# Cardinals Ink Harrison Bader Thru 2023

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/cardinals-ink-harrison-bader-thru-2023/
- Published: 2022-04-04T09:51:56-05:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

**_CARDINALS INK HARRISON BADER THRU 2023;_** **_GOLD GLOVE OUTFIELDER & TEAM AVOID
SALARY ARBITRATION_**

**JUPITER, Fla., April 3, 2022 – **The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that 
they have agreed with outfielder **_[Harrison Bader](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/baderha01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)_**
on a two-year (2022-23) contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing.

Bader, 27, was recognized as the games’ top defensive centerfielder in 2021 with
his first _Rawlings_ Gold Glove award. He has stood among the majors top defensive
outfielders dating back to 2018 when he was named to the _Baseball America_ and 
Topps All-Rookie teams.

Since the beginning of the 2018 season, Bader leads all Major League outfielders
in Defensive Runs Saved (47), Outs Above Average (47) and Runs Prevented (42), and
he ranks 3^(rd) in Defensive War (3.5). His .973 Defensive Zone Rating in 2021 was
the highest of any Major League outfielder since the category began being tracked
in 1997, according to _Stats Perform_.

Bader batted a career best .267 last season while also compiling career single-season
bests for home runs (16) and RBI (50) in his 103 games played. He has a career batting
mark of .244/.323/.417 with 47 HR’s, 147 RBI and 40 stolen bases in 451 games.

The right-handed hitting Bader was a 3^(rd) round draft selection (100^(th) player
overall) by the Cardinals in 2015 out of the University of Florida, and he was voted
the Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year in 2017.

**— STL —**

---

Reports are it’s a 2 year, $10.4M contract; it breaks down to $4.7M each season 
with a $1M signing bonus he’ll receive immediately.

It’s not surprising that they would buy out his arbitration years; if he builds 
upon a solid 2021, he’ll be worth more then the $4.7M he’s owed next year. If he’s
not as good, he’d still be guaranteed a raise through the arbitration process. Even
is he doesn’t hit, his defense is worth that.

This signings leaves [Tyler O’Neill](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=oneilty01,oneill001tyl&search=Tyler+O'Neill&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral)
as the only arbitrations case left open. His hearing should be this week. I doubt
he gets a similar deal at this point; he’s got an extra year of team control. He
could work out something longer, but the team could chance it and approach his about
an extension next year.

Bader’s deal has been added to both the [Salary Matrix](https://www.nyrdcast.com/2021/10/2021-22-cardinal-off-season-salary-matrix/)
and the [Transaction Tracker](https://www.nyrdcast.com/2021/11/the-2021-22-cardinals-transaction-page/)
for the team.

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