The Cubs announced on Thursday that they have agreed to contract terms with 25 players on their 40-man roster with between zero and three years of Major League service time, including infielder Kristopher Bryant, who reportedly signed a $1.05 million contract for 2017, according to FanRag Sports, setting a record deal for a second-year player.
Terms of the contracts were not disclosed by the club.
Among the 25 players are a number who made meaningful contributions to the Cubs' World Series title run in 2016, including pitchers C.J. Edwards, Kyle Hendricks, Mike Montgomery and Rob Zastryzny, catcher Willson Contreras, infielders Javier Baez, Bryant, Thomas La Stella and Addison Russell, and outfielders Albert Almora Jr., Kyle Schwarber and Matthew Szczur.
MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported on Sunday that Russell will net $644,000 on a one-year deal for 2017 before becoming arbitration-eligible next offseason. Heyman also reported that the '17 salary for Bryant, the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year and '16 NL MVP, could equal or perhaps pass Michael Trout's $1 million salary earned in 2014 -- the highest amount for any pre-arbitration player.