The Chicago Cubs recently came to terms with all but two of their arbitration eligible players, with star Kyle Tucker being one player of the players potentially heading to an arbitration hearing. On the flip side, homegrown ace Justin Steele agreed on a deal, thus avoiding arbitration. Recently, on the North Side Territory podcast, Steele provided a massive update regarding the possibility of a long term contract.
Justin Steele contract details for 2025 and beyond
In 2025, Justin Steele will earn $6.55 million as he agreed to that figure with the Cubs. After next season, he has two more years of arbitration remaining, and he isn’t scheduled to hit the free agent market until after the 2027 season. Steele is a Super-Two player, meaning that he gained a fourth year of arbitration early on due to how much MLB service time he accumulated as a younger player.
The Chicago Cubs have not approached Justin Steele about a long term contract
According to Justin Steele, he has not been approached about the possibility of a long term contract extension. This isn’t uncommon as he has three more guaranteed seasons in a Cubs uniform left, but if he continues to perform to the high standard he has already set, then exploring a deal now may save Chicago money down the road while providing Steele with financial security.
What would a Justin Steele contract extension look like?
If the Cubs and Justin Steele explored a long term contract extension, at minimum the deal would have to extend into his first year of free agency. This makes the minimum length of an extension three years, but a contract spanning up to six years with opt out abilities or club/mutual options would also be likely. In December, Patrick Mooney and Tim Britton at The Athletic projected an extension spanning six years, $96 million, for an AAV of $16 million.
It will be interesting to see if Justin Steele and the Cubs further discuss a long term deal or not. On the North Side Territory podcast Steele said, “I’d imagine if that conversation’s going to be had, it’ll be during spring training.” This will be a situation to continue to monitor.
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