Starling Marte agrees to six-year contract extension with Pittsburgh Pirates

Mar 25, 2014; Bradenton, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays infielder Maicer Izturis (3) tags out Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marte (6) in the first inning of the spring training exhibition game at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /

After reportedly turning down multiple multi-year contract extension offers in the recent past, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marte has reportedly agreed to a significant payday to stay with the club long-term.

marte deal starts in 2014, so $512,400 he was to make is wiped away. New deal is for $31M, has 2 options via jim duquette
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 26, 2014

At first glance, the reported 6-year, $31 million deal signed by Marte (according to Jon Heyman and others) seems like a big-time steal for the club, even with the fact that it buys out remaining arbitration years for the 25-year-old outfielder. In 135 games during the 2013 season, Marte achieved 4.6 WAR according to FanGraphs, and he is a multi-talented player who plays above-average defense while hitting at a nice rate in the outfield.

There are certainly some minor question marks surrounding Marte’s lack of power (12 home runs in 2013) and poor plate discipline (nearly six times as many strikeouts as walks), but with his youth and talent, there is huge upside to a deal nearing the $5 million per year mark. It looks as if Pittsburgh has locked down a gem for the foreseeable future, and with how much success they’ve enjoyed recently, the Pirates may be turning the corner for good.

Home/MLB