The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed outfield prospect Corbin Carroll to an 8yr/$111M contract extension the club announced.
The deal also includes a 9th year option which would bring the total valuation to $134M according to sources. If vested, it would keep the 22 year old in the desert through his age 31 season.
Carroll’s contract represents the largest deal ever signed by a player with less than 100 days of service time and no overseas experience. His $111M deal shattered the previous record of $70M which was given to Atlanta’s Michael Harris in August.
Originally drafted 16th overall in the 2019, the Seattle native signed a $3.7M contract and was assigned to the Arizona League where his meteoric rise through the Diamondbacks system began.
Carroll began the 2022 season at Double-A Hillsboro, before earning a promotion to Triple-A Reno. After continuing to turn heads in Reno, he earned an August promotion to the big leagues.
In 104 at bats across 32 MLB games, the top prospect hit .260/.330/.500 while clubbing 4HRs, 14 RBIs, 13 runs, and swiping 2 bases.
Carroll headlines one of the best young cores in all of baseball, as Arizona boasts the 5th best farm system according to MLB.com, with most of those prospects ready to make the jump to the majors over the next year. Hoping to join baseball’s #2 ranked prospect in Arizona are shortstop Jordan Lawlar (6th overall in 2021) and Druw Jones (2nd overall in 2022) whom the club hopes will round out the core of their offense for years to come.
Meanwhile, Carroll will join former top prospects Alek Thomas, Jake McCarthy and the recently acquired Gabriel Moreno at Chase Field as the club’s most recent additions to the big league roster.
While Arizona won’t be expected to dethrone the Padres or Dodgers in the NL West hierarchy in 2023, their window to compete may come sooner than some expect given their treasure trove of top end talent.
The Diamondbacks went 74-88 in 2022, and are likely to flirt with a .500 record this year. A postseason berth may be a stretch at this point. But it’s undeniable that Arizona is poised to make noise in the National League for years to come if they’re able to keep their young core together.
Carroll may be the first, but he’s unlikely to be the last of the baby D-backs to sign long term extensions in the desert.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: MSgt. Raheem Moore. This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain in the United States.