Last week, the Houston Astros signed star right-hander Cristian Javier to a contract extension.
The soon-to-be 26-year-old star blossomed into one of the best starters in the American League last season.
He was brilliant in the regular season and even better in the playoffs.
For his efforts, the Astros rewarded him with a five-year, $64 million deal.
He has three years of team control, which means that the extension will cover all his arbitration years and two of free agency.
It’s a nice bargain for the Astros if Javier keeps progressing and dominating the competition the way he has in the last three seasons.
For him, however, it’s life-changing money, even if he and his agency probably know that he could have made a lot more money three years from now in free agency.
There was no guarantee he made it there healthy and effective, though, so he secured his payday when he could.
He will earn $3 million in 2023, plus a $2 million signing bonus.
His salary will go up to $7 million in 2024 and $10 million in 2025, but it will reach $21 million in 2026 and 2027.
The best part of it all is that he will hit the market when he is 30, at a perfect age in theory.
He had to work a lot to get to where he is and to set himself up for life financially.
“The Astros signed Cristian Javier for $10,000 a week before he turned 18. He was recommended by a scout named Leocadio Guevara, who had been around him in the Dominican town of La Victoria since Javier was a child. So often it’s the little things,” MLB insider Alden Gonzalez tweeted.
The Astros signed Cristian Javier for $10,000 a week before he turned 18. He was recommended by a scout named Leocadio Guevara, who had been around him in the Dominican town of La Victoria since Javier was a child. So often it’s the little things. https://t.co/Briisiz5Oo
— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) February 11, 2023
A $10,000 bonus is a fraction of what most top prospects make.
He is a true success story, and shows how hard work and determination can change one’s life.
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MLB Network Discusses The Cristian Javier Extension
