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PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Rookie Brandon Lowe, who made his big league debut last August, has agreed to a $24 million, six-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Lowe's deal, announced Wednesday, includes club options for 2025 and 2026 with escalators based on MVP voting that could make the agreement worth $49 million over eight seasons.
The 24-year-old infielder and outfielder has just 58 days of major league service.
Lowe joins Evan Longoria, Matt Moore and Chris Archer as players with less than one year of major league service when they long-term deals with Tampa Bay.
Lowe joined the Rays on Aug. 4 and appeared in 43 games. From Aug. 15 on, he hit .273 with six homers and 25 RBIs in 37 games.
He gets $1 million this year, $1.5 million in 2020, $2.5 million in 2021, $4 million in 2022, $5.25 million in 2023 and $8.75 million in 2024. Tampa Bay has a $10.5 million option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout, and if that is exercised the Rays have an $11.5 million option for 2026 with a $500,000 buyout.
His option salaries would escalate by $1 million for each top five finish in MVP voting in any earlier season, up to a $2 million maximum for each option.
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