The Chicago Cubs and 2015 National League Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant agreed to a one-year, $652,000 contract on Friday.
Bryant, 24, will make nearly $180,000 more this season after unanimously being the NL’s top rookie. The third baseman earned $474,221 last season while hitting .275 with 26 homers and 99 RBIs.
Bryant began 2015 in the minors and paid at the prorated part of an $82,700 contract. He played in his first major-league game on April 17 and was paid the prorated portion of the major-league minimum $507,000 the rest of the season.
Bryant’s deal is higher than what Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star right-hander Gerrit Cole ($541,000) received despite Cole having more than two years of major-league service time.
Other Cubs agreeing to one-year deals includes right-hander Kyle Hendricks ($541,000), infielder Tommy La Stella ($532,000), shortstop Addison Russell ($527,000), outfielder Kyle Schwarber ($522,000) and infielder Javier Baez ($521,000).