Braves Agree to Terms with Shortstop Andrelton Simmons on Seven-Year Contract
The Atlanta Braves announced today that they have agreed to terms with shortstop Andrelton Simmons on a seven-year contract. The deal runs through the 2020 season and financial terms were not announced.
Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren said, "We feel that Andrelton is one of the premier shortstops in the game today and we are happy that we were able to agree on this multi-year contract."
Simmons, 24, earned his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2013, when he led all Major League players with 499 assists. He was also named the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner as the National League's top defensive player. Simmons compiled a defensive wins above replacement (DWAR) of 5.4, which tied for the highest single-season mark in Major League history (with Cleveland's Terry Turner in 1906). Simmons' 5.4 mark last season was nearly a full win higher than the next highest mark of 4.6, by Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez.
Simmons hit .248 in 2013, with 76 runs, 17 home runs, 59 RBI and just 55 strikeouts in 658 plate appearances. He ranked fourth in the majors with a rate of 11.96 plate appearances per strikeout and his 17 homers were the most by a Braves shortstop since Jeff Blauser hit 17 in 1997.
The Braves' second-round draft pick (70th overall) in 2010, Simmons made his Major League debut in 2012. He has played in 206 career games, with a .256 batting average, 20 homers and 78 RBI.
ANDRELTON SIMMONS' MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD
YEAR TEAM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG
2012 Atlanta 49 166 17 48 8 2 3 19 12 21 .289 .335 .416
2013 Atlanta 157 606 76 150 27 6 17 59 40 55 .248 .296 .396
MAJOR TOTALS 206 772 93 198 35 8 20 78 52 76 .256 .304 .400