The Pittsburgh Pirates have reached an agreement with right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller on a five-year contract extension. This deal, which is worth a guaranteed $77 million, comes as a significant development for both the player and the team. The news was first reported by Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.
Keller, a 27-year-old righty, had previously been expected to reach free agency following the 2025 season. However, with this contract extension, he will now remain with the Pirates for at least the next five years. This deal not only provides financial security for Keller but also demonstrates the team’s commitment to building a competitive roster.
The extension comes on the heels of Keller signing a one-year, $5.4425 million deal for the upcoming season, thus avoiding arbitration. By overriding this previous agreement, Keller is now guaranteed a total of four years and $71.5575 million in new money. This aligns closely with the four-year, $73.5 million extension between the Minnesota Twins and Pablo Lopez, another pitcher with four to five years of big league service at the time of his deal.
Mitch Keller’s journey in professional baseball began when he was selected as a second-round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. He has since emerged as a top prospect within the Pirates organization. Over the past two seasons, Keller has shown significant improvement, pitching to a combined 4.08 ERA in 353 1/3 innings.
While his ERA may not be exceptional, it conceals some promising underlying trends. Keller’s performance notably improved when he incorporated a sinker into his pitching repertoire midway through the 2022 season. This adjustment provided greater balance to his previously vulnerable four-seam fastball. He enjoyed a dominant stretch in 2023, with a few exceptions, as he logged a career-high workload of 194 1/3 innings.
This pattern of improvement and potential shown by Keller is what the Pirates are eager to harness with this contract extension. Over a 41-start stretch from 2022 to 2023, Keller displayed his upside, posting a 3.25 ERA across 240 1/3 innings. During this period, he struck out 23.5% of opposing batters while maintaining a respectable 7.9% walk rate and a solid 48.4% ground-ball rate.
This development for the Pirates comes at a crucial time for the team, as they strive to rebuild and compete in the highly competitive National League Central division. Keller’s extension serves as an indicator of the organization’s dedication to securing talented players and investing in their long-term success.
Looking beyond this specific contract, this announcement also offers insight into potential future trends within the industry. The escalating costs of securing top talent in Major League Baseball may prompt similar contract extensions for young players approaching free agency. By locking in key contributors early, teams can avoid the bidding wars that often accompany free agency, while players can gain financial security and stability.
Furthermore, this extension is noteworthy in the context of the broader landscape of baseball. As teams maneuver within the realm of player contracts, it is conceivable that the Pirates’ commitment to Keller might have ripple effects across the league. Other teams may feel pressure to secure their own young stars, encouraging a wave of contract extensions similar to Keller’s.
In conclusion, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ five-year contract extension with Mitch Keller represents a significant stride in securing a talented and promising player for their roster. This deal not only provides financial stability for Keller but also demonstrates the team’s commitment to building a competitive team. It also offers insights into potential future trends within the baseball industry, where contract extensions might become a common strategy for teams to secure young talent. As the game evolves, teams will continue to adapt their approaches to player contracts, prioritizing stability and efficiency in building successful rosters.
