Braves lock up another young star, sign Ozzie Albies to extension

The Atlanta Braves want to make sure their young core stays together for a long time. A little over a week after the team inked star outfielder Ronald Acuña to an eight-year, $100 million extension, the team has also locked up second baseman Ozzie Albies to a long-term deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The deal is for seven years, and will be worth $35 million, the Braves announced on Thursday. It will also feature two option years.

The two option years will come after Albies’ seven-year deal is up. They are each worth $7 million, meaning the deal could turn into a nine-year, $45 million deal depending on whether the team picks up those options.

The 22-year-old Albies hit .261/.305/.452, with 24 home runs, in 684 plate appearances with the Braves last season. He’s off to a hot start in 2019, hitting .364 through 11 games.

Albies is making $575,000 in 2019. Prior to signing the extension, he was under Braves control through the 2023 season. With the new deal, Albies will remain under contract through 2025. If the extensions are picked up, the deal could last through the 2027 season.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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