Tigers Reportedly in Discussions with Young Superstar On Contract Extension
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The Detroit Tigers have apparently had some talks with their young rookie about potentially getting ahead of what could be a very expensive contract down the line.
In recent seasons, it has become a popular practice for teams to extend their prospects either before they even hit the Major League level or very early in their career. The Pittsburgh Pirates became the latest, finalizing a nine-year, $140 million deal with the No. 1 prospect in baseball Konnor Griffin.
While reporting on Griffin's call-up and the deal he is expected to sign, one of baseball's top insiders in Jeff Passan of ESPN included a nugget that Detroit is also working on a deal to lock up rookie sensation Kevin McGonigle amid his very hot start to the year.
Tigers Trying to Hammer Out Contract with McGonigle
"McGonigle and [JJ] Wetherholt also have engaged in negotiations on extensions, according to sources, though those are not currently as likely to cross the finish line as Griffin's," Passan wrote.
While Passan obviously did not report that anything is imminent between Detroit and McGonigle, the fact that those talks are indeed happening is extremely notable. The 21-year-old is as strong a hitting prospect as has ever come out of this organization's ranks, and he's already started to prove it at the big league level.
The price on McGonigle -- who has slashed .364/.440/.545 through his first six MLB games -- is only going to go up if the team decides to wait and try to lock him up after his rookie year. Currently, the youngster is scheduled to hit free agency in 2031, but Scott Harris obviously wants to make that later.
What McGonigle Deal Could Cost Tigers Now
The measuring stick for Griffin feels pretty close to the contract that McGonigle is worth, and every game he performs well in, that price only goes up. As much as they would like to, Detroit likely is not getting away with anything less than nine figures at this point.
While any sort of contract that neared double digit years and over $100 million for a guy who has played less than 10 MLB games is obviously a risk, the flip side is the risk the Tigers take on by not signing him to a deal.
If they truly do believe that McGonigle is the kind of player many think he can be, haggling over a few 10s of millions of dollars will seem extremely foolish half a decade down the line as he prepares to sign a mammoth contract with a big market team.
Needless to say, Detroit wants to avoid that situation, and as a result, they need to get a deal done now.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.