St. Louis Cardinals ink Paul DeJong to a long-term deal, is this wise?

The St. Louis Cardinals locked up starting shortstop Paul DeJong to a six-year deal worth an estimated 26 million dollars over six seasons. Did the Cardinals get a bargain with this deal?

The St. Louis Cardinals have found their shortstop of the future, going all in on 2017 Rookie of the Year runner-up Paul DeJong, inking him to a six-year, (estimated) $26 million deal over six seasons — with The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and FanRag Sports Network providing the initial reports.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, this contract:

Guarantees him $26 million for the next six years, a source confirmed. It’s one of the largest ever for a player with less than a full year of service time. The deal also includes two option years and a total possible value of $51.5 million.

Did the Cardinals jump the gun on DeJong or is it wise locking up the promising young star to a lengthy deal? Well, let’s have the statistics do all of the talking, shall we?

In only 443 plate appearances during the 2018 campaign, Paul DeJong killed it at the dish — .285/.325/.532, 25 home runs, 26 double, and 65 RBIs. The former college catcher at Illinois State transitioned into the infield during his minor league career, but it wasn’t until he reached the MLB level that he found a home at shortstop.

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DeJong is no Ozzie Smith in the field but displayed a strong arm, quick hands, a smart baseball IQ, and a solid presence in the middle infield. His 2018 fielding should improve even more, after getting thrown into the fire in the middle of last season. The Cardinals middle infield is now secure for years to come, with Kolten Wong secured through 2021, with a 5-year, $25,500,000 million dollar deal of his own.

The answer is a resounding yes, with the St. Louis Cardinals organization getting out ahead of any potential suitors, by locking up DeJong right away. His potential is off the charts, and if he’s able to cut down a bit on his strikeouts, his production will increase even more.

Even though the St. Louis Cardinals farm system is in the middle of the pack according to most experts, they boast many high-ceiling prospects. But, it’s players such as DeJong who emerged out of nowhere, with Luke Voit doing much of the same, who will be their first baseman of the future — maybe as early as this season. But for now, DeJong is the man of the hour for the Redbirds.

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Congrats to Paul DeJong on earning all of those Benjamins; you deserve it. We know you’ll do Cardinal Nation proud and be a vital part of returning the St. Louis Cardinals to the Fall Classic, where they belong.