Back to the Tampa Bay Rays Newsfeed

Rays, Kiermaier reportedly closing in on extension

A 31st-round pick in out of Parkland College in Illinois in the 2010 Draft, Kiermaier blossomed from a non-prospect into one of baseball's premier defenders over his first three seasons with Tampa Bay.

Kiermaier has won two consecutive AL Gold Glove Awards and earned the 2015 AL Platinum Glove Award, given to the best overall defender in each league.

Kiermaier would have been arbitration-eligible at the end of next season, and a free agent after the 2020 season. Previous long-term contracts handed out by Tampa Bay typically include team options toward the end of the deal, as they did with Chris Archer and Evan Longoria.