 million contract extension -- the largest contract in franchise history. The guaranteed portion will run through the 2032 season, and the deal includes an option for the 2033 season priced at $20 million.'

The contract, which begins next season, will pay Riley $15 million for the 2023 season, $21 million for 2024, and then $22 million per season from 2025 through 2032. The deal will run at least through Riley's age-36 season and will cover three arbitration years and seven free-agent seasons.'

Riley, 25, is enjoying an exceptional 2022 season. Going into Monday's slate, he boasts a slash line of .301/.360/.604 (161 ) with 29 home runs and 31 doubles in 101 games. Earlier this season, he made his first career All-Star appearance. Riley is also coming off a 2021 campaign in which he tallied 33 home runs, won a Silver Slugger, and finished seventh in the National League MVP balloting. For his career, Riley owns an OPS+ of 125 across parts of four big-league seasons. In 2015, the Braves made him the No. 41 overall pick out of DeSoto Central High School in Mississippi.'

Riley now joins Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, and Matt Olson as young to young-ish Braves position players who are all under contract potentially through at least 2027.'

At present, Riley and the reigning-champion Braves are firmly in playoff position in the NL and just three games behind the New York Mets in the NL East standings. After a sub-par first two months of the season, the Braves are 39-14 since June 1.'