The Pittsburgh Pirates and Gregory Polanco have resumed discussions regarding a potential contract extension, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Could the Pirates lock up Gregory Polanco next?
The Pirates want to make Polanco a part of their talented outfield on a long-term basis.
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Whether the two sides will reach an agreement before Opening Day remains to be seen, especially after negotiations between Polanco and the Pirates went nowhere last May. The Pirates reportedly offered Polanco a seven-year deal worth more than $50 million that would have also come with three team options.
Per Heyman, Pittsburgh and Polanco’s camp are now discussing different figures, but neither side wants the talks to spill over into the season.
If they can ink Polanco to an extension, the Pirates will have locked up a trio of talented, young outfielders for years to come, headlined most notably by 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen. The 28-year-old McCutchen signed a six-year, $51.5 million contract back in 2012 that includes a club option for 2018.
At 23 years old, Polanco still has plenty to prove in the majors after struggling during his rookie campaign. He batted just .235/.307/.343 with seven home runs in 312 plate appearances last season after debuting in early June. However, Polanco’s minor league track record and youth indicate he has the ability to be an impact player in the outfield.
The Pirates, for their part, clearly still believe in Polanco and are willing to bet on his potential.
With McCutchen signed to one of MLB's most team-friendly contracts and Starling Marte in town through at least 2019, an agreement with Polanco would solidify Pittsburgh's outfield picture for years into the future. Pirates GM Neil Huntington has typically been able to negotiate multiple years of team options into these types of extensions, and it's likely he'll look to do something similar in any contract for Polanco.
Inking Polanco to an extension would just continue a trend that has seen the Pirates develop their own talent and extend it at the MLB level.
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