Report: Astros sign top prospect Jon Singleton to 5-year, $10M deal; will promote him Tuesday
The Jon Singleton era in Houston is set to begin with reports indicating the Astros top prospect will be promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City in time for Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.
And he'll be getting paid quite handsomely as well.
Source: Astros, minor league 1B Jon Singleton agree on historic long-term deal. $10M guaranteed, up to $35M. News coming on Yahoo Sports.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 2, 2014
Singleton is first player with zero ML service time to sign such an extension. Astros have tried with other players. This time, it worked.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 2, 2014
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman is reporting the deal is worth $10 million guaranteed over five years, and includes three club options. Singleton will make $9.5 million in salary, tweets ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, and the contract includes a $500,000 buyout.
If he can live up to the high expectations, Singleton will be an upgrade to the team's current platoon of Marc Krauss and Jesus Guzman at first base. In a position that usually demands power, Krauss and Guzman have combined to hit only six home runs in 211 at-bats.
Singleton, however, has a history of substance abuse that's seen the 22-year-old fail two drug tests and receive a 50-game suspension. He confessed to the Associated Press that he's got a problem with marijuana, saying "... it's pretty evident to me that I'm a drug addict."
He stated before the season started that he had not smoked marijuana in roughly a year.