Detroit Tigers Sign Infield Prospect Colt Keith to Unusual Six-Year, $28.6M Deal
The Detroit Tigers have made an unusual move by signing 22-year-old infield prospect Colt Keith to a six-year contract worth $28,642,500 million, despite his lack of major league experience. The deal also includes three team options that could potentially make him worth $64 million over nine seasons, with the potential to increase the value to $82 million.
Colt Keith, ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the Major Leagues by MLB.com, is a left-handed third baseman and second baseman from Zanesville, Ohio. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft out of Biloxi High School in Mississippi.
Last year, Keith exhibited his potential by hitting .325 with 14 home runs and 50 RBIs in 59 games for Double-A Erie, before being promoted to Triple-A Toledo, where he hit .287 with 13 home runs and 51 RBIs in 67 games.
Keith’s contract includes a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $2.5 million in 2024, $3.5 million in 2025, $4 million in 2026 and 2027, and $5 million in 2028 and 2029. The Tigers also hold a $10 million option for 2030 with a $2,642,500 buyout, a $13 million option for 2031 with a $1 million buyout, and a $15 million option for 2032 with a $2 million buyout.
This move by the Tigers comes at a time when the team has had seven consecutive losing seasons, and has not won a World Series since 1984 or an American League pennant since 2012. This unconventional signing of a high-potential prospect is a clear sign that Detroit is looking to change its fortunes and rebuild its roster.