The Miami Marlins are close to signing left fielder Christian Yelich to a seven-year contract worth in excess of $40 million in guaranteed money, according to an MLB.com report Wednesday.
In Yelich’s first full season in the major leagues in 2014, he batted .284 with nine home runs and 54 RBIs with 21 stolen bases in 144 games. The 23-year-old also won a Gold Glove award.
A 2010 first-round draft pick, Yelich broke into the majors in 2013 and hit .288 with four homers and 16 RBIs in 62 games that season.
Yelich’s current contract is for the major league minimum, and he isn’t scheduled to be eligible for salary arbitration until 2017. His new deal would run through the 2019 season.