With the 2015 regular season on the horizon, the Minnesota Twins locked up one of their key pieces by signing second baseman Brian Dozier to a contract extension.

According to the Twins’ official Twitter account, the 27-year-old middle infielder inked a four-year deal:

The contract is worth $20 million in total, per MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, and Dozier’s salary will gradually increase from 2015 through 2018:

After a solid 2013 campaign, Dozier enjoyed a breakout season in 2014, as he batted .242 with 23 home runs, 73 RBI, 112 runs scored and 21 stolen bases.

Due to his mix of power and speed, Dozier is undoubtedly a great building block for the Twins as they attempt to return to their former status as perennial playoff contenders.

Dozier is in the prime of his career and on the verge of becoming one of the best second basemen in the league. With that in mind, locking him up for an average of $5 million per season has to be considered a major win for Minnesota.

Provided the Twins are able to put some other pieces around Dozier in the coming years, he promises to be a huge part of the franchise’s resurgence.

 

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