KANSAS CITY, MO (February 11, 2016)-- The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have agreed with third baseman Mike Moustakas on a two-year contract, avoiding arbitration. Consistent with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Moustakas, 27, was selected to his first All-Star Game and also earned a Joe Burke Special Achievement Award from the Kansas City Chapter of the BBWA in 2015. He set career highs in nearly every statistical category, batting .284 with 34 doubles, 22 homers, 73 runs scored and 82 RBI. "Moose" also recorded career highs in on-base percentage (.348), slugging (.470) and OPS (.817). He recorded 51 of his RBI after the All-Star break, eighth-most in the American League in that span. He also started all 16 Royals postseason games, batting .215 with a double, a homer and eight RBI, helping Kansas City win its first World Series championship in 30 years.
Moustakas, originally a first-round pick (second overall) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, has spent his entire five-year Major League career with Kansas City. He has appeared in 661 games for the Royals, batting .247 with 133 doubles, 74 homers and 281 RBI.
With the signing of Moustakas, the Royals have signed all of their arbitration-eligible players for the 2016 season.