DENVER- The Colorado Rockies agreed to a $14.5 million, three-year contract with catcher Elias Diaz.
His deal covers one season of arbitration eligibility and two years of free agency. Diaz gets $3 million next season, $5.5 million in 2023 and $6 million in 2024.
Diaz, who turned 31 on Wednesday, hit .246 last season with a career-best 18 homers, tied for third-most among National League catchers. He also threw out 42.1% of base stealers, a mark only behind that of Kansas City’s Salvador Perez.
The right-handed hitting Diaz was signed by Colorado as a minor league free agent in January 2020 and was brought up seven months later. He hit .235 over 26 games for Colorado during the pandemic-shortened season of ’20.
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Diaz in May 2009. He batted .250 in 250 games for the Pirates from 2015-19. He also had 13 homers.