Los Angeles Angels know they have the world’s best baseball player in central fielder Mike Trout and intend to keep it that way. According to ESPN, Angels and Trout are finalizing negotiations about 12-years, $430 million extension which will turn out to be the largest contract in professional sports history.
This deal will not only keep Trout with LA for the rest of his career but will also make the 27-year-old the highest paid player in baseball. He will receive $36 million a year in base salary, which tops the previous record holder Zack Greinke, who receives $34.4 million from Arizona Diamondbacks.
Mike Trout was scheduled to become a free agent after the 2020 season, which would set off a frenzy bidding war through the league. Angels didn’t want this to happen and have decided to act immediately by replacing the final two years of his deal with this 12-year extension. They will now have Trout under contract through the 2030 season.
After Los Angeles Angels took Mike Trout 25th overall in 2009, he managed to swiftly make his way through the team’s farm system and make his MLB debut two years later as a 19-year-old. He earned AL Rookie of the Year honors a year later, alongside an All-Star appearance. Trout followed that up with six more All-Star selections while being named AL MVP in 2014 and 2016.
Trout’s MLB career stats include .307 batting average, 240 home runs, 648 RBIs, 793 runs and 189 stolen bases.
