The Kansas City Royals and Bobby Witt Jr. shocked the baseball world and announced an 11-year, $288.7 million extension that has multiple options that could financially total at a staggering $377.7 million over 14 years.
This begs the question: Who’s next?
With the upcoming change in the Orioles’ ownership and the financial power that comes with it, let’s take a look at why it should be at least one, if not more, Baby Birds receiving long-term extensions sooner rather than later.
First, it’s important to look at what an extension is and what it says. In the context of 2024, extensions seem to be given out to younger and younger players. Teams are essentially placing their futures in the hands of young talent and saying ‘we trust you to carry us for years to come.’
Witt Jr. is just the latest of these. We’ve seen Jackson Chourio get $82 million for eight years before ever stepping onto a major league field. Colt Keith got six years and $30 million with the same inexperience. Teams are putting faith in young talent, and we know there is no team with more young talent than the Baltimore Orioles.
Secondly, it’s imperative to look at the agents representing these players. There’s actually only one agent to mention, and you already know who it is. It’s Scott Boras, who is synonymous with free agency.
It’s extremely rare that any of his clients sign extensions, but it’s not unprecedented. The most recent example is Xander Bogaerts in 2019. So, why is this important?
Two of Birdland’s brightest young stars, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, are Boras clients. This doesn’t mean you should give up hope for them to be extended. This will, however, make it much more complicated, as the numbers would simply have to be staggering.
Let’s talk about the big name not mentioned yet, Adley Rutschman, who is not represented by Boras. With the news of Witt Jr.’s extension, it’s almost certain there will be public and private pressure to lock up the O’s All-Star catcher for as long as possible.
There are many factors to consider. Rutschman is two years older than Witt Jr. (25/23). He plays a much more physically demanding position at catcher. Rutschman was also the only person selected higher in the 2019 draft than Witt Jr.
With the Witt Jr. extension and the almost-certain change in ownership, it’s time for the Orioles to lock up their face of their franchise in an All-Star, switch-hitting catcher who is a generational talent. Rutschman can be a beacon of financial changes in Birdland for years to come. It’s only a matter of time before we find out just how much change.
How do you think the Witt Jr. extension affects the Orioles and their core players? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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