HOUSTON (AP) — Highly touted Houston Astros prospect Jon Singleton has agreed to a $10 million, five-year contract and will make his major league debut on Tuesday.
The Astros announced the deal and his promotion Monday during an off-day. Houston hosts the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
Singleton is rated by many as baseball’s top first baseman of the future. The 22-year-old was hitting .267 with 14 homers and 43 RBIs for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
He will receive $1.5 million in total compensation this year, and salaries of $2 million in each of the next four seasons. The Astros have a $2.5 million option for 2019 with a $500,000 buyout. If that is exercised, the club has a $5 million option for 2020 with a $250,000 buyout. Houston also has a $13 million option for 2021 with a $250,000 buyout.
The new deal replaces a one-year contract Singleton signed in February that called for a $500,000 salary while in the major leagues and $40,750 while in the minors.
Singleton was acquired from Philadelphia in the 2011 trade for Hunter Pence. He was suspended 50 games last season for a second violation for a drug of abuse.
Singleton told The Associated Press in spring training that he has an addiction to marijuana and had spent a month in a rehabilitation center last year.
First baseman Marc Krauss was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Singleton.
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