St. Louis Cardinals, Tommy Edman agree to two-year extension, avoiding arbitration

The St. Louis Cardinals and outfielder/shortstop Tommy Edman have agreed to a two-year deal. This contract agreement avoids arbitration hearings for the super-utility player, and it keeps him on the team with a guaranteed salary through the 2025 season.

The Cardinals and Edman were $450,000 apart from each other at initial salary proposals when the deadline for arbitration-eligible players passed. The Cardinals are a "file and trial" team, so they were willing to submit their proposal and then go to a hearing. Instead of a drawn-out hearing in which bad blood could develop between the player and the team, Edman now receives a well-deserved contract that gives him financial stability and a true role on the team.

Edman, twenty-eight, has been a Swiss Army knife for the Cardinals since his promotion in 2019. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, corner outfield, and most recently center field. Defensively Tommy has been a plus defender for his career at each of these positions according to Outs Above Average. Edman even won a Gold Glove at second base in 2021, and he was a finalist for the Utility Gold Glove this past season.

Offensively, Edman is able to hold his own. He has a career slash line of .265/.319/.408 for an OPS+ of exactly 100. Edman's speed is where he truly shines, as he has stolen at least twenty-seven bases in each of his three full seasons in St. Louis.

Tommy Edman will at least be with the St. Louis Cardinals for two more years, and he is more than deserving of a fully guaranteed contract. By avoiding arbitration, the two parties maintain a positive relationship, and Edman is able to focus on preparing for the season in these final few weeks before Spring Training.

Specific salary details will be updated as they are released.