Christmas has come early for fans of the Atlanta Braves. The team announced today that they have reached an agreement with centerfielder Ender Inciarte on a five-year contract extension. Inciarte was the Gold Glove winner for National League centerfielders for his first season in Atlanta.
#Braves Agree to Terms with OF Ender Inciarte (@Enderdavid18) on Five-Year Contract. Details: pic.twitter.com/pgQa8qbHGr
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 23, 2016
Ender Inciarte Signs Extension with Atlanta
The Deal
Braves & Inciarte agree to 5-year, $30.5M extension
$3.5M bonus
2017 $2M
'18 $4M
'19 $5M
'20 $7M
'21 $8M
'22 $9M option ($1.025 buyout)— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) December 23, 2016
Mark Bowman of MLB.com provided fans with a full breakdown of Inciarte’s deal. The deal runs through 2021 with an option for 2022. Inciarte will average about $6 million annually through five years. The contract will run through Inciarte’s age-31 season if the sixth-year option is picked up. Inciarte did miss time during 2016 due to a hamstring injury, but he has played at least 118 games each of his first three seasons in the majors. Injuries do not appear to be an issue or an area of concern moving forward.
Past Production
Inciarte has already posted three full seasons in the big leagues despite the fact that he will only be entering his age-26 season next year. He owns a slash line of .292/.337/.385 while averaging 142 hits, 32 extra-base hits and 21 defensive runs saved per season. Inciarte has been a fantastic two-way player for each of his first three seasons. Atlanta locked down one of the core pieces of their lineup to play alongside Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson for the next five years. That is an all-around win for the front office.
Outlook
The signing is a good move for Atlanta moving forward. The money associated with the contract is close to market value for an elite defender with a high batting average but limited power. With that being said, the front office believes he is a guy that can consistently get on-base at the top of the order while offering the best center field defense in Atlanta since Andruw Jones.
The signing was warmly received by many Braves fans. Inciarte quickly became a fan favorite this season for his constant hustle, on-field performance, and a smile that never quits. The team-friendly contract also leaves the front office with money to re-sign other key players and sign the necessary free agents to become a consistent contender.
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