Just before Opening Day, baseball’s richest owner (Steve Cohen) agreed to extend Francisco Lindor’s contract 10 years, for $341 million dollars, meaning the Mets will pay their shortstop $362.3 million over the next 11 seasons.
Okay, travel back with me a decade ago to MLB’s First-Year Player Draft in 2011.
Gerrit Cole—Pirates
Danny Hultzen—Mariners
Trevor Bauer—DBacks
Dylan Bundy—Orioles
Bubba Starling—Royals
Anthony Rendon—Nationals
Archie Bradley—DBacks
Francisco Lindor—Cleveland
Notice anything about how this turned out? The seven franchises that made these selections are Pittsburgh, Seattle, Arizona, Baltimore, K.C., Washington, and Cleveland.
But three of those top eight selections are now playing in Southern California (Bauer, Rendon, Bundy). And two of those top picks are playing in New York (Cole, Lindor). There aren’t a lot of choices for the very top of the Mountain Contracts. If Bauer wasn’t pitching for Los Angeles; odds are he would be on the Mets.
Gerrit Cole is starting on Opening Day for the Yankees. He’s playing on a 9-year, $324 million dollar contract.
Trevor Bauer is going to be paid $40 million dollars this year alone (and $102 million over three years). Trevor is slated to receive $85 million dollars for the next two seasons, and then have an opportunity to opt-out and become a free-agent again.
Anthony Rendon is playing on a 7-year, $245 million dollar contract. Beginning next season, his $36.5 million annually could increase with award bonuses for things like All-Star Game appearances. Bonus’ must be very important to keep incentive for people making that kind of money.
And Lindor was sure to make a little more than the $340 million that Padres prodigy Fernando Tatis, Jr. received in his 14-year deal with the Padres. Ego must be very important for people making that kind of money.
What about the other four players in the top eight selections in the 2011 Draft?
Dylan Bundy is the Opening Day starter for the Angels. He’s playing this year for $8 million dollars, and then will be a free-agent. Considering how well he pitched last season (6-3, 3.29 ERA, WHIP of 1.036) he could be looking at a nice contract himself in the next year.
Archie Bradley is playing for the Phillies this season for a $6 million dollars, and then will be a free-agent. He is going to be asked to get big outs this season late in games; and may even be the closer at some point. He could be looking at a nice contract in the next year.
Bubba Starling is playing on a minor league contract, hoping to get called back to the Royals.
And then there is the left-handed pitcher Danny Hultzen, who was the second pick in that draft. Where is he now He’s the Pitching Development Assistant for the Chicago Cubs. He had shoulder issues throughout his career. In fact, his entire major league stats show just 3.1 scoreless innings (all late in 2019). If I wasn’t lazy, I might even look up the lowest career ERA for all pitchers with a minimum of 3 IP. So what he is, is trivia.
It could have worked out different for Danny Hultzen. Considering how he dominated in college, considering he threw left-handed; it would have been easy to envision him battling Bauer and Cole for Cy Young Awards and contract extensions. But it didn’t happen that way. The guy still banked millions from his signing bonus. The guy still can forever say he pitched in the major leagues.