Marlins Sign Free-Agent Shortstop Jose Reyes
Four-time All-Star was NL Batting Champion in 2011
DALLAS – The Miami Marlins today announced they have signed free-agent shortstop Jose Reyes to a six-year contract for the 2012-2017 seasons, with an option for 2018. The announcement was made by Marlins President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest.
Reyes, 28, is the reigning National League batting champion, coming off a 2011 season in which he hit a career-best .337 for the New York Mets and was named to his fourth NL All-Star team. The switch-hitter also set career bests for on-base percentage (.384) and slugging percentage (.493), while compiling 101 runs scored, 31 doubles, 16 triples and 39 stolen bases. Last month, he was named the recipient of the Ben Epstein/Dan Castellano Good Guy Award by the New York chapter of the BBWAA.
Since his first full season in the Majors in 2005, Reyes leads all players in triples (93) and is second in stolen bases (338). He won the NL Silver Slugger award in 2006, when he registered a career-high 19 home runs and 81 RBI with a .300 average. He also earned the NL Player of the Month Award for April, 2007. Reyes was named to the NL All-Star team in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011, being voted as the NL starter at shortstop in 2007.
Reyes led the Majors in triples in 2005, 2006 and 2008, registering a career-high 19 in 2008. He also led baseball in stolen bases in 2006 and 2007, with a career-high 78 in 2007. Additionally, Reyes led the NL in stolen bases in 2005 and hits in 2008, when he had a career-high 204. He was signed by the Mets out of the Dominican Republic in 1999 and made his ML debut in 2003.
Full statistics on Reyes can be found at www.mlb.com. Additional information on the 2012 Marlins is available at www.marlins.com.