San Diego Padres: Effort to Extend Myers a Top Priority

First baseman Wil Myers is quickly becoming the face of the San Diego Padres organization. As he considers his options, general manager A.J. Preller is going to do all in his power to bring him back.

In what may end up being a defining offseason for the San Diego Padres, the team plans to make moves which will put the team in position to contend for years to come.

They have already been busy, but the moves thus far have been minor and insignificant. Now, general manager A.J. Preller’s focus will shift towards building a major league roster that can make strides in 2017.

In order to do this, Preller absolutely must come to terms with Wil Myers. The 25-year-old first baseman proved to be the team’s top player in 2016, having a career year in nearly every category. Now, reports indicate that, as expected, Preller is making a serious pitch to Myers in an effort to extend him long term.

Myers is arbitration-eligible through 2019 since he is now entering his fifth season. Therefore, the options he has are wide ranging, including moving to a possible contender and playing a critical role. This does not bode well for the Padres, as a young competitor like Myers would like nothing more than to be part of an established winning organization.

However, making just over $500,000 in 2016, money is an important question. Preller and the Padres would definitely be willing to offer the North Carolina native a much larger long term deal, but they may have to compete with some of the highest paying organizations.

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Still, there is an element of Myers’ decision which encourages him to stay. Being a part of a young team that has already shown signs of improvement is promising. As the fifth year power hitter and Gold Glove finalist enters his prime in a few years, the Padres could be a consistent winning organization and playoff contender.

These talks will likely go on for a long time though. Myers will want to consider his options, and his agent won’t allow him to sign a long term deal impulsively. With so many options, the budding superstar wants to maximize his potential. For San Diego, they can only hope that means signing long term.

Next: How Important is Re-Signing Jay?

Ever since Myers was traded to San Diego from the Tampa Bay Rays, he has fit right in with a young organization. The rebuilding process which the team hopes to complete in the next few years must involve Myers, as he has served as the team’s leader both on the field and in the clubhouse.