First Posted: 1/26/2015
CINCINNATI — All-Star catcher Devin Mesoraco has agreed to a $28 million, four-year contract with Cincinnati, leaving the Reds with two players in salary arbitration.
He gets a $500,000 signing bonus under Monday’s deal and salaries of $2.4 million this year, $4.9 million in 2016, $7.2 million in 2017 and $13 million in 2018. The salary in the final year can escalate to $15 million.
Mesoraco made $525,000 last season, when he took over as the starter and led all major league catchers in homers (25) and RBIs (80) while batting .273. His 24 homers while catching were the most by a Reds player since Johnny Bench din 1977.
Mesoraco had asked for $3.6 million in arbitration and the club had offered $2.45 million.
Third baseman Todd Frazier and closer Aroldis Chapman — also All-Stars last season — remain in arbitration. Frazier is seeking $5.7 million and Chapman has asked for $8.7 million. The Reds haven’t had a player go to a hearing since 2004.
