Angels General Manager Billy Eppler today announced the club has agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension with OF Kole Calhoun. The contract will take Calhoun through the 2019 campaign with a club option for the 2020 season. Per club policy, no financial terms of the agreement will be announced.
Calhoun, 29, wrapped up his fifth big league season (third full) in 2016, batting .271 (161/594) with 35 doubles, five triples, 18 home runs and 91 runs scored. He set new career highs in doubles, triples, runs, walks (67) and OBP (.348) and matched a career best with 161 hits. Calhoun became just the second Angels right fielder all-time to tally 35 doubles, five triples and 15 home runs in a single season, joining Angels Hall of Famer Garret Anderson who accomplished the feat in 1998.
The native of Buckeye, AZ has amassed a .266 (515/1935) average with 97 doubles, 12 triples, 69 home runs and 249 RBI in 522 games since making his Major League debut with the Angels in 2012. Since the start of the 2013 season, Calhoun is one of two American League right fielders to log 275 runs, 50 home runs and 200 RBI (also, Jose Bautista). In 2015, after leading American League right fielders in defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating, he became the eighth Angel outfielder to capture a Rawlings Gold Glove Award® and first to do so since Torii Hunter in 2009. Calhoun was originally drafted by the Angels in the eighth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of Arizona State University.