Will Smith, Dodgers Finalizing Huge Contract Extension

Will Smith is cashing in.

One day before his 29th birthday, the catcher is finalizing an enormous 10-year contract extension worth $140 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers, via ESPN's Jeff Passan. This deal will ensure that Smith remains with the Dodgers for the majority of his career.

This is a great development for Smith, who told dodgersnation.com back in February that he and the Dodgers had not talked about an extension.

The former Dodgers first round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft remains one of their best homegrown players. He worked his way up from the minor leagues, made his MLB debut in 2019 and is now earning a huge contract extension.

The contract is well deserved for Smith, who is coming off his first All-Star appearance in 2023. He is widely regarded as a top five MLB catcher and remains one of the Dodgers' most consistent hitters. He has a career batting average of .261 with 91 home runs and 308 RBIs.

The contract extension also adds to the Dodgers' big spending since the end of the 2023 MLB season. One of the biggest narratives for the Dodgers all year has been how much they've spent on free agents, including signing Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract and Tyler Glasnow to a five-year, $136.5 million deal.

Smith is different, though, as he's yet another homegrown talent that earned himself a huge payday. This time, though, it was with the Dodgers.