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On the eve of the 2015 season, the Royals may have some even more good news for fans as Yahoo! Sports writer Jeff Passan reports that Yordano Ventura is in discussions for a five-year deal with a club option for a sixth season. Passan reports Ventura would be guaranteed $20 million under the deal. The 23-year old Ventura just completed his rookie season and would not be eligible for free agency until after the 2019 season. This potential contract would give the Royals a club option for the 2020, delaying his free agency potentially until after the 2020 season.
Ventura won 14 games last year with a 3.20 ERA in 31 games, pitching 183 innings with 159 strikeouts. He was huge in the World Series, pitching seven shutout innings in Game 6 against the Giants. He was named the Opening Day starter for Monday, the second-youngest in franchise history. Ventura did have an injury scare last year, missing a start due to a valgus extension overload. The Royals originally signed Ventura out of the Dominican Republic in 2008 for a bonus of just $28,000. He is set to earn $535,675 this season.
The Royals have done a good job locking up some of their young players long-term, recently signing Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar to very club-friendly long-term deals, and signing Alex Gordon and Billy Butler to long-term deals early in their careers as well.
EDIT: Done deal, according to Jon Heyman.
Ventura and Royals have agreement on longterm extension
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) April 4, 2015
Sources: Ventura deal is for $23M guaranteed. 5 guaranteed yrs, 2 option yrs.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) April 4, 2015
This would buy out two free agency years, keeping Ventura in Kansas City through at least 2021.