Josh Harrison, One of MLB's Most Overlooked Stars, Gets Deserved Payday

A lot has changed for Josh Harrison in the past year. At this time last April, the 27-year-old was a relative unknown and on the fence of making the big leagues out of camp. Fast-forward 12 months, and Harrison now is coming off a breakout, All-Star 2014 campaign that has him locked in as the starting third baseman for the on-the-rise Pittsburgh Pirates this season.

And now? The Pirates have locked up Harrison long-term, working out an extension that will keep him in Pittsburgh at least through 2018—and possibly through 2020—and will pay him at least $27.3 million.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has the details:

This sees the Pirates gain some cost certainty over the next handful of seasons by knowing exactly what Harrison will earn, rather than worrying about having to negotiate year to year via the arbitration process.

Harrison, who settled with the club on a $2.8 million salary for 2015, would have been eligible for arbitration two more times before becoming a free agent after 2017. Instead, the Pirates will pay him $10 million in 2018 and then hold options for $10.5 million in 2019 and $11.5 million in 2020 (with buyouts for $1 million and $500,000, respectively, in those years), according to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Those are very reasonable salaries, as long as Harrison remains even a starting-caliber player going forward through his prime.

Speaking of which, this deal also represents Pittsburgh putting faith in Harrison's 2014 performance, for which he garnered a surprising ninth-place finish in the National League MVP voting.

Both of the above elements have become standard operating procedure for the Pirates, a small-market franchise that has to rely on—and has become quite good at—evaluating players early in their careers to sign them to pacts that turn out to be more team friendly than not.

Two prime examples? The contracts signed by both Andrew McCutchen ($51.5 million over six years plus an option for 2018, signed in March 2012) and Starling Marte ($31 million over six years plus options for 2020 and 2021, signed in March 2014).

	HARRISON	RANK
rWAR	5.3	T-24th
fWAR	5.0	T-24th

While Harrison is a candidate for some regression this year after his .315 average was boosted by a rather high .353 batting average on balls in play, it's also impossible to ignore that he legitimately broke out with the bat. He knocked 58 total extra-base hits, including 38 doubles and 13 homers, and stole 18 bases to boot.

Harrison brings enough all-around production on offense, but where he really adds value is on defense and with his versatility.

To wit, he netted nine defensive runs saved at third base in 2014, placing him tied for eighth (with none other than Adrian Beltre), despite playing only 72 games there.

"The past couple of springs, I've had to come in and fight for a position on the team," Harrison said during spring training, via MLB.com, "and this year is the first time I get to come in and work primarily at one position. ... Mentally, it's a little different type of preparation."

Although Harrison is now settled in at the hot corner, where he has flashed all kinds of leather (just watch the video above—it's worth it), Harrison has shown the ability to play multiple positions in his career, having seen action at both corner outfield spots, second base and even shortstop.

In short, Harrison's versatility and athleticism provides the Pirates with a lot of flexibility and added value, because it allows general manager Neal Huntington to build the roster as he sees fit from year to year.

Harrison looks like a very solid secondary piece to the foundation already in place for the Pirates, a club that has gone from longtime laughingstock to perennial contender with a bright future—thanks in large part to identifying, obtaining, developing and then maintaining players like Harrison.

"Always be ready," Harrison said in a recent in-game interview, explaining how he made the most of his chance a year ago. "I'm a confident guy, and I know I can play this game. I just was ready for my opportunity when it was presented, and when I got it, I didn't look back."

Now Harrison and the Pirates can look forward to a long future together.

Statistics are accurate through Tuesday, April 7, and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

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