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Billy Butler told MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel that he and the Royals have agreed to a four-year, $30 million contract extension.

The deal buys out all three of his arbitration-eligible years plus one year of free agency. Butler is represented by Greg Genske of Legacy Sports.

Butler filed for $4.3 million in arbitration earlier this week while the Royals countered with $3.4 million. Kansas City recently picked up an extra $12.4 million when Gil Meche unexpectedly retired.

Butler, 25 in April, has hit .309/.375/.480 with 36 homers over the last two seasons. Just 28 players boast an OPS that high during that time (min. 1,000 PA), but Evan Longoria, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Zimmerman, Troy Tulowitzki and Butler are the only ones to do so at age 25 or younger.

Clearly, the Royals first baseman has emerged as one of the game’s most dangerous young hitters.

Kansas City currently owns the game’s best farm system, and they’ve now ensured that their best position player at the Major League level will be around when some of those highly touted prospects start to arrive.

This is yet another good move made by Royals GM Dayton Moore. The signing of Jeff Francis last week has been considered by some to be the best deal of the winter thus far.

The addition of the Billy Butler extension shows that GMDM somewhat knows what he is doing.

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The Oakland A’s acquired David DeJesus from the Kansas City Royals for right-hander Vin Mazzaro and left-hander Justin Marks, the teams announced today. Royals GM Dayton Moore says Mazzaro will join the team’s rotation, and Marks will start the season at high Class A Wilmington.

Mazzaro, 24, posted a 4.27 ERA in 122 1/3 innings for the A’s this year, with 5.8 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9. He became expendable when Oakland won the bidding for Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma earlier in the week.

If the A’s reach a deal with Iwakuma, he’ll join Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Dallas Braden in the team’s rotation.

DeJesus batted .318/.384/.443 in 394 plate appearances this year, but he missed the final two months of the season because he required surgery on his right thumb.

The 30-year-old, who has spent all of his eight-year career with the Royals, has experience in left, center and right field. He joins Rajai Davis, Coco Crisp, Ryan Sweeney, Conor Jackson and Jack Cust in a crowded Oakland outfield that could clear up if Jackson and Cust are traded or non-tendered.

Marks, 22, posted a 4.87 ERA as a starter in the lower minors in 2010. The 2009 third-rounder posted 9.5 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9, as he picked up his first significant experience as a pro.

DeJesus will earn $6 million in 2011 and qualify for free agency after the season. Mazzaro may qualify for arbitration as a Super Two next winter, but he is cheap for now and won’t hit free agency until after the 2015 campaign.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com