On Tuesday, January 26^th, catcher J.T Realmuto signed a new contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. After much negotiating, the contract agreed upon is a 5-year, $115.5 million deal. This is worth up to around $23.1 million annually.

Realmuto’s contract will set a record as the highest annual earnings for a catcher in Major League Baseball history. This record tops former Minnesota Twins’ catcher Joe Mauer’s contract of $23 million annually.

While Realmuto’s contract with the Phillies was still being negotiated, other teams including the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves were all looking to acquire the Oklahoma-native.

Realmuto’s return has been a big question during the Phillies’ offseason this year, as he was allowed to go to free agent market after the 2020 season. But finally, after many attempts and a long negotiation period, the Phillies organization and Realmuto finally worked out a deal.

Realmuto has been on the Phillies since February 2019 and has been considered one of the best catchers in baseball. Players that have worked with him describe him as hard-working and say he has a serious approach to the game; Realmuto is well-respected in the Phillies dugout.

Phillies fans are relieved that the team finally resigned the well-loved player to their roster for the 2021 season and beyond.