Say hey, baseball: Pre-arbitration extensions are all the rage

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It’s not a new trend, but rather something that’s been building for a few years now. Baseball’s top talent has been skewing younger, and as teams have begun to realize that, they’ve been more inclined to lock up their youth early. It’s gotten to the point where the deals are completed not only pre-free agency, but now pre-arbitration. On Wednesday, the Marlins locked up Christian Yelich for five years just 206 games into his career. That trend continued a few days later, with the White Sox signing Adam Eaton to a five-year extension 211 games into his career. On top of that, the Red Sox have already been rumored to be considering a Mookie Betts extension despite the converted outfielder playing in just 52 major-league games.

These extensions have relatively clear pros and cons for both sides. The teams are getting themselves some cost certainty through the player’s prime, making it much easier to set their future payrolls. These deals also typically cover some free agent years, too, and that's where the real savings come in. However, the teams also lose the right to non-tender these players. If they end up flaming out, or an injury ruins their ability to play, the team is still on the hook for the money and the roster spot.

From the player’s side, they get what everyone is looking for in their life: some long-term, financial security. They no longer have to rely on the arbitration system to get paid, and they don’t have to worry about a non-tender unexpectedly kicking them into unemployment. The Yelichs and Eatons of the world needn’t worry that an injury will destroy their earning potential. On the other hand, they’re potentially leaving a boatload of money on the table. In spite of this, that pros column has these deals growing in number with every year that goes by. It likely won’t be going away any time soon, but all it takes is a few teams to get burned before others become more cautious.