St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Tommy Edman watches the flight of his home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland in the first inning of a baseball game April 11, 2023, in Denver. The Cardinals and utility man Edman agreed to a two-year deal Monday to avoid salary arbitration. The terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the 28-year-old Edman was expected to get a significant bump from the $4.2 million he made last season, when the switch-hitter batted .248 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs while appearing in 137 games. (Photo courtesy of Associated Press)
ST. LOUIS (AP) – The St. Louis Cardinals and utilityman Tommy Edman agreed to a two-year deal Monday to avoid salary arbitration.
The 28-year-old Edman was expected to get a significant bump from the $4.2 million he made last season, when the switch-hitter batted .248 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs while appearing in 137 games. He had asked for $6.95 million and had been offered $6.5 million when the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries on Jan. 11.
Edman’s value lies more with his glove than his bat, though. The former Gold Glove winner is capable of playing every outfield position along with second base, third base and shortstop at a high level, giving the Cardinals some unique versatility.
“Tommy’s strong fundamental play, athleticism and versatility remains a valuable asset that we view as an important part of our team identity,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said in a statement.
The Cardinals seledted Edman in the sixth round of the 2016 amateur draft. He made his debut in 2019, and since then he trails only Bryan Reynolds, Francisco Lindor and José Ramírez in hits among switch-hitting players.
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