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Atlanta Braves and Ender Inciarte Agree To A 5-Year Extension

By Jeff Schafer

Sep 12, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte (11) slides into third on a triple against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte (11) slides into third on a triple against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Braves and Ender Agree To Terms!!

Well Braves fans, Christmas has officially came early!!  The Atlanta Braves and Ender Inciarte have agreed to a 5-year deal worth $30.525 million.  Wow, a huge contract and the largest Braves GM John Coppolella has given out so far in his early GM tenure.

The 26-year-old (yes he’s still only 26!!) will be entering his fourth season in the MLB and his second with the Atlanta Braves.  ICYMI and have been in a cave for the past two years, Inciarte came to Atlanta in a trade that sent Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Ender, Aaron Blair and Dansby Swanson.  PS, thank you DBacks!

During the 2016 season, Ender was making a salary of $523,000 so this is a huge bump up for him.

The five-year deal does have a club option attached to it for the sixth-year.

The breakdown of the deal is rumored to be as followed…include the $3.5M signing bonus

1-year 2017 = $2M

2-year 2018 = $4M

3-year 2019 = $5M

4-year 2020 = $7M

5-year 2021 = $8M

6-year (option year) 2022 = $9M or a $1.025 buyout

Ender is an exciting player out of Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.  The 5’11” 190 pound center fielder showed us a glimpse of the outfielder he is last year as he won the NL Gold Glove.  Two years ago, he won a Fielding Bible Award with the Diamondbacks.  The Braves feel that he is a premier defender with an elite bat and base-running skills to go with it.

In 2016 at the plate, Inciarte had a slash line of .291/.351/.381 with three homers, 24 doubles, seven triples, 16 stolen bases and only 68 strikeouts compared to 45 walks.  But during the second half of the season, when he returned from the hamstring injury, is when Ender really hit the gas.  He slashed .341/.396/.440.

Looking ahead just a little, the fifth year in Ender’s contract is also the eighth year of Freddie Freeman’s huge contract.  Sounds like 1) we’re set for the next five years and 2) we’re going all in within the next few years!

The Braves will have a solidified top of the lineup as we head into 2017 and beyond.  If Braves Manager Brian Snitker holds true to the words he spoke at the Winter Meetings, Dansby Swanson will be batting 2nd.

Let’s take a look at the core of the Atlanta Braves team…

  1. Ender – signed thru 2021 (maybe 2022)
  2. Dansby – he’ll be the next to sign the big deal
  3. Freddie – signed thru 2021
  4. Kemp – signed thru 2019
  5. Markakis – signed thru 2018
  6. Sean Rodriguez – signed thru 2018
  7. Julio Teheran – signed thru 2020
  8. Jaime Garcia – signed thru 2018
  9. R.A. Dickey – signed thru 2017, but has a 2018 club option

The lineup is there.  The question marks I’m seeing are the pitching staff and the catching position.  Tyler Flowers will be a free agent after this season, but the Braves supposedly could still be shopping.  The rotation will have the biggest turnover and seems to be continually shifting.  Other than Teheran, we’ll see youngsters make their way into the rotation and maybe a couple more veterans as we move forward.

Next: Braves Sean Rodriguez Needs To Update His Wardrobe

The other question that this move arises is what are the Braves planning to do with Mallex Smith.  This move could also threaten Nick Markakis’ days with the club, should the Braves decide to commit to Smith.  Either way, Braves fans like that the team wants to retain Ender Inciarte!  #TrustCoppy

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