Texas Rangers and Rougned Odor Agree to Extension

Rougned Odor and the Texas Rangers have agreed to a 6-year, $49.5 million contract extension. A great move for both sides–Odor gets a payday, and the Rangers lock down an emerging star.

The Texas Rangers finally pulled through with a contract extension for emerging second baseman, Rougned Odor. The two sides have agreed upon a 6-year deal worth $49.5 million, including a club option for a seventh year. It was only a matter of time before a deal was done, as the Rangers have been flip-flopping with the idea for two years. Their second baseman was confident in his worth and will now benefit from a nice payday.

Odor began his major league career as the youngest player in baseball, debuting at 20-years-old back in 2014. He quickly became a fixture in the Texas lineup, earning 386 at-bats in his first big league season. Odor has since played in 120 games in 2015 and 150 games in 2016. Had he not been suspended for eight games for throwing his right fist at Jose Bautista‘s jaw, Odor would have played in nearly every game last season.

Rougned Odor has proved durable in his brief career, a quality in itself that can factor nicely into a potential contract. Texas has seen the opposite with their former can’t miss prospect, Jurickson Profar. Although he remains an asset to the team, Profar has fallen far from the red carpet that once rolled out for him to second base in Texas. Remember when the Rangers traded Ian Kinsler to the Detroit Tigers in order to free up second base for the up and coming Profar? Ironically, the plan played in the favor of Rougned Odor instead. The Rangers can’t complain. They of course did not get what they wanted out of Prince Fielder from the trade, however, it certainly appears they’ve found a nice replacement for Ian Kinsler.

Power is Odor’s game. He notched 33 doubles, 4 triples, and 33 home runs last season. The power numbers led to an impressive .502 slugging percentage. He has quickly become an effective middle of the order bat for Texas.

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On the down side, Odor still has some adjustments to make in terms of plate discipline. His 135 strikeouts to only 19 walks in 2016 wasn’t exactly good. The only player with as few walks in more games than Odor was the Yankees’ Didi Gregorious. Texas isn’t in love with the low walk totals; however, they understand how much aggressiveness plays to Odor’s successes. They’ll certainly work on his patience, but most importantly, they need to maintain Odor’s confidence.

Confidence may be Rougned Odor’s greatest characteristic. Since his debut, Odor has played with extreme passion and belonging. He plays with the kind of confidence that would prompt a punch to the face to an opposing player (last time I mention it, I promise). Ultimately, Odor possesses qualities that can’t be taught. His contract extension likely attributes just as much to his character as his performance. He’s the kind of player you want on your team, because you know he’ll give it 100% all of the time. The Texas Rangers have clearly instilled their faith in their 23-year-old second baseman.

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Expect big numbers from Rougned Odor in 2017, fresh off his contract extension. Another 30+ home run season seems likely. Perhaps he can surpass the 100 RBI mark for the first time this season. The sky is the limit for Odor. The Rangers will need an outstanding season from him in 2017. They’ve now opened the door for Odor to prove himself as a Ranger for at least the next six seasons. He should be a fun watch in each of them.

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