The Reds signed Brandon Phillips to a ceremonial one-day contract Saturday to ensure the four-time Gold Glove Award winner would retire with the team.
"It was a dream come true," Phillips said. "For me to officially retire, this was the only place I wanted to do it. For this to really happen, this is where I wanted to be. This is my home."
Kevin McGonigle and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to an eight-year, $150 million contract extension. The deal will begin in 2027 and put McGonigle under team control until 2034. The Tigers are buying out three of McGonigle's free agency seasons.
McGonigle was the 37th overall pick in 2023 and is the No. 2 overall prospect in the MLB behind Konnor Griffin, who recently signed a nine-year, $140 million extension.
McGonigle may already be the Tigers best positional player as he's hitting .311 with a .417 on-base percentage 17 games into his MLB career.
McGonigle will earn the following salaries:
2027: $1 million
2028: $7 million
2029: $16 million
2030: $21 million
2031: $22 million
2032-34: $23 million
Six months of deliberate negotiations between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Excel Sports Management produced a landmark nine-year, $140 million agreement for Konnor Griffin, with both sides ultimately finding common ground on a deal that protects the earning potential of MLB's top prospect while giving the franchise its cornerstone player.
The talks began in November at the general managers' meetings in Las Vegas, just 16 months after Pittsburgh selected Griffin ninth overall in the 2024 draft. The Pirates followed up at the winter meetings in December before resuming discussions in spring training.
Contract length proved the central sticking point as Pittsburgh sought 10 years of club control while Excel preferred eight. Nine years became the compromise, with no club options one firm condition from Griffin's camp. A 10-year deal with options would have delayed free agency until Griffin's age-30 season, a non-starter for Excel.
The Pirates might have reached $130 million on an eight-year framework, but not $140 million and the additional year unlocked the higher guarantee Griffin's representatives prioritized above all else.
Griffin's assignment to Triple-A on March 21 fueled outside speculation that Pittsburgh was applying leverage in the talks. People from both sides dismissed that reading. Even members of Griffin's camp acknowledged the demotion was the right baseball decision after he batted .171 in spring training. He responded by hitting .438 with a 1.196 OPS in 21 Triple-A plate appearances, forcing a promotion ahead of the home opener.
Timing also carried contractual significance. The agreement was not finalized until 6:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, preserving Griffin's Prospect Promotion Incentive eligibility, a potential bonus tied to Rookie of the Year and MVP voting through 2028 that a pre-debut signing would have eliminated.
The deal surpasses outfielder Bryan Reynolds' $106.75 million contract as the largest guarantee in Pirates history.
Konnor Griffin, MLB's top-ranked prospect, has signed a nine-year, $140 million extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates less than a week after his major-league debut, league sources confirmed to The Athletic. The deal, which carries no deferrals, opt-outs or options, can reach $150 million through performance incentives.
The contract is the largest in Pirates history, surpassing Bryan Reynolds' previous club-record $106.75 million extension. Pittsburgh has historically used early extensions with homegrown players, including Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Ke'Bryan Hayes, as a core competitive strategy.
"All I'm going to say is, I want to be a Pirate for a long time," Griffin said last week. "This is a special place, and I'm thankful to be here."
Griffin, who turns 20 on April 24, became the youngest Pirates player to record a hit in his debut since Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski in 1956. Through five games, he is batting 3-for-17, though his exceptional speed and polished defense at shortstop have drawn immediate praise.
The timing of the extension carries strategic significance. By waiting until after Griffin's debut to formalize the agreement, Pittsburgh preserved eligibility for MLB's Prospect Promotion Incentive. The program awards a draft pick to clubs whose early-promoted prospects finish in the top three of NL MVP voting or win NL Rookie of the Year.
Griffin's deal follows a growing trend of pre-prime extensions for elite prospects. The Seattle Mariners recently signed shortstop Colt Emerson to an eight-year, $95 million deal before his MLB debut, while the Milwaukee Brewers committed eight years and $51 million to minor-league shortstop Cooper Pratt.
The Pirates have reached the postseason just three times since 1992. Griffin represents the franchise's most significant homegrown investment in decades.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are engaged in active contract negotiations with shortstop Konnor Griffin, ESPN's top-ranked prospect for 2026, sources told ESPN. Talks have been ongoing since early spring training, with the two sides apart on overall value.
Pittsburgh's proposals are structured closer to the eight-year, $111 million deal Corbin Carroll signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023. Griffin's representatives are seeking terms nearer to the eight-year, $130 million agreement Roman Anthony reached with the Boston Red Sox last August, sources told ESPN.
Griffin, who turns 20 later this month, was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound shortstop batted .333 with a .941 OPS across the minor leagues last season and hit four home runs in 16 spring training games. Pittsburgh assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis, where he has collected six hits in his first 13 at-bats.
The Pirates enter this period with genuine competitive aspirations. Staff ace Paul Skenes anchors the rotation, and Pittsburgh bolstered its offense this offseason by trading for Brandon Lowe and signing free agents Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna.
A long-term commitment to Griffin would likely resonate with a fan base that has grown impatient with the franchise's modest payrolls and sustained struggles over the past decade.
The negotiations unfold amid a wave of pre-service-time signings leaguewide. The Seattle Mariners recently signed prospect Colt Emerson to an eight-year, $95 million deal, while the Milwaukee Brewers signed Cooper Pratt to an eight-year, $50.75 million contract this week.
Seattle Mariners shortstop prospect Colt Emerson has agreed to an eight-year, $95 million extension, the largest contract in MLB history for a player with zero major league service time, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. The deal can reach a maximum value of $130 million and includes a ninth-year team option and a full no-trade clause.
