GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Tim Anderson has agreed to a six-year, $25 million deal with the White Sox, the team announced on Tuesday, thus cementing his place as one of the club's cornerstones for the future. Two option years could take the value of the deal to $50.5 million over eight years, and the contract includes a $1 million buyout.The contract stands as the most lucrative deal agreed upon with a player holding less than one year of service time in MLB history. Anderson, 23, hit .283 over 99 games and 410 at-bats in 2016 during his rookie season, with 115 days of service time. He had 37 extra-base hits, 10 stolen bases and played solid defense at shortstop.
Anderson will receive $850,000 in 2017, $1 million in 2018, $1.4 million in 2019, $4 million in 2020, $7.25 million in 2021 and $9.5 million in 2022. The White Sox hold club options for 2023 at $12.5 million and 2024 at $14 million.
Much credit goes to the drive and determination shown by Anderson, who was selected 17th overall in the 2013 Draft as a high-ceiling athlete without a plethora of baseball experience coming from East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss. Some believed Anderson would end up as a center fielder because of this combination of factors, but Anderson was determined to be a big league shortstop, and he achieved that goal in 2016.
General manager Rick Hahn and assistant general manager Jeremy Haber also deserve credit for identifying yet another core player and locking him up through a fair deal with cost certainty for the team. Anderson would not have been arbitration-eligible until at least 2020, and he would not qualify for free agency until before the '23 season.
Chris Sale, Adam Eaton and Jose Quintana stand as previous examples of players the White Sox had extended contractually early on in their career as part of the team's core. Sale agreed to a five-year, $32.5 million extension with two options during Spring Training in 2013 -- only three years into his career and after one year as a starting pitcher.
Quintana's deal came late in Spring Training in 2014, with the southpaw agreeing to a five-year, $21 million contract with two options. Quintana had spent parts of two seasons in the rotation at that point.
Eaton agreed to terms on a five-year, $23.5 million deal with two options during Spring Training in 2015. He had played one full season for the White Sox at that point. Sale and Eaton were traded this past offseason as part of the team's rebuild, and their cost certainty -- coupled with their immense ability -- led to a return for such high-ceiling players as Yoan Moncada (No. 2 prospect in MLB), Lucas Giolito (No. 11), Michael Kopech (No. 16) and Reynaldo Lopez (No. 46).
Scott Merkin/MLB.com
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