DJ LeMahieu and Colorado Rockies avoid arbitration with 2-year deal
They took it right down to the very last minute, but the Colorado Rockies agreed to terms on a deal with DJ LeMahieu to avoid arbitration.
The Rockies announced Wednesday that they agreed to a two-year deal with the 27-year-old second baseman just before an arbitration hearing scheduled to take place Wednesday.
The two-year contract is worth $7.8 million according to The Associated Press. LeMahieu is slated to be a free agent after the 2018 season.
During his five seasons in the majors, the latter four of which have been with the Rockies, LeMahieu hit .284 with 15 homers and 157 RBI while swiping 22 bases.
The former second-round pick experienced a breakout season in 2015, hitting .301 with a .358 on-base percentage, six homers, 61 RBI and 23 stolen bases — all career highs. He also made his first All-Star team.
Now that the Rockies' young core, which includes third baseman Nolan Arenado and outfielder Charlie Blackmon, has garnered plenty of major-league experience, LeMahieu is excited at the prospect of a better year in 2016 after six consecutive seasons of finishing in the bottom of the NL West.
"We've got a lot of guys coming off great years offensively and we have a great defense, the best defense in the league," LeMahieu said, via MLB.com. "If we can finish this year and say we were extremely competitive late in the season, which we have the capability of doing, it will be a very successful year. We can surprise a lot of people this year."
