D-Backs: Carroll nears $111 million contract
The Diamondbacks and outfielder Corbin Carroll are in agreement on an eight-year, $111 million contract, sources said, a deal that locks up a player the club views as an essential part of its future.
The agreement includes a club option for a ninth season worth $23 million, as well as escalators that could raise the total value of the deal by another $20 million. If it is maxed out, Carroll would earn $154 million and hit free agency after his age-30 season.
The fact that the Diamondbacks are willing to extend Carroll so early into his career shows how adamant their belief is that he will be a key part of their future.
Carroll, 22, played in 32 games after making his major league debut in August, putting together a solid .260/.330/ .500 line with four homers in 115 plate appearances.
The Diamondbacks are hoping to build around what they see as a talented core of young players. Carroll is at the forefront.
He ranks at or near the top of every major publication’s list of prospect rankings entering the year. Evaluators view him as a potential impact player in nearly every facet of the game. He has a feel for finding the barrel, possesses surprising power given his wiry build, recognizes pitches with a good understanding of the strike zone and is considered an above-average outfielder. He also is one of the fastest players in baseball. Carroll reached the majors after playing just 142 minor league games, in which he hit a combined .310/.426/.588 across five levels.
The Diamondbacks drafted him with the 16th overall pick in the 2019 draft. He is expected to be the club’s everyday left fielder this season.
Assuming he never goes back to the minors, Carroll would not have been eligible for free agency until after the 2028 season. By doing this deal, the Diamondbacks are adding three years of club control. Carroll’s contract sets a new record for the most given to a player with less than 100 days of service time. That distinction had belonged to center fielder Michael Harris II, who last year signed a $70 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.
It is the largest extension the Diamondbacks have ever handed out and the second-largest contract of any sort, eclipsed only by the six-year, $206.5 million deal given to right-hander Zack Greinke prior to the 2016 season.
Angels 11, Diamondbacks 10
At Tempe Diablo Stadium
At the plate: Six Diamondbacks hitters had multi-hit games, including 1B Christian Walker (2 for 3) and C Carson Kelly (2 for 4). 2B Buddy Kennedy went 2 for 2, raising his spring batting average to .524. He is 11 for 21 with two doubles and a triple. RF Dominic Canzone had two hits, including a two-run home run, and 3B/SS Jake Hager connected on a solo home run. On the mound: RHP Zach Davies had a miserable day giving up six runs on eight hits and a walk in two innings. He did not see many positives in the day other than the fact that he built his pitch count beyond the 60-pitch plateau. “Rough,” Davies said. “It is what it is. It’s spring training. You know what you need for the season.” Davies, one of the club’s five starters, said he struggled mostly with command. “Just location,” he said. “Stuff didn’t quite as sharp. My curveball felt pretty good, but when you’re behind in counts, it’s tough because you can’t throw that out of the zone without risking a ball.” RHP Scott McGough had another strong outing, striking out both batters he faced. He has not allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings this spring. RHP Carlos Vargas also impressed, working 1 2/3 scoreless innings with no walks and two strikeouts. He has yet to walk a batter in five innings in the Cactus League.
Extra bases: DH Pavin Smith was back in the lineup for the first time in a week, missing time due to back spasms. He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts.
Sunday’s game: Diamondbacks RHP Drey Jameson vs. Rockies RHP Karl Kauffmann, 1:10 p.m., Salt River Fields.
Reds 6, Diamondbacks 5
At Goodyear Ballpark Friday night
At the plate: 1B Seth Beer connected for a first-inning, two-run shot to left, his first home run of the spring. DH Kyle Lewis hit a pair of balls hard, doubling to left in the first and lining out to left an inning later. LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled and walked in three trips to the plate. SS Geraldo Perdomo reached base in each of his three plate appearances, singling to right as a right-handed hitter in the second and drawing a pair of walks.
On the mound: RHP Brandon Pfaadt had a tough first inning, issuing backto-back walks before giving up a pair of run-scoring hits, including a two-run triple by Reds SS Elly De La Cruz, after which he was removed from the game with two outs. Because it’s spring training, Pfaadt was able to re-enter, and he threw well from there, retiring the side in order in the second and third innings before exiting for good with one out and one on in the fourth. Pfaadt sounded frustrated with the way he threw in the first inning, mostly because he issued a pair of walks, but was encouraged by the way he finished. “I think it’s a tell-tale, when you have an inning like that, what happens afterwards,” Pfaadt said. “(Manager) Torey (Lovullo) was like, ‘You have 30 pitches left. What are you going to do with them?’ I was like, you know what, it could go two ways, and hopefully I chose the right way and kept being aggressive.” RHP Kevin Ginkel turned in another strong outing, retiring each of the two batters he faced. He has yet to allow an earned run in 4 2/3 innings. “He’s pounding the zone with two pitches,” Lovullo said. Extra bases: Lovullo was frustrated the Diamondbacks did not execute a relay properly in the first inning, with the throw from Perdomo on De La Cruz’s triple going home instead of to third, where he would have been out easily. “This is what spring training is for,” Lovullo said. “We cut and relay to third, inning over, it’s 2-2. … Those are things we’ll talk about and address.”