The youth are getting paid.
On Wednesday, Detroit Tigers third baseman and shortstop Kevin McGonigle, 21, became the latest MLB rookie to sign a lucrative extension. Per USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the league’s No. 2-ranked prospect signed an eight-year, $150M contract, joining a growing list of rising stars to ink long-term deals.
McGonigle wasted no time acclimating himself to the majors, going 4-for-5 with two doubles in his big-league debut on Mar. 26. Through 17 games, the 2023 first-round pick (No. 37 overall) has a .311/.417/.492 slash line with as many extra-base hits as strikeouts (eight). His deal includes a $14M signing bonus, the second-largest for a pre-arbitration signing, per Spotrac data, only trailing the $15M signing bonus Seattle Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodriguez received in 2022.