White Sox Reportedly Agree to Long-Term Contract Extension With Star Prospect Luis Robert
By Michael Luciano
The Chicago White Sox are sitting on a potential gold mine with 22-year-old Cuban outfielder Luis Robert, and they didn't even wait for him to see one pitch at the MLB level before locking him up long term.
The White Sox and Robert agreed to terms on a six-year, $50 million contract with two club options, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. At the very least, Robert will remain a White Sox player until the end of the 2025 season.
Outfielder Luis Robert and the Chicago White Sox are in agreement on a six-year, $50 million contract that includes two club options, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 2, 2020
Robert will begin the season in Chicago. No service-time manipulation necessary. Sox are gonna be good.
Robert was unstoppable across three levels of minor league baseball last year. In addition to his .328 average and 32 home runs, Robert also picked up 31 doubles, 11 triples, and 36 steals in just 122 games -- simply mind-boggling numbers from a 21-year-old.
After signing prized prospect Eloy Jimenez, who slugged 31 home runs in 2019, to a contract extension last season, the White Sox now have left and center field locked up long term, with the new-acquired Nomar Mazara holding down right field for the time being.
Luis Robert, the USA TODAY minor-league player of the year, should receive more than the six-year, $43 million extension Eloy Jimenez signed last spring with the #WhiteSox that is potentially worth $75 million if the #WhiteSox exercise the two option years.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 2, 2020
The White Sox are ready to start winning after years of accumulating prospects, and Robert and Jimenez should be at the forefront of a potentially scary Chicago team in 2020.