Paul DeJong, Cardinals Agree to 6-Year Contract Extension Worth Reported $26M

The St. Louis Cardinals announced Monday they have agreed to a contract extension with shortstop Paul DeJong.

The deal is for six years and $26 million, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Per Nightengale, it's the "largest deal for any player with less than one year service." Goold added that the deal includes two option years that could raise the total value of the contract to $51.5 million.

"It's a first-class organization and exactly where I want to be long-term," DeJong told reporters Monday. "I think we're all pretty happy about this."

DeJong was a revelation for the Cardinals in 2017 after he was called up in late May, taking over as the starting shortstop and No. 3 hitter. He hit .285 with a team-leading 25 home runs to go along with 65 RBI and 55 runs, posting an OPS of .857.

He finished second behind Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger in National League Rookie of the Year voting and is expected to be the team's everyday shortstop going forward.

It's been quite the journey for DeJong, per Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com:

"Anytime we make this kind of investment and commitment to a player, we want to do it with the right type of player," Cardinals vice president of baseball operations John Mozeliak noted. "We talk a lot about the Cardinal Way and the character that we look at, and Paul exemplifies all of that."