Tyler Soderstrom and the Athletics have agreed on a seven-year, $86 million extension securing his future.

Tyler Soderstrom earned a generous Christmas present entirely based on merit. As reported by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, following his breakout in the 2025 season, Soderstrom has signed a seven-year, $86 million extension with the Oakland Athletics.

Though not yet officially confirmed by the team, this contract sets the record for the highest guaranteed amount in Athletics history. It also includes a team option for an eighth year and performance-based escalators, potentially raising the total value to $131 million.

At 24 years old, Soderstrom played 158 games in the 2025 season, posting a slash line of .276/.346/.474 with 25 home runs and 93 RBIs. His adjusted OPS+ was 126, and he accumulated a 3.4 fWAR.

The Athletics selected Soderstrom in the first round, 26th overall, of the 2020 draft when he was still a high school catcher. He debuted in the majors in 2023 but struggled over 106 games in his first two seasons, hitting just .204 with a 0.636 OPS.

The turning point came in 2025 when Soderstrom firmly established himself as a cornerstone for the team’s future. Offensively, he consistently hit the ball hard: according to Statcast, his hard-hit rate (49.8%) ranked better than 86% of players in the league, and his solid contact rate (11.4%) was above 70%.

Additionally, Soderstrom developed into an above-average defender. Although he started the season as the Athletics’ primary first baseman, he shifted to left field at the end of April after Nick Kurtz was called up—a position he had never played professionally before.

The transition went very smoothly. He started 100 games in left field and was named a finalist for the American League Gold Glove at that position by season’s end. He recorded 11 outfield assists and posted an Outs Above Average (OAA) of +5, a significant improvement over his -5 OAA at first base.

Soderstrom is the third core young player to sign a long-term extension with the Athletics in the past year, following designated hitter Brent Rooker and outfielder Lawrence Butler. This aligns with the team strategy described by Athletics GM David Forst earlier in the offseason.

“I have spoken multiple times with the front office about continuing this approach to keep players long-term until we move to Las Vegas,” Forst said in October. “It’s a two-way street, but I expect we’ll start more conversations like this in the coming months.”

Soderstrom, Butler (24), shortstop Jacob Wilson (23), and first baseman Nick Kurtz (22) form a highly talented young core in the Athletics’ lineup. This week, the team also bolstered its depth by acquiring two-time All-Star Jeff McNeil from the Mets via trade.