The Chicago White Sox reportedly agreed to a five-year, $23.5 million contract extension with center fielder Adam Eaton on Friday.
Eaton will be paid $850,000 this season and will see incremental raises to $2.75 million in 2016 and $4 million in 2017, according to ESPN Chicago.
In the final two years of the deal, Eaton will get a combined $14.4 million. Chicago holds options for 2020 ($9.5 million) and 2021 ($10.5 million); if either option is declined, Eaton will get a $1.5 million buyout.
The White Sox acquired Eaton from the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2013 season. Last season, he batted .300 with one home run, 35 RBIs and 76 runs in 121 games.
Eaton also was tied for the American League with 10 triples and had a .362 on-base percentage, which was second in the AL among regular leadoff hitters.
He is a .281 hitter in 211 games with Arizona and the White Sox.
“Adam serves as a catalyst, brings a spark of energy to the ballpark each and every day and helps ignite our offense,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “He provided everything we look for in a leadoff hitter, a center fielder and a competitor after joining us last season. We expect him to be an important part of this team’s success moving forward and are very pleased we were able to reach this agreement to keep him in a White Sox uniform for potentially the next seven seasons.”
The 26-year-old Eaton would have been eligible for free agency after the 2018 season.