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The Washington Nationals have made official a new contract for center fielder Jacob Young, finalizing a four-year agreement valued at $23 million that also grants the club an option for a fifth season. The announcement came days after initial reports surfaced about the impending deal.
According to details reported by Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, the contract includes a $6 million signing bonus and annual salaries of $1 million in 2027, $5 million in 2028, $5 million in 2029, and $6 million in 2030, with a club option worth $8 million for 2031.
Young becomes the second player to receive an extension this offseason, following right-hander Cade Cavalli, who signed a similar four-year deal with a club option for an additional year. The move signals a clear intent from the front office to lock up core pieces after a successful first year under new leadership.
For Young, the extension is well-deserved after the 27-year-old delivered his third consecutive productive season, surpassing one wins above replacement. He also established career highs with 50 RBIs and ten home runs—a notable power surge considering he had totaled just five home runs across his first three seasons.
Since July 1, Young has been particularly effective, recording 35 extra-base hits while posting a .301 batting average with one triple, two home runs, ten stolen bases, 13 doubles, 20 RBIs, 21 walks, and 25 runs scored. He also significantly cut down his groundball rate compared to 2025 and finished the season ranked second in batting average with two outs and runners in scoring position.
Defensively, Young ranked third among National League center fielders with ten runs prevented and 11 outs above average, continuing a trend of excellence that saw him rank second among all MLB outfielders with 46 outs above average over the past three seasons. Despite being a notable snub among Gold Glove finalists at the end of the 2026 season, his role in the outfield rotation appears secure, though the group could see changes this winter with reports that Dylan Crews is drawing trade interest.
Whether Young proves to be the final extension announced this offseason remains to be seen, as the front office is also expected to explore long-term deals with shortstop CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood.
Young originally joined the Nationals organization as the 203rd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in 2023 and has been a staple on the big league roster since 2024.
Key Analysis
This extension underscores the Nationals' commitment to building around young, controllable talent. Young's elite defensive metrics and improved offensive output make him a valuable asset, and the team-friendly structure of the deal provides flexibility for future roster moves. With Abrams and Wood also in line for potential extensions, Washington appears poised to keep its young core intact for years to come.
Originally reported by yahoo.