Twins Sign Brian Dozier To Extension

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The Minnesota Twins have locked up second baseman Brian Dozier to a four-year, $20 million dollar extension, according to the Minnesota Twins Twitter page.

Dozier was already under contract for the 2015 season, but the Twins decided to lock up the 27-year-old before free agency hit in 2016. The details of the contract was reported by MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, as seen in his tweet below.

Dozier, who was already under contract for the '15 season, will now earn $2M in '15, $3M in '16, $6M in '17 and $9M in '18. No options.

— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) March 24, 2015

The middle infielder has been improving each year, his best coming in 2015 where he hit .242 with 23 home runs and 21 stolen bases. Dozier is entering his prime and with the gradual improvement, he could end up being a consistent 30-20 player each year.

Though Dozier is a career .240 hitter, the mixture of speed and power he boasts is rare to find at second base. He is a valuable addition to the Twins lineup and is a solid option in all Fantasy baseball formats.

Minnesota is a rebuilding franchise with cornerstones including number one prospect Byron Buxton, power hitter Miguel Sano, and pitcher Alex Meyer, all of which are top 30 prospects. In addition to their prospects, the Twins have an aging catcher in Joe Mauer and young, improving players such as Dozier, Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana and Kyle Gibson.

The Twins are in no means a playoff contender, but by locking up some younger players and growing their farm system, Minnesota may be able to contend over the next few years. The deal plays in the organization’s favor, retaining leadership and a quality player for a minimal price tag.