Emerson, 20, remains at Triple-A Tacoma, where he is hitting .357 with a home run through his first three games. He is ESPN's sixth-ranked prospect heading into 2026.
The left-handed hitter was Seattle's 22nd overall selection in the 2023 draft out of an Ohio high school. Last season he slashed .285/.383/.458 with 16 home runs and 78 RBIs across three minor league levels.
Scouts project Emerson as a 20-home run threat with an above-average on-base profile and reliable shortstop defense. A strong spring training, .268/.340/.488 with two home runs, accelerated confidence in his defensive capabilities at the position.
Emerson is widely expected to replace J.P. Crawford as Seattle's everyday shortstop in 2027, when Crawford enters free agency.
The extension adds Emerson to a growing core of players under long-term agreements. Julio Rodriguez is signed through 2034, Cal Raleigh through 2030, and Josh Naylor through 2030.
The agreement arrives one day after the Milwaukee Brewers reportedly locked up shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt to an eight-year, $50.75 million deal.
The Milwaukee Brewers are finalizing an eight-year, $51 million contract extension with shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt, sources confirmed to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The deal includes two club options with escalators and would be signed before Pratt has appeared in a single major league game.
Pratt, 21, has played just three Triple-A games this season and ranked 99th on The Athletic's top 100 prospect list entering the year. He is regarded as an elite defensive shortstop with strong contact skills and plate discipline, though analysts note he needs to develop more consistent power to become an above-average regular at the position.
Last season at Double-A Biloxi, Pratt batted .238 with eight home runs, 31 stolen bases and a .691 OPS.
The commitment mirrors a move Milwaukee made in 2023, when the organization signed outfield prospect Jackson Chourio to an eight-year, $82 million extension before his big-league debut. The Brewers have demonstrated a willingness to lock up high-ceiling prospects early, absorbing pre-arbitration and free-agent years in exchange for cost certainty on potential cornerstones.
The Baltimore Orioles have signed right-hander Shane Baz to a five-year, $68 million contract, sources told ESPN, doubling down on a pitcher acquired via trade this winter as the Orioles overhaul a rotation that was a clear liability last season.
Baz, 26, has logged just 286 major league innings due to recurring injuries, including an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction that cost him all of 2023 and half of 2024. He has not missed a start since returning.
Despite a 4.87 ERA last season with the Tampa Bay Rays, Baz struck out 176 batters across 166⅓ innings, strong evidence that his premium arsenal remains intact. His fastball sits at 96 mph and peaks at 99, complemented by four additional pitches including a sharp knuckle curve.
Baltimore surrendered four prospects and the 33rd overall pick in the 2026 draft to acquire Baz over the winter. The extension covers the current season, three arbitration years and two free-agent seasons, buying out what would have been his 2029 open-market eligibility.
The 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Baz was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates before moving to Tampa Bay in the Chris Archer trade. He drew significant prospect attention by 2021 before elbow complications derailed his development.
Baltimore finished 75-87 last season and missed the postseason for the first time in three years. The rotation has since been substantially rebuilt. Trevor Rogers delivered seven shutout innings on Opening Day, Kyle Bradish returned from Tommy John surgery last year, and veterans Chris Bassitt and Zach Eflin were added as free agents this winter.
Baz is projected to slot in the middle of the rotation as Baltimore bets on his upside translating into front-end production.
The Chicago Cubs have finalized a six-year, $141 million contract extension with second baseman Nico Hoerner, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal, reported Friday, ranks as the fourth-largest contract in MLB history for a player at that position.
Hoerner, 28, was set to become a free agent after this season. The extension carries him into the 2030s.
The agreement reflects a career trajectory that has climbed steadily since Hoerner was drafted 24th overall in 2018. He had previously signed a three-year, $35 million extension before the 2024 campaign.
Hoerner led all second basemen in fWAR last season with a career-best 4.8 mark. He batted .297 with seven home runs, 29 stolen bases and 61 RBIs, while hitting .371 with runners in scoring position. He captured the NL Gold Glove at his position and finished 19th in MVP balloting.
His 2025 offensive profile was equally striking. Hoerner posted a career-low strikeout rate of 7.6%, whiffing just 49 times all season, while setting personal bests in WRC+ and OPS+. He batted .419 in the postseason as Chicago advanced to the National League Division Series.
Hoerner joins Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong as cornerstones of the Cubs' long-term roster construction.
The Chicago Cubs secured a second major contract extension this week, agreeing to a six-year deal with Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner on Thursday, hours after a 10-4 Opening Day loss to the Washington Nationals.
The agreement contains no options, per a source familiar with the terms. Financial details were not immediately disclosed.
Hoerner, a homegrown infielder regarded for his elite contact skills and defensive instincts, had previously signed a three-year, $35 million extension around Opening Day 2023. He was considered the front office's top priority among pending free agents.
The deal follows Pete Crow-Armstrong's six-year, $115 million extension announced earlier Thursday. Crow-Armstrong's agreement, which runs through 2032 and includes escalators that could push its value to $133 million, was celebrated with a scheduled Friday news conference at Wrigley Field.
Together, the two signings reinforce Chicago's core ahead of a season marked by significant roster uncertainty. Roughly half of the Cubs' 26-man Opening Day roster could reach free agency after this season, including outfielder Ian Happ, pitchers Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon, and catcher Carson Kelly.
Hoerner addressed the team's focus Thursday morning, before the extension was finalized.
"I love our chances right now," he said. "When you combine consistency with experience, it's a special thing."
Chicago's infield now features Hoerner alongside Gold Glove shortstop Dansby Swanson, All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman and first baseman Michael Busch.
"I think the Cubs are going to have incredibly strong teams for years to come," Hoerner said.
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