3 young MLB stars who should sign next extensions after Bobby Witt Jr. deal

After Bobby Witt Jr. was signed to a massive contract extension with the Kansas City Royals, it’s fair to wonder which young star will be next in line to receive an extension of his own.

Witt’s contract is the largest in Royals history, and the young shortstop is set to be the face of the Royals franchise for years to come, as they now have somebody they can build around if they so wish.

In this piece, we will take a look at three young MLB stars who could be the next to receive long-term contract extensions with their current teams.

3. Edouard Julien, 2B, Minnesota Twins

One of the reasons the Minnesota Twins were successful in 2023 was the emergence of Edouard Julien.

The 24-year-old second baseman was drafted out of Auburn in 2019. Julien burst onto the scene early in the season and ultimately became a key piece in the Twins lineup. The slugger hit for a .263 average and popped 16 home runs with 37 RBI and an .840 OPS.

Though he didn’t end up winning Rookie of the Year honors in the American League, Julien is a player with a bright future and somebody the Twins can build around for years to come. It would not be a surprise to see the Twins potentially work on an extension with the young second baseman.

Julien helped guide the Twins to their first AL Central title in a full season since 2019 and he put up some solid numbers during the Twins brief postseason run, hitting .294 with a home run and posting an impressive OPS mark of 1.043.

Julien is only getting better, and he will certainly be an interesting player to watch develop over the next few seasons as he tries to build off of his successful 2023 campaign.

2. Jeremy Pena, SS, Houston Astros

After Carlos Correa left for the Twins, the Houston Astros were fortunate to have a solid internal option waiting in the wings.

In 2022, Jeremy Pena burst onto the scene and took the reins as the starting shortstop to replace Correa. All he did was win a Gold Glove and earn ALCS and World Series MVP honors as the Astros cruised to their second World Series title.

Last season, Pena’s power numbers were down a bit, as he hit only 10 home runs in contrast to his 22 dingers in 2022. But his average climbed to .263 and he played a key role in guiding the Astros back to the ALCS.

It may not be long before the Astros have their shortstop of the future locked up. Both Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are free agents at the end of the year and could possibly be on their way out.

Given that information, it would make sense for Houston to go ahead and give Pena a contract extension so they can have somebody to build around along with Yordan Alvarez should Altuve and Bregman ultimately depart in free agency.

Pena’s future is certainly bright as he enters his third season.

1. Jordan Walker, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

It’s safe to say that the 2023 season was one to forget for the St. Louis Cardinals.

But if there were any bright spots, the emergence of Jordan Walker would be one of them. He began his career with a 12-game hitting streak before being sent down to Triple-A to work on his outfield defense. When he returned, he became a catalyst for the Cardinals.

Extending Walker would be smart since Paul Goldschmidt is in the final year of his contract and unlikely to remain in St. Louis beyond this season. Walker could shift from the outfield to first base in the event that Goldschmidt departs.

But Walker is somebody that has an incredibly high ceiling. His future looks bright, and he’ll continue to improve, especially as he gains more experience in the outfield.

The organization is understandably high on him, and the fans in St. Louis are ready to see more of him in 2024. Fans enjoyed watching him flash his potential in 2023, and he’ll certainly be an exciting player to watch over the next few years.

But if the Cardinals act now, they can ensure that they’re able to keep him around long-term and build around him after the likely departure of Goldschmidt.

This article was originally published on fansided.com as 3 young MLB stars who should sign next extensions after Bobby Witt Jr. deal .