Nick Ahmed signs with Arizona Diamondbacks through 2023
Feb 10, 2020, 2:59 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed watches his ground-rule double against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona Diamondbacks reached a contract extension with shortstop Nick Ahmed for four years, taking his deal through the 2023 season.
The team announced the agreement Monday.
AZCentral.com’s Nick Piecoro reported the deal is guaranteed for $32.5 million, plus incentives. Ahmed and the D-backs did not agree to terms on his 2020 salary last month and was facing an upcoming arbitration hearing.
The 29-year-old has become one of MLB’s elite defensive shortstops, but his offense has steadily improved over the course of his career, which in the majors began with Arizona in 2014.
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Last year, Ahmed slashed .254/.316/.437, all of which were career highs. He recorded 141 hits, 33 doubles and 19 home runs in 2019.
Ahmed has appeared in 153 and 158 games over the past two seasons, shedding the injury-prone label that set him back in 2016 and 2017. He finished tied for eighth among position players with 18 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 2019 and had 21 in 2018, which tied for second.
Only 10 shortstops have finished with 15 or more DRS and a .750 OPS since the DRS stat was recorded beginning in 2002.
Ahmed earned a second Gold Glove honor last season, becoming the first at his position to post such back-to-back seasons in D-backs franchise history. Orlando Hudson (2006-07) is the only other infielder who has put together consecutive Gold Glove campaigns in team history.
