Royals make official Dozier deal for $25 million, four years

The Royals made official their $25 million, four-year contract with third baseman Hunter Dozier on Monday, ensuring that another member of their young foundation is under club control for the foreseeable future.

Kansas City has gone through several down years after back-to-back World Series runs culminated with a championship in 2015. The small-market club was forced to watch players such as Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas depart for larger deals in other places, then begin the slow and often painful process of rebuilding from within.

Dozier, the eighth overall pick in the 2013 amateur draft, always figured into those plans.

He had a breakout season in 2019, when he hit 26 homers and led the American League with 10 triples while driving in 84 runs. And while his numbers regressed slightly last season, when he missed the start with COVID-19 and wound up hitting just .228 with six homers in 44 games, the Royals believe his best seasons are still to come.

“As I’ve said many times, it’s our goal to keep as many of our talented players here together as long as we possibly can,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “Continuity and togetherness is crucial if we’re going to win and have long-term success, but it takes players like Hunter as well, sacrificing some things as well in this process.”

All but four players expected to be major contributors to the Royals this season are under club control through 2022: left-hander Danny Duffy, outfielder Michael Taylor, catcher Salvador Perez and outfielder Jorge Soler. And in the case of Perez and Soler, they already have expressed interest in new deals for two of the power bats in their lineup.

As for the pitching staff? Most of them are 20-somethings that won’t even sniff free agency for several more years.

“Like I’ve told all our players from the very beginning, we have no agenda,” Moore said. “We understand they have a very small window of opportunity to reach their financial goals in this game. They’ve earned certain things and we want them to reap the rewards of the financial aspect of Major League Baseball. And we want that to happen in Kansas City.”

Dozier’s deal replaces a $2.72 million, one-year contract he agreed to on Dec. 2.