The Chicago Cubs have locked up Starlin Castro with a long-term deal and the young shortstop will be calling Wrigley Field home for many years to come.
NBC Sports’ D.J. Short reported that the contract is worth $60 million dollars over seven years and will keep the 22-year-old in a Cubs’ uniform until he is 29 years old.
President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein—in his first season with the Cubs—sold off veterans such as Ryan Dempster and Geovany Soto at the trade deadline. It was another season in the seller’s role, as the team has struggled all season and is currently sitting 25 games outside of first place in the NL Central.
Epstein did his duties, cutting pay roll and adding prospects. Now, he has focused his attention on securing the most promising young talents on his roster.
Castro is batting .278 with a .423 slugging percentage this season. The 22-year-old batted .300 and .307 in his first and second seasons in the majors, respectively.
He is a productive hitter who flashes the ability to crack the occasional long ball, as he has 22 home runs in the past two seasons. His inexperience does show at the plate and on the field, but he has certainly been a bright spot on a disappointing team and he has room to grow.
Going forward, he will be one the team’s most important young players and Epstein has done well to send a message to Castro, the fans and the other teams in the MLB that he is serious about securing the Cubs’ future.
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