The Milwaukee Brewers have signed left-hander Aaron Ashby to a five-year contract extension that includes club options for the 2028 and 2029 seasons. Team president of baseball operations David Stearns announced the deal on Saturday.
"We are very happy to reach a multi-year agreement with Aaron," Stearns said in a statement. "Throughout his time in our organization, Aaron has demonstrated a unique combination of persistence, character and talent. He is establishing himself as one of the premier young pitchers in baseball, and we look forward to watching his continued growth and success."
Ashby, 24, had been slated for free agency following the 2027 season, so if the Brewers wind up exercising those two options the extension will buy out the first two years of Ashby's free agency. According to Joel Sherman, the deal guarantees Ashby $20.5 million over five years, and incentives plus the two option years could push the total value of the contract to $46 million.
This season, Ashby has pitched to a 4.57 ERA and 2.59 K/BB ratio across 12 starts and six relief appearances for Milwaukee. In his rookie season of 2021, he had 4.55 ERA and 3.25 K/BB ratio in four starts and nine relief appearances.
A former fourth-round draft choice out of Crowder College in Missouri, Ashby is the nephew of former big-league pitcher Andy Ashby. He was originally drafted in the 25th round by the Rangers in 2017, but he opted to pitch another season at the junior-college level.
