Twins, Dozier agree to four-year, $20 million extension

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Brian Dozier wanted to attend a Southeastern Conference school but received no interest. He was drafted lower than he liked, in the eighth round in 2009.

Joe Benson, Levi Michael, Liam Hendriks and Chris Parmelee were ahead of him in the Twins' prospect rankings in 2012.

This, along with some prodding from the Twins along the way, motivated Dozier to prove he belongs. Now he has some validation in a four-year, $20 million contract signed on Tuesday that will lock him up through 2018.

"I enjoy that," Dozier said of coming from under-the-radar to near-stardom. "You said underrated, it's better than being overrated, I guess. At the same time, it drives me to be the best I can be."

Dozier, 27, will make $2 million this season, $3 million in 2016, $8 million in 2017 and $9 million in 2018. There is no full or partial no-trade clause. Dozier becomes one of eight Twins signed to multiyear deals but only the third position player with Joe Mauer and Kurt Suzuki.

Dozier would have been eligible for salary arbitration following this season, so the deal buys out all three years of arbitration.

It's an interesting deal for both sides. The Twins lock up Dozier throughout his arbitration years (2016-18) but do not buy out a free agency year or even get an option year attached. Dozier gets to hit the market after the 2018 season, when he will be right in his prime at age 31.

"It offers a measure of security for Brian and offers the cost certainty for the club," said Damon Lapa, Dozier's agent. "The element that ultimately swayed our decision to move forward was that Brian did not have to sacrifice any free agent or option years and ultimately preserve his ability to become a free agent during the prime of his career."

Twins assistant general manager Rob Antony, who negotiated the deal, said contract lengths of five, six, seven and eight years were discussed before the sides settled on the current structure. The sides could return to the table after a couple of years if the climate favors it. Still, it's rare for a team to buy out arbitration but not have a chance to buy out a free agency year.

"We talked about a lot of those things," Antony said. "There's a give and take."

Dozier batted .242 last season with 23 home runs 71 RBI and 21 stolen bases. He was the first Twin ever — and the only player in baseball last season — with more than 100 runs, 30 doubles, 20 home runs, 80 walks and 20 stolen bases.

He was among the top five second basemen in baseball in several categories, including on base-plus-slugging percentage (fourth at .762), wins above replacement (fifth, at 5.2), stolen bases (fourth) and home runs (tied for first). What's more important to him is that the team, he feels, has bottomed out and is trending up again.

And the Twins want Dozier to be part of the resurgence.

"We anticipate, at age 27, that he's in the prime of his career and, I suspect, some of the numbers he has put up [will spike]," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. "He's had a fine last couple of years but there's reason to believe it is going to continue to grow."