MLB.com reports Jacob Young's $23 million deal; Nationals haven't confirmed

Center fielder Jacob Young has agreed to a four-year, $23 million contract extension with the Washington Nationals, MLB.com reported Friday, citing a source, though the team has not confirmed the agreement. The deal would include an $8 million club option for a fifth season.

The reported deal would lock in one of baseball's best defensive outfielders just as his bat caught up, and give the Nationals cost certainty over their starting center fielder. It would cover Young's three remaining arbitration years and one season of would-be free agency, keeping him in Washington through at least 2030 with a club option for 2031. Young, 27, had been eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, MLB Trade Rumors reported.

His glove is the main selling point. Statcast credits Young with 46 Outs Above Average over the past three seasons, second among outfielders only to Pete Crow-Armstrong and fourth among all major leaguers since 2024, according to MLB Trade Rumors. He led outfielders with 20 in 2024, then posted 14 in 2025 and 11 in 2026. In August he climbed the outfield wall at loanDepot park to rob the Marlins' Heriberto Hernández of a potential home run, covering 93 feet before the catch, and threw back to the infield to complete a double play.

The offense is newer. After working on his hitting last offseason, Young batted .252 with a .318 on-base percentage and a .390 slugging percentage over 140 games in 2026. His .708 OPS, 10 home runs and 50 runs batted in were all career highs, and the home run total doubled his career count entering the season. A year earlier he hit .231 with two home runs and a .583 OPS in 120 games. He also stole 18 bases in 22 attempts in 2026 and finished with 1.8 wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.

The bat still trails the glove over a longer stretch. Since becoming a regular in 2024, Young carries a .248/.311/.340 batting line, or an 82 wRC+, MLB Trade Rumors noted. He has stolen 66 bases in 91 attempts over three seasons, a 72.5% success rate, though he was far more efficient this year. Defensive Runs Saved gave him a slightly negative mark in 2026, partly because of some poor throws, but both defensive metrics rank him among the rangiest fielders in the game since 2024.

Young would also receive an assignment bonus if the Nationals trade him during the contract, MLB Trade Rumors reported, citing Talk Nats, which first reported the agreement. Robert Murray of FanSided first reported the terms.

MLB Trade Rumors called it a sensible deal for both sides. Young's glove and speed are unlikely to fade quickly, the site said, but that skill set is not paid especially well in arbitration. The contract would lock in a life-changing amount of money for him, while the club secures a starter whose worst case is a useful fourth outfielder. He has been a particularly solid hitter against left-handed pitchers, which helps protect that floor.

The agreement would be the second extension under Paul Toboni, the Nationals' president of baseball operations, who joined the club last offseason. Right-hander Cade Cavalli signed a four-year, $47 million extension in September with a club option for 2031. With catcher Keibert Ruiz, whose eight-year deal was signed under the previous front office led by Mike Rizzo, Washington would have three players signed through 2030 with team options for 2031. That is also the last season the club controls slugger James Wood.

Washington went 77-85 in 2026, an 11-win improvement over the previous season, with an offense that ranked third in the majors in runs scored. The club is building around All-Stars CJ Abrams and James Wood, along with outfielders Dylan Crews and Daylen Lile. Young, a seventh-round pick out of the University of Florida in 2021, made his major league debut in 2023 and has been the Nationals' primary center fielder since 2024.

As of a follow-up report by RG, the Nationals had yet to announce the deal. More contract news is in the Sports Sector.