Yankees Sign Another Big Contributor To Long-Term Contract Extension

Aaron Judge posted the highest WAR (5.0) of any New York Yankees position player last season. Quick — who ranked second on the Bronx Bombers in the all-encompassing sabermetric?

It wasn’t slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Or consistent shortstop Didi Gregorius. Or either of the Yankees’ promising rookie infielders, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar.

The distinction instead belonged to outfielder Aaron Hicks (4.9), who on Monday signed a seven-year contract extension with the Yankees that runs through 2025 and includes a club option for 2026.

Hicks’ deal reportedly is worth $70 million over the first seven years. It’s the second sizable contract extension handed out by the Yankees this spring, as New York recently agreed to a four-year, $40 million deal with All-Star pitcher Luis Severino that runs through 2022 and includes a team option for 2023.

Hicks, acquired before the 2016 season in a trade with the Minnesota Twins, has evolved into a valuable contributor for the Yankees over the past three years. He turned 29 in October and is coming off a solid 2018 season in which he hit .248 with 27 home runs, 79 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and an .833 OPS.

Hicks’ 4.9 WAR last season ranked third among all Major League Baseball center fielders, with Mike Trout (9.8) and Lorenzo Cain (5.7) ranking first and second, respectively.